| The ropers at Annie Oakley's Real Western Dudette | | | | established promising relationships with many travel |
| Ranch were all | | | | agents, signed up |
| riding high in the saddle. It was just before their first | | | | for representation by two large adventure travel |
| travel trade show | | | | wholesalers, and even |
| in Chicago, and they just knew they would rope in big | | | | generated interest for a editorial story Outside |
| sales.Annie and her all-woman cowpoke staff were | | | | Magazine.Unlike Annie Oakleys' Dudette Ranch, |
| confident thousands of | | | | Tropical Bill's Windsurfing |
| American working women were just itchin to pay | | | | company was now on the map, generating some |
| $1995 or more to learn | | | | cash flow and filling its |
| the fine art of cattle roping and bronco busting. Annie | | | | sails with some powerful promotional winds. Bill could |
| sent her two best | | | | hardly wait for |
| cowgirls; figurin' if they could handle cattle, they could | | | | their next show opportunity. Annie was last seen |
| sure rustle up | | | | commiserating around |
| some sales. The cowgirls brought to the show a | | | | the campfire with her cowpokes.Both outfitters knew |
| couple of hay bales, a | | | | that attendees at travel trade shows |
| big sign with genuine spurs dangling from it, a table | | | | were their best markets. Both hoped to have some |
| clear across the | | | | sales during |
| front of their booth loaded with hundreds of small | | | | the show and create awareness for future bookings. |
| snapshots of the | | | | 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 strategies |
| fanciest boots.Dang! Three days later, Annie's | | | | make for happy |
| seasoned cowgirls left the show more | | | | trails and high wind days. Don't reinvent the wheel. The |
| tired then after three-week cattle drive, ornery with | | | | resources you |
| 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 trade |
| sales. Annie was as | | | | organizations are there to help with your |
| irritated as a stepped-on rattler; she had spent over | | | | success. This show, like many others, will be both an |
| $5,000. and was | | | | industry trade |
| sure it was the show promoter's fault her cowgirls | | | | show filled with travel agents and media as well as |
| were not more | | | | motivated |
| successful.Proper Trade show Strategies Yield More | | | | consumers of travel related products and services. |
| Leads & SalesAnnie is fictional, but the way she fell | | | | Trade |
| out of the saddle is not much | | | | shows are abundant fishing grounds; you just need |
| different than dozens of businesses I observe, and | | | | the right equipment, |
| even some I have | | | | training and bait.4 Strategies for Maximizing Trade |
| consulted to. I don't let the ones under my reins keep | | | | Show Exhibiting Results1. Have a team-created plan. |
| going down the | | | | Unity provides more sales. Incorporate |
| desert trail that Annie followed. You can end up more | | | | your most knowledgeable and motivated staff from |
| like this fictional | | | | start to finish. When |
| company...Tropical Bill's Eco-Amazon Windsurfing | | | | the staff and owners share the same vision and |
| tours had not lost any clients to | | | | agenda, achieving your |
| Piranha during the first months of operation, and they | | | | goals will be far easier.2. Do pre-show mailings and |
| were ready to | | | | phone invitations can triple attendance. |
| expand his small tour business through travel trade | | | | David Garfinkel and Jay Conrad Levinson in the soon |
| shows. Bill and his | | | | to be released |
| staff's goals at their first show were to raise broad | | | | book, "Guerrilla Direct-Mail Marketing" suggest to use |
| awareness for their | | | | multiple |
| unique trips to consumers as well as secure travel | | | | personalized invitations promoting special offers |
| agent representation.An expert windsurfer, Tropical Bill | | | | redeemable only at |
| had little experience with promotion, | | | | your booth.3. Arrive a couple days before show. Tap |
| sales and trade shows and knew that, like windsurfing, | | | | into guaranteed opportunity. |
| it was a learned | | | | There are unmatched opportunities to meet with |
| experience. He admitted his ignorance and assumed | | | | media, establish sales |
| what I call | | | | representation, and network with fellow travel |
| "beginner's mind."Here's what Bill and his team did to | | | | business |
| improve the trade show results:He sought out as much | | | | people. Share what has worked for you and help |
| advice and information as he could.Visited other | | | | others. When the show |
| tourism trade shows.Took a workshop on trade show | | | | starts you'll be better prepared and rested then |
| marketing and read all he could on | | | | most.4. Taking care of yourself will yield better results. |
| the subject.His team created a solid plan on how to | | | | Schedule your staff so |
| achieve their specific goals.They called and sent out | | | | that everyone is smiling and well rested. Drink plenty |
| several mailings of personalized cards | | | | of water. Eat well- |
| and letters to key prospects before the show | | | | balanced meals for higher energy. Avoid alcohol at all |
| offering a show special.They invested in a quality | | | | times during |
| exhibit with easy-to-read graphics and | | | | show. Wear comfortable shoes. Stretch your muscles |
| bold benefit-oriented marketing | | | | while checking out |
| communications.Learned how-to create a powerful | | | | other exhibits.For more "how-to" trade show tips and |
| travel trade show booth that | | | | a trade show industry survey go |
| grabbed prospects attention and sell more by reading | | | | to and 2005, U.S. consumers spent more then $486 |
| "Tourism Marketing Success" | | | | billion dollars for travel |
| role-played and practiced boothmanship with his most | | | | related equipment, travel, lodging, and meals - and with |
| knowledgeable and motivated team of four that were | | | | hundreds of |
| staffing the booth | | | | outfitters like Annie Oakley and Amazon Bill's. All this |
| at scheduled intervals. Show management was | | | | just to have fun! |
| excited about Tropical Bill's Windsurfing | | | | Proper trade show marketing can be a magical and |
| Simulator and gave them excellent floor placement. A | | | | fun part of your total |
| follow-up sales | | | | marketing plan.Tim Warren is the author of "Tourism |
| letter was pre-printed and sent from the office to key | | | | Marketing Success" and founder of Adventure |
| prospects | | | | Business Consultants. Since 1994, Tim has helped |
| immediately with several new color brochures. The | | | | dozen's of tourism businesses and destinations just like |
| preparation, booth, | | | | you with creating trade show strategies that help you |
| staff activities, offers and prospect follow-up were all | | | | standout from the crowd, sell more trips and increase |
| well executed.Tropical Bill implemented many other | | | | arrivals. Click Here For Free E-zine - Tourism Business |
| strategies all covered in this | | | | Success - News, tips, tools and specials that you can |
| article, raised the flag to their existence, made | | | | use to increase your travel business success. |
| numerous bookings, | | | | |