Exhibit at a Trade Show

Have you considered advertising your services at a trade show? In addition to local shows, like a "Home & Garden Show", there are specialized trade shows (like the Hurricane Expo) that enable you to reach prospective customers in large numbers.

There are some keys to getting the most out of your involvement, however:

If possible, share the cost. Approach your insurance agent and ask if he or she would be interested in sharing a booth. You might name your booth "Peace of Mind" and then have both of your company logos on a sign below that.

Make your own signage. You don't need a $1,000 booth -- have some professional signs and banners made, and get some disaster photos blown up.

Have a contest. A memory contest would be a good way to reinforce the principle of a home inventory service. Create a contest where you have 3-4 people compete against each other to see how many items they can write down from memory after looking at a photo of a room for 1 minute. Offer the winner a prize -- say, a $50 towards your service.

Conduct a drawing for a Free Express Inventory (up to one hour of service, or [$] towards a full inventory). Use the drawing to collect the name of qualified prospects. But don't just collect names and addresses. Ask for e-mail addresses too, and ask if they are interested in a Free Guide to Conducting a Home Inventory.

Give something away. Imprinted pens or notepads are good, as are refrigerator magnets.

Staffing makes a huge difference. Of course, you'll be working your booth -- but you'll need help. You need at least one other person to help interact with people while you engage with potential clients. Choose someone with an upbeat personality who isn't afraid to help you draw attention. My mom has always been my best trade show worker -- she's non-threatening (think 60-something, short, and silver-haired), and isn't afraid to stop people to ask them to sign up for the drawing.

Don't be afraid to SELL at the show. Make sure to have sample (fictionalized) inventory books available for people to look through. Set appointments at the show -- offer a substantial discount (30-35%) for folks who put down a non-refundable $50 deposit at the show. Ideally, you want to walk out of a show with a half-dozen or dozen appointments.

Follow up...quickly! You might be exhausted when you get home from the trade show ... but now is not the time to rest. Instead, create a mailing list of prospects -- and tag them as A, B, and C. "A" prospects either won a prize or set an appointment. Follow up with them first. (To confirm the appointment and reinforce your interest in working with them to provide peace of mind.)

"B" prospects provided an e-mail address and requested more information (the free guide mentioned above). Send them an e-mail within the next 24 hours with the guide attached, and a link to your website. (Create it -- a simple one-page tip sheet -- BEFORE the trade show so it's ready to go. (Follow up with a phone call to these individuals within a week to make sure they received the guide and "to see if they have any questions about conducting their inventory.")

"C" prospects didn't provide an e-mail address, but they might have provided a home address. Send a postcard to these individuals and direct them to your website for free resources on emergency preparedness and disaster planning. (You do have those resources on your website, right?)

Exhibiting at a trade show is expensive -- so make sure you are prepared to capture sales at the show, and to follow up to make the most of the leads you identify.