Far too many of us waste good opportunities when we fail to network effectively because we employ tired techniques at trade shows. The following bullet points should increase your effectiveness and boost your sales at your next trade show:

Attending Only:

Arrive early for the breakfast event, join a nearly full table, and share your business card and brochure with everyone seated at your table.

Listen, learn and begin building these new relationships. Remember, showing interest in others is a good habit to get into.

Be sure to get business cards so you can add them to your distribution lists and then follow-up later to continue the art of relationship building. Remember, in addition to potential clients, building relationships results in referrals and word-of-mouth brand and business development.

Do the same for the luncheon and/or evening hors d’oeuvres.

Visit every booth and learn—what are the products and services offered, how do they market those products and services, what are their challenges, how successful is their booth at this show and at others, etc. Gaining knowledge is gaining power and this kind of power can be worth thousands in future receipts.

Be sure to get business cards from every business that fits your target market. And, of course, leave your business card and brochure in the hands of the person staffing the booth.

Use what you learn and your list of new contacts to grow your business.

Networking is not about selling; it is about building relationships. Building good relationships leads to win/win situations.

Exhibiting:

Create a booth display that puts your best foot forward. The impression your booth leaves with attendees and other exhibitors represents your brand, your products and your services.

Everything about your presence should say quality, service, credibility, honesty and trustworthiness.

Pre-market—get a list of the pre-registrants and the exhibitors and send out invitations to each person on the list, inviting them to visit your booth. Using a hook—a freebie or a raffle, for example—can increase attendance at your booths.

Send out invitations to attend the trade show and to visit your booth to everyone on your private distribution/contact lists. By doing so, you build attendance for the show, you assist others by alerting them to the show, and you increase attendance at our booth.

Gather business cards in a fish bowl or basket for a raffle,. By placing notice that those entering the raffle give you approval to add them to your distribution lists, you build new opportunities for new relationships and for business growth.

Follow up with every contact made at the trade show. Setting a coffee or a lunch date is a great way to get to know others better and to discover ways you can help each other.

Always add your new contacts to your distribution lists and your newsletter list.No matter how great our booth and our collaterals are or how much money we spend to look first-class, the key is to place relationship building above all other goals and objectives. When we approach others with the idea of learning more about them and wanting to build a relationship with them based on trust and honesty rather than sales, not only do we grow our businesses but, more importantly, we and our brands build a reputation based on values instead of products and services. And I believe that savvy business people ultimately buy first from those with similar values and those they trust.