Tradeshows can be an incredibly powerful sales and marketing tool for companies that seek to create greater awareness, attract wholesale clients and partner with distributors. They can also be categorized as a lot of work, costly and comprised of mostly freebie seekers.   Last week, we attended one of the pet industry’s largest tradeshow event, SuperZoo, with our client, DERMagic Skin Care for Animals.  For them, the show was a “hands down success”.  And, we know why.  They nailed the key factors that can make or break a company’s goals for tradeshow attendance. 1. Location matters The three tips for buying the right property in real estate are location, location, location. Same for choosing where your booth will be located at a tradeshow event.  In this instance, our choice was limited, but we were still in the Natural Aisle and also conveniently located next to the food court and restrooms. 2. Keep your message simple With space, it’s tempting to fill it up.  Don’t do it.  People are walking by your booth and making a decision to stop or not within five seconds.  Use this time to focus on your core messages and core products.  Sell those first and then you can introduce your audience to your other products and offerings. Below you’ll see the same messages repeated in all of the display materials. 3. Understand the rules of engagement If you’re too aggressive – standing in the aisle trying to talk to everyone who walks by, you’ll see people looking in the other direction.  If you’re sitting behind your sign or looking at your phone, you seem disinterested, and therefore uninteresting.  Be present, wait for the moment that feels right to say “can I answer any questions” or “have you heard of company X”. It works every time! 4. Meet the press Every tradeshow invites media reporters and bloggers to attend and report on the show.  They even have a pre-registered press list of these individuals they provide to exhibitors prior to the show (if you ask), with some anti-spam rules.  Get this list and invite reporters to learn about your new products at the show.  You’ll end up creating buzz at your booth and post-show press that will drive sales. 5. Relieve the pain points There’s always one. At this show, the lines for coffee in the morning were so long that you could be waiting 30+ minutes for your latte.  This smart company recognized this as a common issue and provided a solution – while drawing you into their booth to learn more about them. Need support at your next tradeshow? Connect with us at connect(at)revolutionpr.com or follow along with us on Facebook and Twitter for more insight.