With the increase in number of tradeshows being held across the world, it has become imperative to check the trade shows’ credentials before you commit participation. Here are some quick tips on checks to ensure that you are not heading for a dud trade show:

1. Check previous history and years of experience including backing by any large industrial groups: This is the most obvious way to research on the event planners. Trade shows backed by large organizations would have greater availability of resources and marketing skills.

2. Demographics of previous trade shows: Did the last show done by the trade show provider have a decent show of visitors? Is the trade show provider boasting about the numbers on its marketing material or hiding it in some obscure corner for the number crunchers? Did the trade show provider have a professional organization draw up the demographics of the visitors? Do the demographics fit your requirement? Answers to these queries should help you decide if you should use this trade show as a sales and marketing vehicle for your company.

3. If there is a conference, who are the speakers? You should have at least heard of a few of the speakers or their organizations if they are speaking in the conference. A quick check should also be done to see if the speakers also have a booth at the tradeshow. Tradeshow booth providers usually give out speaker slots as an added incentive to exhibitors and you might like to avoid such events as they are not very genuine.

4. What is the timing of the trade show? Is it just time filler for the conference? If this is true, I would suggest that you avoid this trade event like the plague. The event planners are just putting in the booths as time filler and the trade show is not likely to be heavily promoted either. So just don’t waste your marketing budget on such as event. You will all notice that such time filler exhibitions usually have very few booths in the first place and are located outside the exit area of the conference hall to catch the attendees as they dash off towards food and nature’s call.

5. What is the total number of booths and what is the occupancy rate a few weeks before the show? The thumb rule is that a trade show can have about 5 to 10 percent of empty stands about 2 weeks before the event which eventually gets filled in my last minute confirmations or by sponsors. If the numbers are higher that this, you should check the official reason given by the exhibitors to ensure that you don’t end up participating in a show which has too many empty stands.

6. Is the tradeshow provider offering a ‘desperate’ discount and doing unusual number of follow ups? If you get an offer for a trade show booth which is just too good to believe then it is probably too good to believe. ‘Desperate’ discounts are offered by event planners as a last ditch attempt to sell all booths as you should only participate is such tradeshows if you have unique reason to do so.

7. Testimonials and repeat number of participants year after year is another good way to check on the trade show. If you see a large number of repeat participants over a number of years, it is a good way to determine the quality of the event.

Quality of location and association with service providers also help in getting to know the seriousness with which the trade show providers approach their work. I hope this article is also read by trade show providers to realize what exhibitors look out for!

Sometimes, a great product is not enough to get the attention your company deserves from the public. Sometimes, you need to make waves the right waves in order to get noticed and employing a public relation firm can help you gain your place in the limelight.

The relationship between a company and its public relation firm should be long-lasting. IF you change public relation firms periodically, the public may end up being confused with the ever-changing messages of your ads. Start advertising right with the right public relation firm.

Here’s how to find the perfect public relation firm for your company needs:

Work Experience in a Particular Industry and Location

Hiring a public relation firm with extensive experience in advertising and marketing hotels is not a good decision, no matter how many awards it had garnered, if your business belongs to the medical industry. Hotels and hospitals are two completely different things and that’s why you need a public relation firm with experience in handling public relations of hospitals, not hotels.

Likewise, hiring a fancy New York public relation firm may not be a good choice to make if your business is located in the smallest and most traditional town of Texas. Again, New York and Texas are two completely different tastes and inhabited by completely different people, so what may work in New York could absolutely fail in Texas!

Party, Party, Party!

Public relation firms are best known for their ability to create glitzy events. Availing the services of the right public relation firm will enable you to create parties that are nothing but exciting and fun without having to spend half as much as you imagine you would for such events.

Offering Something beside Trendy

Most individuals believe that hiring a public relation firm is necessary only when you have to organize a party or get the right people to notice your product. The right public relation firm, however, can give you more than that if you know the right things to ask for.

A public relation firm understands that each company is unique from the other, even if theyre competing in the same sector. This means different strategies as well. Given the opportunity, a public relation firm can also help you determine the right positioning in the industry, make brand recognition possible and identify the target market for your company and products.

Public relation firms are not all about parties and fun. They can get down to business too, if youre dealing with the right firm.

The AllInOne Media Kit

Getting heard is not enough; the best public relation firms know that saying the right things in the right manner are equally, if not more so, important. The right public relation firm takes the time to get to know a company inside and out in order to generate the right kind of media frenzy.

Numbers They know that figures carry considerable impact, but too much of it can make a report boring and uninteresting.

Events Narrating the companys history can be tedious, so it must sound exciting while remaining factual at the same time.

Testimonials Customer cases are tricky; too much gushing can make a reader suspicious while lack of information will make a reader lose interest.

Ability to Solve Crises and Sensitive Issues

Publicity firms generally act like problem solvers. When a crisis ensues that threatens the reputation or credibility of a company, a good public relation firms able to step in to smooth out ruffled feathers and restored damaged company images.

Creativity and Out of the Box Thinking

The right public relation firm never runs out of creative ideas to help promote your company. Because it knows that the world around us is constantly changing, its also aware that the company must have continuous use of dynamic advertising for their success.

Adapting a Maternal Role

Lastly, the right public relation firm is one who acts like a mother hen to your company. It knows how important it is to listen to your concerns and your complaints, but it also knows when its right to stand firm and push for its suggestions while ignoring your recommendations. The right public relation firm always has your best interests at heart -even if it may not seem so at first glance!