The Official Checklist for Trade Show Research

PRE-SHOW PREP

A quick to-do list before you go undercover:

Identify your top two or three competitors to scope out at the show. Gather intel on your competitor’s public relations efforts and be

sure to take notes on any special events, product launches or new initiatives they plan to unveil.

Check out which competitors are doing the most pre-show publicity. (What products are they talking about? How are they talking about their products?)

Use your resources! Trade show programs offer all kinds of valuable insights. Look to find out if your competitors are sponsoring any special events or seminars. Are they speaking at any panel discussions or keynote addresses? This allows you to identify which brands are asserting themselves as leaders or authorities in your industry.

AT THE SHOW

Questions to keep in mind during your covert operation … What is the primary message of their booth/products? What benefits and features are they touting? What are their biggest product launches? Are they doing anything new or interesting to launch their

product(s)? How are they engaging customers to learn about their products

(one-on-one conversations, graphics, interactive kiosks, apps, new content channels or mediums, etc.)?

What are they saying to differentiate from your company?

Get the collateral!

Take photos/videos of competitors’ booths and cool, unusual and interesting marketing examples.

Take photos/videos of special events, like product launches, news events, celebrity events.

Collect show programs and competitors’ brochures, catalogs, newsletters, magazines, freebie promotional items (like bags, memory sticks, squishy toys), etc.

ON THE WAY HOME

If you’re reading this ... your mission was a success! Now take some time to reflect with these questions:

What company/product received the most attention? Which competitor seemed to be the most popular? Whose booth was the

busiest? Why? Which launches attracted the most attention from attendees? What questions did you hear attendees ask at your trade show booth? Which of your company’s products were attendees interested in? What were the biggest content themes at the show? What are some of the biggest challenges for this industry? Did you see any interactive technology, like touch screens or simulators?

How were they being used? Were there any TV/movie celebrities at the show? Who brought them? Did you see any interesting games, giveaways or contests? Was anyone publicizing a new app or apps for their customers?