Taking a step away from tradeshows for a moment, the big topic today seems to be about social networking.  We have sites like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc that are all about networking and connecting with each other.  Through our own connections, we might be able to link two friends together to help in business or social.  I’m surprised Kevin Bacon’s name isn’t on the top of these sites to see how we can all be linked some how to him.  It’s an interesting concept but I wonder how many of us take advantage of it.   Then there are many other review sites: StumbleUpon, Digg, Trend Hunter, Viewpoints….all ways to get the word out about your website, product, service or business. 

I’m putting my company out there since I believe it can’t hurt.  Even if you get one lead, that lead might turn into another…. I am interested to hear about everyone’s experience with this new form of social networking.

 Gwen Austin, RC Art Toys, Inventor of the Color Bug™  www.rcarttoys.com 

Packing for the tradeshow needs a little thought especially if you have to ship items.  You will most likely have to have everything packed up 2 weeks or more in advance depending on how or where you are going to ship it.  If you are driving, then you have a little more leeway however you need to review the laws of the convention center on what you are allowed to carry in versus what the union has to do for you.  Usually if you can carry it with one person or roll it, you shouldn’t have a problem.   

Here is a general checklist of the items I would recommend having along:·        

• Scotch Tape·        
• Masking Tape·        
• Duct Tape  ·        
• 2-sided Tape·        
• Velcro 

Seems over kill I know BUT you never know when some part of your booth is going to fail you and you need a quick fix. 

• Scissors·        
• Pens·        
• Lint Brush (this helps clean up table clothes, a quick carpet clean…because you do have to pay for them to vacuum, or if you have a popup booth with fabric sides)·        
• Stapler·        
• Binder for leads·        
• Sell Sheets/Catalogs·        
• Price list·        
• Media Kits·        
• Business Cards·        
• Quick easy snacks.  I brought Power Bars because you often don’t get time to eat.·        
• Water or other beverage·        
• Mints (I don’t recommend gum)·        
• Camera  (you are not allowed to take pictures of other booths without permission nor are they allowed to take a picture of yours.  I stopped more than one photograph)·        
• Screwdrivers/tools that you will need to assemble your booth or for your product.  ·        
• Power strip·        
• Extension cords·        
• Extra lighting to brighten up the booth.  (you will get charged for electricity)·        
• Extra product for samples to buyers.  You do not need to give a free sample to each buyer and often times they will offer to pay for it.   Quite often the buyers will ask for samples to be sent so they don’t have to carry so much during the show. 

Obviously don’t forget the basic elements of your booth and your product to showcase.

 ”Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” Henry David Thoreau

Gwen Austin, RC Art Toys, Inventor of the Color Bug™  www.rcarttoys.com 

It’s true that you could attend a tradeshow without spending any effort on marketing but if you want to make the most of the show, I highly recommend letting the world know that you are planning on being there….perhaps not the world but at the very least a nice cross section of attendees.   

Before the show…..

A buyer sometimes needs to see you several times before taking interest in your product.  The truth is that often times they might not even fully understand your product at first.  I send out postcards prior to the show and had one buyer come up to my booth saying that he saw the card and threw it in the garbage.  As he was walking away, it occurred to him that it wasn’t just another RC toy on the postcard.  He pulled it from the garbage, read more about the Color Bug and ended up at my booth placing an order.  Therefore I HIGHLY recommend sending out a postcard prior to the show with your product information, picture of the product, company website/contact info and don’t forget the booth number!!  While this does add an expense, I had several people stop by my booth because of the postcard I sent to them.  Remember that your booth is one of hundreds, possibility thousands so anything you can do to increase your odds of sales, the better.  That 19 cent postcard may easily turn into an account worth hundreds.  I had more than one person comment on receiving my postcards and each of them that did were there to place an order. 

How do I know who to send them to?  Most shows do offer the ability to buy mailing lists with the names of the buyers who meet your criteria.  This is an expense but sometimes you can narrow down and just get the names of the buyers to the larger stores since these are the people most difficult to obtain.   

 There are a few creative ways of getting lists of names of potential small specialty stores without paying for a mailing list.    Of course you can’t guarantee that all of these stores will be in attendance at the show but shows coincide with the buying patterns for the industry so even if a store is not in attendance, they are gearing up to buy.

1. Yellow pages online.  You can search for different store types and compile a list this way.  It’s a long process but you can limit it to major cities.  Also keep in mind that you are going to get a better turn out of the stores that are located in the region where the show is occurring.  It’s expensive for the buyers to attend these shows as well if you factor in travel, food and lodging so you will always have a higher turnout from the local customers.
2. Look up any of the organizations that are associated with your industry.  For instance, ASTRA is the Association for Specialty Toy Retailers.  If you go to their site, you will find a list of all of their members.  ASTRA holds a huge event at the Toy Fair so many of the members come to network with their peers as well as go to the Toy Fair. 
3. Go to another company that is more established than you are and see where they are selling.  I did this and it was a painful process to build a spreadsheet but it gave me sources that I would not have otherwise considered.   

