| p>One of the first and most important tasks military | | | | At the end of each booth team's scheduled time on |
| and civilian administrative experts need to accomplish | | | | booth duty, the headquarters suite would also function |
| when facing new and unusual challenges in the field, is | | | | as a corporate gathering place to rest and relax and |
| to quickly and efficiently create a fully functional | | | | compare notes of the day's activities on the show |
| command post from which they can effectively | | | | floor. Competitive analysis assignments can be |
| communicate, direct and manage their resources. | | | | reviewed while individual sales and marketing |
| Exhibiting at a major trade show and managing equally | | | | managers might make suggestions to either improve |
| diverse company resources in a city away from the | | | | or supplement the booth function for maximum results. |
| home office can be just as challenging, especially | | | | At the end of the day, the entire booth team should |
| when one considers the amount of time and money | | | | retire to the headquarters suite for a complete |
| trade show exhibiting consumes. One way to | | | | debriefing of the day's booth activities, review key |
| successfully accomplish managing important logistical | | | | sales leads and discuss any issues that developed |
| and detail coordination efforts at a trade show is to | | | | during the day that might require additional attention. |
| create a command post in a near by hotel suite from | | | | The booth team would then be divided up with |
| which management can direct the action created in | | | | selected managers as hosts for dinner and preparation |
| and around their exhibit at the convention center. | | | | for the next day's opportunities on the show floor. |
| Over the years many corporations have created so | | | | The Trade Show Exhibits manager can report on the |
| called "hospitality suites" for entertaining invited | | | | general operation of the booth for that day and share |
| prospects and customers, however, these pricy | | | | any additional information regarding sales leads |
| adventures in good will often became hard to manage | | | | generated and the overall performance of the exhibit. |
| and usually ended up creating more problems then | | | | 4. Horsepower to Spare Station |
| they were worth. One major concern was in deciding | | | | While in the booth, sales, marketing and/or |
| who should and should not be admitted into the room | | | | management individuals should have the option of |
| especially when the news of a free hospitality suite | | | | inviting selected VIP prospects and customers to meet |
| spread like wild fire on the trade show floor. | | | | in the headquarter suite at designated times to further |
| In addition, the unmanaged and often irresponsible | | | | advance business. The opportunity for top |
| consumption of alcohol sometimes led employees, | | | | management to support the active selling function by |
| prospects, customers, competitors and suite crashers | | | | being available to meet in the headquarters suite is an |
| to act in manners directly opposed to the goals and | | | | important advantage that can be central to the |
| objectives of the good natured hospitality suite idea | | | | success in exhibiting at a trade show. It is often |
| and over the years the hospitality suite function has all | | | | impossible for top management to meet individual key |
| but ceased to exist for many trade show exhibitors. | | | | prospects and customers in the field; however, the |
| Corporate Headquarters Command Post | | | | trade show presents many opportunities to do so and |
| However, the unfavorable hospitality situation | | | | should be actively acted upon. |
| mentioned above can change dramatically when the | | | | 5. Getting the Business Closing Room |
| suite is instead designed and managed to function | | | | The headquarters suite can also be used to conduct |
| solely as a private headquarters corporate command | | | | and close business within a professional and private |
| post. This modest innovation promises to deliver | | | | corporate setting along with all the resources needed |
| greater human resource utilization, expanded | | | | to make customers feel safe, secure and confident |
| communications capabilities and increased overall value | | | | away from the cacophony of the trade show floor. |
| to the exhibitor. Here management can more | | | | The suite should be staffed full time by someone who |
| effectively utilize the suite facility and various hotel | | | | would function as a scheduler/receptionist and ensure |
| provided services to direct and accomplish many more | | | | that it was adequately stocked with a complete |
| important trade show support functions such as: | | | | assortment of contracts, pre-printed quote forms, legal |
| 1. Pre-Show Briefing Meeting Room | | | | support documents and whatever materials that might |
| The night before the opening of the trade show, the | | | | be deemed needed to close a deal and send the |
