Colleges set poor example of trade show marketing at National College Fair

Trade shows and exhibits can be powerful marketing communications tools. That’s why I was so disappointed when I attended the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) College Fair in Atlantic City Oct. 21, 2010. One word can describe the 256 exhibits: dull. The booths, the displays, the signage—all dull. The only bright spots were the bright youngsters working their 10’ x 10’s while collecting mailing addresses and hyping their institutions.

Only a few exhibitors went beyond the standard booth ID sign at the top back of their booth and added a little extra signage. A table across the front of every booth blocked the chance of anyone stepping in and out of the aisle traffic for a chat.

Every booth presented an opportunity for a powerful first impression, a chance to run videos and/or slide shows, a chance for eye-popping graphics, a chance for a drawing (if allowed) to capture names for a follow-up mailing. They missed the opportunity.

I would guess that most prospects were visitors that came looking for a particular college. They should have gone home with more than a plastic bag full of literature. They could have asked for that on the Web. They should have gone home with a powerful impression of the colleges they contacted.

I assume all the exhibitors invested their money in the hope they would attract new students. They were presented with busloads of youngsters who came for news and information. They had the right audience, but they did little to get them to snuggle up for more details. If there’s anything college-bound kids don’t need, it’s more dull. Duh?

Tip for the little guy: If you’re going to invest time and money in a trade show or exhibit, squeeze all the juice from them that you can. Getting belly-to-belly with an audience interested in what you have to offer is a great way to get the conversation started, to qualify prospects and provide a reason to follow up with them soon and often.

But the most important tip: Don’t be dull. You don’t need dancing girls, but animation helps. When you’re at a show, check out the exhibits with the crowds. They usually have something running or a demo in progress. Well, yes; handsome guys and pretty ladies can help, too.

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