NAFA Institute & Expo opens in Tampa in less than two weeks. Are you ready?
By Ed Pierce, Fleet Industry Marketer
- Confirm who is attending the show from your company. What IT staff, customer service people, management, and sales reps are necessary to support the booth during exhibit hours and company events? If a sales rep has not arranged any customer or prospect meetings, why go?
- Release a NAFA I&E information packet for all company attendees with NAFA schedule of events; company activities and assignments (especially booth duty and competitive information-gathering). Explain what sales reps’ post-NAFA activity reports should include: Customer/prospect names? Meeting locations? Sales objectives? Goals achieved?
- Finalize media interviews for your executives or SME’s (Subject Matter Experts) with all pertinent press (whom marketing has already determined will be there).
- Double check that all registration, exhibit, marketing, and event logistics are planned, on schedule and under control before departure.
- Use your social media pages — especially pictures and video — to promote your company’s presence and plans for the coming week’s on-site digital social media reports.
- On the first day of the I&E, send out a broadcast “welcome” email to customers and prospects while highlighting the scope of the company’s conference involvement. As applicable, promote corporate sponsorship; the company’s Expo exhibit, any drawings or giveaways, educational session participation by managers or customers, and any company outings or dinners. Be sure to provide on-site contact company contact information!
- Conduct a pre-exhibit hall opening meeting in your exhibit for sales and support staff. Topics to cover include the manning schedule; the roles of sales, IT, or other representatives in the booth; the exhibit theme or message; the demonstration process; giveaways or drawing requirements; available literature; lead collection; and any special handling of certain visitors.
- Sales should pursue face-to-face opportunities to drive customers to the booth and company events, especially education sessions involving company and customer presenters. Impress upon the entire team NOT to drag fleet managers away from NAFA’s official events! This ongoing problem reflects poorly on the offending company and all affiliates.
- Don’t miss your Exhibit Space for NAFA 2018 reservation opportunity! Size up the competition and traffic patterns, then decide if you want a better location or bigger footprint.
- Post Conference: Disseminate leads to sales reps and add to CRM, noting NAFA I&E as the source, to allow segmented communication going forward.
