| The ropers at Annie Oakley's Real Western | | | | established promising relationships with many |
| Dudette Ranch were all | | | | travel agents, signed up |
| riding high in the saddle. It was just before their | | | | for representation by two large adventure travel |
| first travel trade show | | | | wholesalers, and even |
| in Chicago, and they just knew they would rope | | | | generated interest for a editorial story Outside |
| in big sales.Annie and her all-woman cowpoke | | | | Magazine.Unlike Annie Oakleys' Dudette Ranch, |
| staff were confident thousands of | | | | Tropical Bill's Windsurfing |
| American working women were just itchin to | | | | company was now on the map, generating some |
| pay $1995 or more to learn | | | | cash flow and filling its |
| the fine art of cattle roping and bronco busting. | | | | sails with some powerful promotional winds. Bill |
| Annie sent her two best | | | | could hardly wait for |
| cowgirls; figurin' if they could handle cattle, they | | | | their next show opportunity. Annie was last seen |
| could sure rustle up | | | | commiserating around |
| some sales. The cowgirls brought to the show a | | | | the campfire with her cowpokes.Both outfitters |
| couple of hay bales, a | | | | knew that attendees at travel trade shows |
| big sign with genuine spurs dangling from it, a | | | | were their best markets. Both hoped to have |
| table clear across the | | | | some sales during |
| front of their booth loaded with hundreds of | | | | the show and create awareness for future |
| small snapshots of the | | | | bookings. Clearly different |
| cowpokes in action, a four-page story Annie had | | | | attitudes and strategies yield different returns on |
| hand wrote to give out. | | | | investment. "Beginners |
| They wore their most trail-worn chaps and their | | | | mind," planning, research, goals, and specific |
| fanciest boots.Dang! Three days later, Annie's | | | | strategies make for happy |
| seasoned cowgirls left the show more | | | | trails and high wind days. Don't reinvent the |
| tired then after three-week cattle drive, ornery | | | | wheel. The resources you |
| with their throats as dry as | | | | need, like the Texas Rangers, are awaiting your |
| dust. They had only four leads, and had made no | | | | request for assistance.Show management and |
| sales. Annie was as | | | | trade organizations are there to help with your |
| irritated as a stepped-on rattler; she had spent | | | | success. This show, like many others, will be both |
| over $5,000. and was | | | | an industry trade |
| sure it was the show promoter's fault her | | | | show filled with travel agents and media as well |
| cowgirls were not more | | | | as motivated |
| successful.Proper Trade show Strategies Yield | | | | consumers of travel related products and |
| More Leads & SalesAnnie is fictional, but the way | | | | services. Trade |
| she fell out of the saddle is not much | | | | shows are abundant fishing grounds; you just |
| different than dozens of businesses I observe, | | | | need the right equipment, |
| and even some I have | | | | training and bait.4 Strategies for Maximizing |
| consulted to. I don't let the ones under my reins | | | | Trade Show Exhibiting Results1. Have a |
| keep going down the | | | | team-created plan. Unity provides more sales. |
| desert trail that Annie followed. You can end up | | | | Incorporate |
| more like this fictional | | | | your most knowledgeable and motivated staff |
| company...Tropical Bill's Eco-Amazon Windsurfing | | | | from start to finish. When |
| tours had not lost any clients to | | | | the staff and owners share the same vision and |
| Piranha during the first months of operation, and | | | | agenda, achieving your |
| they were ready to | | | | goals will be far easier.2. Do pre-show mailings |
| expand his small tour business through travel | | | | and phone invitations can triple attendance. |
| trade shows. Bill and his | | | | David Garfinkel and Jay Conrad Levinson in the |
| staff's goals at their first show were to raise | | | | soon to be released |
| broad awareness for their | | | | book, "Guerrilla Direct-Mail Marketing" suggest to |
| unique trips to consumers as well as secure | | | | use multiple |
| travel agent representation.An expert windsurfer, | | | | personalized invitations promoting special offers |
| Tropical Bill had little experience with promotion, | | | | redeemable only at |
| sales and trade shows and knew that, like | | | | your booth.3. Arrive a couple days before show. |
| windsurfing, it was a learned | | | | Tap into guaranteed opportunity. |
| experience. He admitted his ignorance and | | | | There are unmatched opportunities to meet with |
| assumed what I call | | | | media, establish sales |
| "beginner's mind."Here's what Bill and his team did | | | | representation, and network with fellow travel |
| to improve the trade show results:He sought out | | | | business |
| as much advice and information as he could.Visited | | | | people. Share what has worked for you and help |
| other tourism trade shows.Took a workshop on | | | | others. When the show |
| trade show marketing and read all he could on | | | | starts you'll be better prepared and rested then |
| the subject.His team created a solid plan on how | | | | most.4. Taking care of yourself will yield better |
| to achieve their specific goals.They called and sent | | | | results. Schedule your staff so |
| out several mailings of personalized cards | | | | that everyone is smiling and well rested. Drink |
| and letters to key prospects before the show | | | | plenty of water. Eat well- |
| offering a show special.They invested in a quality | | | | balanced meals for higher energy. Avoid alcohol |
| exhibit with easy-to-read graphics and | | | | at all times during |
| bold benefit-oriented marketing | | | | show. Wear comfortable shoes. Stretch your |
| communications.Learned how-to create a powerful | | | | muscles while checking out |
| travel trade show booth that | | | | other exhibits.For more "how-to" trade show tips |
| grabbed prospects attention and sell more by | | | | and a trade show industry survey go |
| reading "Tourism Marketing Success" | | | | to and 2005, U.S. consumers spent more then |
| role-played and practiced boothmanship with his | | | | $486 billion dollars for travel |
| most | | | | related equipment, travel, lodging, and meals - |
| knowledgeable and motivated team of four that | | | | and with hundreds of |
| were staffing the booth | | | | outfitters like Annie Oakley and Amazon Bill's. All |
| at scheduled intervals. Show management was | | | | this just to have fun! |
| excited about Tropical Bill's Windsurfing | | | | Proper trade show marketing can be a magical |
| Simulator and gave them excellent floor | | | | and fun part of your total |
| placement. A follow-up sales | | | | marketing plan.Tim Warren is the author of |
| letter was pre-printed and sent from the office | | | | "Tourism Marketing Success" and founder of |
| to key prospects | | | | Adventure Business Consultants. Since 1994, Tim |
| immediately with several new color brochures. | | | | has helped dozen's of tourism businesses and |
| The preparation, booth, | | | | destinations just like you with creating trade show |
| staff activities, offers and prospect follow-up | | | | strategies that help you standout from the |
| were all well executed.Tropical Bill implemented | | | | crowd, sell more trips and increase arrivals. Click |
| many other strategies all covered in this | | | | Here For Free E-zine - Tourism Business Success |
| article, raised the flag to their existence, made | | | | - News, tips, tools and specials that you can use |
| numerous bookings, | | | | to increase your travel business success. |