| Continual improvement is a goal for many
exhibitors. Knowing that tradeshows can play an integral role in a company’s
marketing campaign, they’re committed to doing the best job they can this year -- and
a better one next year.
To continually improve, you have to have a very clear and
concrete idea of where you are right now. An objective measurement of performance is the
only way to plan for and achieve an improved result at subsequent shows. It serves as your
baseline.
How do you get this baseline measurement? It’s a two
part process, incorporating both measurable and intangible criteria. The combination of
these two criteria gives you the most comprehensive picture possible of your performance.
Let’s start with the measurable criteria. These are
your goals and objectives, spelled out in black and white. If you say that you want to do
$X in sales or collect Y number of leads, then you can compare your results against your
goal. It’s simple. You met your goal, you exceeded your goal, or you fell short.
However, there are other factors in tradeshow performance
to consider. These are the intangible, hard to measure things that affect your show: staff
performance, booth design, general ambiance, and a host of other criteria. You need to
know how you’re performing before you can improve that performance.
Where can you get information on these intangible criteria?
After all, there’s no magic ball where you can look and see how you did. Tradeshow
exhibiting is not like Monday Night Football, with cameras tracking every move and instant
replay only a moment away.
This is where a mystery shopper’s services can be
critical. By providing an objective, focused analysis of your exhibit, a mystery shopper
can pinpoint weaknesses, identify strengths and on occasion, offer suggestions for
improvement.
It’s important to take the mystery shopper’s
report into account. However, it is not the only point of view you’ll want to
consider. Often, valuable information can come from your booth staffers themselves. During
your end-of-day debriefing session, go over what worked, what didn’t, and what
challenges arose during the day. Take time to meet with your staffers a short time after
the show as well -- giving them time to reflect upon the event and gain some perspective
may yield up new insights.
Another source of information might be your customers.
Offer your best accounts -- and some new clients that you want to reinforce your
relationship with -- an opportunity to critique your team’s performance. This can be
done as a simple e-mail survey or during a follow up phone call. Often, an attractive
incentive item can persuade people to share their opinions with you when they would
otherwise keep quiet.
You may wish to offer an anonymous comment area on your
organization website as well. Some people may very well have commentary to make, but fear
to say anything as they feel it may jeopardize a profitable business or professional
relationship. If you do this, be prepared for commentary that’s markedly harsher than
you’d otherwise get -- people will say things behind the cloak of anonymity that
they’d never dare voice otherwise. If you offer an anonymous option, though, you have
to be fair about it -- no sneaky tracking of IP addresses to later ferret out who said
what!
Combining the mystery shopper’s report the information
garnered from your staffers and customers will give you the most comprehensive picture of
the intangible factors that influence show performance. Coupled with the measurable
criteria, you’ve got your baseline measurement.
Collecting this information is only the first step. You
have to consider what the information is saying and decide how it will influence your
future actions. For example, if you find that you’ve fallen short on the number of
leads that you want to collect and your intangible criteria indicates that you had surly
booth staffers reluctant to engage with the public, you’ve got a clear cause and
effect relationship spelled out for you --and an obvious point indicating where training
is needed. Additionally, these reports have historical value: comparing this year’s
reports with previous years will show you in black and white how the team’s
performance has evolved over the years and the clear value of your training efforts.
Data in isolation is useless. If you’re going to
compile for reports just for the sake of compiling reports, don’t bother. However, if
you’re going to use this information to identify problem areas and take actions to
improve performance, you’ll find your efforts well rewarded. |