| headquarters suite would be the site of the pre-show | | | | customer happily on his/her way. |
| briefing and motivational sales meeting where the | | | | The headquarters suite could also be available to VIPs |
| entire team meets to review activities scheduled for | | | | such as out of town dealers, international distributors |
| the show and where various assignments to the staff | | | | and representatives needing a place to quietly conduct |
| are assigned. In addition to top management's | | | | business, impress their prospects and customers, and |
| presentation and goal setting statements, marketing | | | | enjoy a positive environment conducive to where they |
| and product support would make formal presentations | | | | can rest and perhaps catch up on their jet lag or home |
| outlining the products on display and key presentation | | | | office communications. |
| points the sales team will want to focus on. | | | | 6. Quality Customer Care Center |
| The Trade Show Exhibits Manager would outline | | | | When a somewhat agitated customer shows up at |
| various exhibit details logistics, boothmanship strategies | | | | your booth with a legitimate complaint and there is no |
| and generally discuss how the booth will function during | | | | way his/her issue can be successfully dealt with on |
| the entire show. | | | | the show floor without causing a negative situation, the |
| It is also an excellent venue to introduce a motivational | | | | headquarters command suite should be called into |
| speaker to focus everyone's attention away from | | | | action. |
| their normal daily routines and direct their attention to | | | | Transportation might need to be made available and |
| the trade show and the many unique opportunities the | | | | the customer should be able to meet management in |
| event will offer the company during the next three | | | | the suite who can solve his/her problem. Trying to deal |
| days. | | | | with a negative situation like this in any other |
| 2. Public Relations Center | | | | environment other than the headquarters command |
| In addition to the trade show's own public relations | | | | suite will only lead to additional problems especially in |
| center where company press kits are provided for the | | | | the exhibit and on the positively charged trade show |
| press, the headquarters suite can also be utilized to | | | | floor. |
| stage pre-scheduled, one on one business sessions | | | | 7. Connecting the Dots Forum |
| with selected media editors to meet with key | | | | With sales and product marketing people in physical |
| corporate managers to review relevant corporate | | | | and mental concert because of the focus a trade |
| business issues. | | | | show demands, it would be difficult to find a better |
| Individual media technical editors can also be scheduled | | | | place then the headquarters suite for product |
| to meet with selected product experts for one on one | | | | marketing managers to conduct new and old product |
| product presentations in hopes of gaining favorable | | | | training reviews before everyone hits the exhibit floor. |
| mentions in post trade show round up articles or | | | | Within hours of the training sessions, the sales and |
| discuss opportunities to contract articles in future | | | | product marketing concepts, ideas, strategies and |
| publication issues. | | | | tactics can be tested and evaluated in real time on the |
| In many cases, the relationship formed between | | | | exhibit floor by simply sharing the information with |
| technical editors and product development experts | | | | prospects and customers. Each evening in the suite, |
| often develop into one in which both can communicate | | | | findings can be presented, discussed, evaluated and |
| to assess industry trends for upcoming articles or | | | | modified and fine tuned until the information makes |
| magazine features. | | | | better sense and delivers the desired results. |
| The entire PR function should be coordinated, | | | | Conclusion |
| scheduled and managed by the corporate public | | | | The idea of creating a corporate headquarters |
| relations manager and in some cases transportation | | | | command suite along with its many business functions |
| might need to be arranged to comfortably and | | | | as outlined above is yet another valuable creative tool |
| efficiently transport selected editors to and from the | | | | to consider when taking the initiative to maximize your |
| suite and convention center. | | | | trade show exhibit effectiveness. There are 24 hours |
| There should be a selection of non-alcoholic liquid | | | | in each day to consider productive during a trade |
| refreshments and perhaps a spread of sandwich | | | | show and establishing a corporate headquarters |
| meats and some fruit in the suite during the press | | | | command post is yet another way to maximize the |
| meetings for the editors to enjoy while they meet with | | | | time, money and personnel capital invested to make |
| key people. | | | | every hour count towards a successful trade show |
| 3. Rest and Relaxation Suite | | | | business venture. |