Interview with Fred Kurst: Trade Show Marketing for the HR Industry
An insightful interview with Fred Kurst, Trade Show Manager for Human Resource Executive’s HR Technology Conference and Exposition (LRP Publications)
HRM: How long have you been planning conferences and trade shows?
FK: I have been selling and running trade shows for ten years. I started with an educational association where I ran a 700-booth trade show. In 1998 I joined LRP Publications to handle the restructuring of what was to become Human Resource Executive’s HR Technology Show. I also take care of the show component of an event called National Workers Compensation and Disability that LRP owns and is roughly the same size as our HR Technology Show.
HRM: A few years ago the number of trade shows and expos decreased, especially smaller, more regional shows. Do you see an upswing in the HR industry today relative to other industries, or is it just more focused and specialized?
FK: To be honest, I was a little surprised that the economic slowdown didn’t hurt HR events more than it did. While some of the regional shows may have disappeared, the major events continued to more or less hold their own, with the possible exception of recruiting-focused shows. Certainly the industry events continue to be more specialized. You’re not seeing launches that are “general” HR shows, but rather new events that are more narrowly focused on what people are guessing is the next hot vertical.
HRM: Are trade shows and expos still viable marketing options that produce regular sales leads for HR vendors?
FK: I don’t think the HR space is any different from the next industry; a well-run trade show booth is still the most cost effective way to sell a product or service.
HRM: What are your recommendations to HR vendors on how can they improve their marketing return-on-investment at trade shows?
FK: Remember that I said a well-run booth is still the most cost effective way to sell a product or service. This doesn’t mean sending staff and setting up your display in time. If companies put in as much time ensuring the show is a success as they did planning their travel, ordering furniture and utilities, and taking care of the logistical stuff a show demands, there would be a lot more happy exhibitors out there.
In order to ensure a show is a success, you should do things like invite your top prospects to the event with a personable phone call. You should also make your show presence an integrated part of your marketing plans, not an afterthought. Investing a few dollars on the front end to send out pre-show mailers with something inventive to get people to come and see you at the show is vital to your success. By just doing a few of these additional things – above and beyond what other companies are doing – you can really make a difference in your ROI.
HRM: What innovative activities have you seen HR vendors do at trade shows to make there exhibiting more effective?
FK: One of the best things I've seen a vendor do was to mail out a button to attendees prior to the show. The attendees then had to wear the button on his or her shirt during the show to make them eligible for a free daily trip the vendor was giving away. (The winners were chosen at random by the vendor.) That’s a great way to get a lot of exposure for your company if you are able to get enough people to participate.
HRM: Do you have any funny stories you could share about putting together a trade show?
FK: Well, I’m not sure how funny it was at the time, but I do laugh about this one now. The very first show I ever ran was about a 500-booth event at the Opryland Hotel. I knew just slightly more than nothing about shows at the time – I had been to a whopping one event previously in my life – and here I was managing a pretty good-sized one. I was lucky enough to have an account exec with our general service contractor who did not mind answering what I now know were a bunch of very basic questions.
Anyway, everything went just great the first show day. I called my wife and let her know just how easy this stuff was, feeling very sure of myself. The next day we are about an hour into the show and exhibitors started coming up to registration telling me how something was coming up under the aisle carpets and getting their displays and product all wet – plus, it smelled horrible.
It turns out that raw sewage was coming up through the drains in the floor. So we were forced to close about 20% of the event while the building resolved this issue. Well, I was there until about 11:00 p.m. that night while they snaked all the drains, shampooed the carpets, and cleaned everything up. When I asked if everything would be all right the next day, the response I got included the two most dangerous words in the English language: “No problem.” So the next day the same thing happened – only it was about as twice as bad. In defense of the facility, however, they did make it right with all my customers. But it was a real mess. You just never know what might happen at a show.
***The following are Fred’s recommended “Do’s” and “Don’ts” about trade show marketing:
Do…
…make a point of integrating your show marketing with your overall marketing campaign.
…your best to come up with a catchy and innovative traffic builder to support your presence at the show.
…spend the money to send out a promotional piece to pre-registered attendees making them aware of your participation at the event.
Don't…
…call show management three weeks before the show and expect a prime booth location on the exhibit floor.
…expect a lot of people to show up to see you simply because you bought a 10’ x 10’ booth at the show.
…forget to set measurable goals for the event and FOLLOW UP on leads.