When a potential customer decides to look up a product that you sell, is he or she going to find your site or listing? Being specific in terms used on your site or listing is key, as keywords are what drive search engines like Google and Yahoo. If your company sells shoes, it's not enough to put word "shoes" on your site--it has to be anticipatory to searches that potential customers are doing. Most customers have an idea of what they are looking for when doing a search, so instead of "shoes," a customer will search for "imported Italian leather shoes." Specific focusing of terminology and product listings are involved in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as SEO is driven by specific keywords and their repetition or location on a page. If term "Italian Leather Shoes" is used 15 times on a website, it will pop up higher on rating listings than one with same words, but only as a page heading or title. It would be easy to go overboard on this if it were only criteria, but it is only one of many different methods search engines use to list websites by relevance. Our article on Search Engine Optimization, located here, is a great reference to optimizing your site for maximum Search Engine Performance.

With a clear idea of where you want to go with Internet marketing, it can be a valuable tool to expand your business into digital realm, but be careful not to go overboard, as all marketing eventually crosses into zone of limited return. Customers are looking for what they want--it's up to you to make sure they run into you, and only way they will is for you to make sure your business is at places they are going to go.

A key stumbling block for first time exhibitors is selection of display itself. Too many young companies attempt to build their own displays, which look unprofessional and can cause more than a few headaches during transport and set-up. In general, a pop-up display is best option for budding exhibitors. The displays are affordable, easy to maintain and set-up and with compelling graphics and a keen salesman, can make any company look like IBM while on trade show floor.

A 10' pop-up trade show display is a good choice. It's lightweight, easy to install (if it takes more than 15 minutes, you've done something wrong) and it comports well with "Get-Home-Syndrome" at end of show. The "Get-Home-Syndrome" says all you really care about at end of a trade show is easily dismantling display, putting all components into case and exiting exhibit hall.

If you can afford it, reserve 20' instead of customary 10'. Why? Have you ever tried to talk to a prospect or suspect while your colleague was talking to another prospect or suspect in a 10' booth? There's no more room for anything else. I don’t care if you’re a Fortune 500 company or a mom and pop. It’s all about room. If demand is great, you need more space.

Here are some other easy rules of thumb when buying, setting up and utilizing a display of any kind: •The simpler better. Good, clean design and presentation speaks volumes about an exhibitor. •Keep background colors neutral if you have individual graphics. Bright photos/logos/benefits panels leap off neutral backgrounds. Grey and black are most common colors used in trade show booths. •If you have a mural, gravitate to a darker colors, imperial blue and black. Frame graphics with blue or black to help them standout. •If it takes you more than 15 minutes to set up a booth you have wrong booth, too much display information or are otherwise making your display too complicated. •Never, let me repeat that, never place your table parallel to your display. It’s a mistake that vast majority of boothsmen make. They set up a long table, stand behind it, blockading themselves from their customers and blockading their customers from their display.

Now that you have your booth organized and you’ve learned how to attract prospective customers to it, remember that attending a trade show is just one step in process. It is critical that you not limit yourself to one show. You and your management team (or you, if you're it) should determine to go to a minimum of three shows annually. Choose those that are attended by decision-makers in your industry and find something new and exciting for your display each and every time you’re in booth.

Trade shows are excellent sales builders and company that ends up with most leads at end of show…WINS!