Just remember, when you are building a list of customers to target,   it might be a long process but put together an organized spreadsheet that you will then be able to work off of.  You don’t want to recreate the wheel every year. 

In addition to the buyers, there is also the media to consider.  Ask your contact at the tradeshow if there is a media area and if you are eligible to put your media kit in that area. Often times you need to belong to the organization putting on the show in order to get the media access.  In addition, you might also be able to get a listing of the media who will be attending so you can send emails and postcards out to them in advance. 

Notify your local newspaper and news stations that your company is planning on attending the show.  Often times the media is going to run a story on the tradeshow anyway and they love to have a local company that they can spotlight.  Major shows like Toy Fair are covered on every station during the time of the show so take advantage of the timing.  Also keep in mind that you might live in Charlotte but grew up in Dallas so contact media in both cities with a different spin on the release “Local Company launches product at Toy Fair” vs “Dallas Native launches product at Toy Fair”.  In addition, make sure you contact your college, high school, neighbor publications etc.   Each of these types of publications enjoys the human interest side of your story.

The tradeshows usually have daily news that they publish.  Contact the media representative for the show to submit the press release and a photo. 

During the show…….

I will be talking about all the things you should bring with you to the show in another post but the one thing I can’t stress enough is making sure you have an effective way of capturing your leads.  Make sure you take business cards from everyone!  Don’t be afraid to ask if they don’t readily offer them to you…most of them will not.  In addition, have a 3-ring binder that you can put names of the buyers who say they don’t have any more business cards.  This is also helpful to have a sheet where you can staple a card and make notes regarding the conversation you had with that person. 

Another way, a little more expensive but the buyers LOVE, is the electronic scanner that allows you to scan their badge.  At the end of the show you get access to an excel spreadsheet that gives you all the information.   

Keep in mind that people move quickly in and out of the booths so you need to be organized to get as much information as quickly as you can.  It’s Murphy’s Law that your booth is either empty or crowded but rarely do you get to just have a steady flow. 

After the show………Follow up on all leads that you obtained at the show.    Send emails, catalogs in the mail, etc.  The buyers have seen so much during a short period of time that they need reminders.  That’s why I can’t stress enough the importance of consistency in your company branding.  Keep you postcards, media kits, booth graphics, business cards; sell sheets all a very consistent look.  This way, the buyer will start to recognize you as a company. 

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”  Nelson Mandela

Gwen Austin, RC Art Toys, Inventor of the Color Bug™  www.rcarttoys.com 

Ok, so you’ve decided to do the show. NOW what?!?! There are two important things to do prior to the show.

1) Map out your booth, the design, the function, your needs…essentially how you will get the most of out of the booth

2) Make it known that you are going to be at the show.

THE BOOTH

This is a huge expense but the good thing is that you usually only need to make the investment the first year. My opinion is to keep it simple and clean. Don’t overcrowd your booth. You want to carry a consistent look and feel so create a booth that is a reflection of your company logo or packaging. You will need a few basic elements to pull this off;

1. BACKDROP WITH YOUR COMPANY/PRODUCT LOGO

I was lucky to have use of a pop-up display. But you can easily have a large banner made with your company logo to hang along the back of the booth.

2. SHELVES OR TABLE(S) TO DISPLAY YOUR PRODUCT(S)

I used a table with sides to demo the Color Bug and then had a Shipper full of product. That was it. I printed off graphics to cover the edges of the table and to place at the top of the shipper to reinforce the brand. Shippers are a great way to display the product on a piece of “furniture” that is light weight to ship. http://www.meridiandisplay.com/

3. CHAIR AND TABLE TO CONDUCT BUSINESS

I prefer to use a tall bistro table. You don’t need anything large and it’s nice to be able to stand and use the table. You should NEVER sit while working at the show so using tall barstools allows you to rest a little during slow periods but you are still at eye level. I have rented these items but could have also gone to Target, purchased them and thrown them out cheaper than what I paid. Unfortunately, doing a show in NYC makes it difficult to be able to do that. This year, I will most likely purchase all of my furnishings and just ship them back and forth.

4. FLOOR COVERING

Most shows (even the craft shows) do not include carpeting. You are required to cover the floor in your booth. I have rented my carpet but am looking into another option. This site gives you an idea of the options: http://www.matsmatsmats.com/commercial-industrial/trade-show/?Source=GOOGLEAW&KW=trade+show+carpet&gclid=CIaGhfC87JICFRItagodfF1c4A but I’m not promoting them based on the pricing…this is something to look into. Again, unless you have some type of 10 X 10 remnant, I would bite the bullet and rent for the first year.

