STANDING OUT AT CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCES - WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Trade shows and conferences are a great way to network steel framing system and expose your company to a new target audience. It's a place where you can increase your list of qualified leads, launch new products or services and cultivate more personal relationships with some of the vendors and distributors you work with on a regular basis. Plus, in an era when business communication is largely digitized, construction trade shows and conferences are the place you can enjoy some good ol' fashioned face time.

STAND OUT FROM COMPETITORS AT CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCES & TRADE SHOWS
If you're a trade show veteran, you know that setting up a booth and having a few free pens to give away is a far cry from what's required these days to generate any kind of buzz about your business, products and/or services. Getting the most from construction trade shows and conferences requires a bit more panache.

The following tips can help you get the most bang for your buck, so your presence at the next networking event is worthwhile - your team returns with a smashing list of new qualified leads - and your ROI shoots through the proverbial roof.


Invest in a booth or sponsor a major event. If you're at a trade show metal roof roll forming machine like Build Expo USA, your booth presence is a given and we'll go into that below (See #2). If you'll be attending a conference, odds are your company has the opportunity to invest a little extra cash into a booth presence of some sort. Double-down on your conference attendance by spending that extra amount. Get your most charming staff on board (See # 4) and have an eye-catching display to draw visitors your way. If there is a special event that everyone will attend - a concert, a famous speaker, a high-dollar VIP event, etc. - consider becoming a sponsor. The more of a visible presence you can create, the more your company will stick in the minds of event attendees, which should pay off in terms of brand recognition and future leads and sales.
Make your booth presence count. If you don't have a creative and artistic member of your in-house team, hire a consultant. Slapping up a table and handing out a few business cards or free key chains isn't enough. Put time into planning your booth display. At larger events, this can get costly pretty quick, so consider building your booth up - rather than out - in order to draw the eye above the crowd and into traditionally dead airspace. If you only attend an event or two a year, connect with a professional trade show booth company who can design a booth that aligns with your company's "personality" and mission, while still drawing the eye.
Leverage social media accounts to promote your presence. Promoting your booth and your trade show or conference presence should commence long before the venue's doors ever open. Use blog and social media accounts to start generating a buzz and create interest. Consider hosting some form of game or competition via digital marketing that will culminate with random winners at the event itself. The more you promote now, the more qualified booth visitors you will meet at the event.
Use your best and brightest. This is an opportunity to capitalize on an in-person, face-to-face situation with current and prospective clients. If your staff is not enthusiastic, good with people or super-knowledgeable regarding your products and services, they won't make much of an impression. If you are a smaller company, and your key personnel are better on-site than with the general public, hire and train professional booth staff to do the job so the impression your company leaves is a pleasant one.
Use giveaways people really want. It's easy to go the cheap route and beef up on your stockpile of unremarkable giveaways. However, if you can think of a giveaway everyone wants, your company has just scored major points with booth visitors. Smartphone sleeves (also called smartwallets) that hold money, an ID and credit cards are super handy and present a wonderful opportunity to have your logo front and center on a daily basis. How about a microfiber cloth with your company's logo printed on the cloth and the durable plastic pocket? Both construction personnel and office types will appreciate having a convenient screen cleaner tucked in their desk, in the car, inside  their smartphone wallet, etc. Chapstick with sunscreen is another giveaway construction professionals will be grateful for. The more useful and unique your giveaways are, the more impact they will have.
Finally, upon your return, follow up with every lead ASAP. Waiting more than three days will severely limit your ability to make an impact since, odds are, your competitors have already spoken to them first.