5. LIGHTING

I feel that lighting makes a huge difference in gain attention as you walk down the aisle. There are numerous tradeshow lighting units but you can also find many creative options around your house or from the local hardware store. It doesn’t have to be fancy…just so it highlights your backdrop and/or products. Keep in mind, electricity is another extra cost in the show. Your booth comes with NOTHING except a drape in the back and on the sides to designate your area.

Those are the basic elements you need to think about to set up your booth. The next things we need to discuss are the things you need WITHIN the booth for a successful show. And then we will get to the marketing piece…..

“Bigness comes from doing many small things well. Individually, they are not very dramatic transactions. Together though, they add up.” Edward S. Finkelstein

Gwen Austin, RC Art Toys, Inventor of the Color Bug™  www.rcarttoys.com 

There have been quite a few questions regarding tradeshows on the board so I thought I would give a little overview of my experiences, my thoughts and some of the little things that I thought made my experience successful.   

I think that attending a tradeshow is extremely important from a marketing/sales perspective.  It gives you an opportunity to expose your company to a large number of retailers, press and potential customers in a very short period of time.  The trick is getting the most “bang for your buck” so it’s best to narrow down the top tradeshow in your industry.   For me, it is the New York Toy Fair held every February.   While these shows are generally more expensive, you will gain more by the numbers of buyers who will be there as opposed to some of the smaller shows. 

Here’s a list of the 2008 major shows: http://www.greatrep.com/trade_shows.asp 

Some other great venues are your local craft or holiday shows.  These are direct to the public and offer you a great opportunity to see what the consumer is actually saying about your product.   

You have to realize that as a first time exhibitor, you most likely are not going to have great booth placement.  Each year, you will gain higher priority and the sooner you submit your contract, the better your odds are of getting a decent spot.    

So what makes a great booth location?     

• There is a benefit of having a corner booth because you are essentially getting traffic from 2 sides.   The odds are that you will not be getting a corner booth anytime soon.     
• Try to get in the heart of the floor and to the front.  The further you are to the back or outside, the less traffic.         
• Look at the traffic patterns – where escalators are, entrances, bathrooms,  etc.   

Make sure to review all the materials when submit your application.  Very often, the shows promote new exhibitors.  You want to make sure that you take advantage of every possible free marketing opportunity available.    

Next post will include marketing for the tradeshow.   

“Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still.”    Linda Brakeall

Gwen Austin, RC Art Toys, Inventor of the Color Bug™  www.rcarttoys.com 

To stay motivated, I try to surround myself with messages and stories of inspiration.  (and of course a dose of Donny)  I recently read a story of a woman that spent 35 years planting 50,000 bulbs on 5 acres in the mountains….one by one.   What she created is a breathtaking view on an obscure mountain top.   I would imagine that many people would think she was crazy.  Haven’t each of us experienced that along our path?  What one can learn from her is the importance of moving toward your goal, even if it seems overwhelming at times.   I think so many people want the finished product right now and if it doesn’t happen then they give up.  We need to remember the journey is just as important as the destination.   Make small goals and celebrate each of those goals along the way.  So sit down right now and make a list of small goals you can commit to.  Those goals can be as easy as compiling a weekly “to-do” list, hanging it in clear view and checking off at least one thing a day. 

Another helpful way of making you stay on schedule is to commit to events that are scheduled – ie craft shows, holiday shows, tradeshows.  Many of the holiday shows are already taking applications for the November shows so start looking now.  During my initial startup stage, I made a commitment to attend the FAO Toy Auditions to give myself a date to have my prototype completed.  They are conducting them again this year http://www.fao.com/custsvc/custsvc.jsp?sectionId=234 .  It’s a GREAT way to get feedback from the industry.  My second commitment was for the Toy Fair in NYC.  http://www.toyassociation.org    Next year the show will be held Feb 15-18, 2009 but you need to start applying for space now.  The bottom line is to create deadlines and commitments that don’t give you the ability to back-out.  It’s easy for each of us to put something off until tomorrow but when you know outside sources are relying on you, it makes you accountable. 

Each one of these small goals will eventually lead you to your final destination…..if, in fact, there ever is a “final” destination.    In the end, the days and years will pass one way or another so you can either sit back and enjoy the “view” you’ve created or live with the regret of the time wasted not pursuing your dream. 

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”  Walt Disney 

Hello.  My first blog post and I’m already wondering “what on earth do I have to say?”  But what’s most interesting about that statement is that we have all felt this way at one point or another - the insecurity and self doubt on the path to our dream.   It bonds us in the same way motherhood has.  Just as we could sit around comparing notes on pregnancy, childbirth, sleepless nights…or in my case years, we now also can relate on the fear, the doubt, the negative forces and share the excitement and joy that ultimately comes from the hard work we dedicate to both our babies. 

In reality, I have plenty to say.  I could talk all day about my journey, the industry, business and motherhood.  So I will take you along on a day in the life of a toy inventor.  Thank you for joining the ride. 

“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true.”  Richard Bach

Gwen Austin, RC Art Toys, Inventor of the Color Bug™  www.rcarttoys.com