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You’re all ready for your trade show. You have your poster printing finished, you have brochures ready to hand out, business cards at the ready … but do you have the key knowledge needed for a successful trade show appearance? The key to a successful trade show is knowing your target audience.

You might think, hey I already knew that when I designed my brochures and other marketing materials – how is my trade show target audience any different?

Currently, there are four generations you need to consider in the commercial world: Generation Y a.k.a. Millennials; Generation X; Baby Boomers; and Traditionals. All of these groups are represented at trade shows nowadays and you need to know how to market to all of them. Also, business customers that attend trade shows have customers from all of these generations as well.

You need to know how to market to all these groups individually because what one group likes will turn another group off. Here’s a brief overview of each group and how to market yourself to each group.

Generation Y

Gen Y, or the Millennials, are the youngest people you’ll market to at a trade show. They were born after 1977. This group is skeptical, so you have to prove yourself to them more than any other group. This group was raised on technology – they have iPods, MySpace accounts, and are used to the instant information of the Internet.

Your presentation materials need to cut to the chase – all benefits, no sales fluff. Your actual presentation need to be short and to the point. Speakers who give valuable information quickly win over this crowd. Use poster printing and brochures that show benefits with photos and little text – your materials need to easily read and understood, easily digestible.

Generation X

Gen X-ers were born between 1965 and 1976. This generation has had to work hard for their prosperity and they expect you to do the same. They generally distrust most people and need to be convinced to agree with you.

They like to be regarded as individuals and creating connections with their peers is extremely important to them. You need to take the time to get to know them so that they trust you, and then you need to build a relationship with them.

Baby Boomers

This is the group that everyone talks about. This group was born between 1946 and 1964. Boomers have examined themselves over and over again and think pretty highly of themselves. Their careers and individual success are important to them.

To appeal to Boomers, concentrate on benefits-focused presentations that plainly tell them how your product or service will make their lives easier. You also need to present your product in context – show them where your product fits in the big picture.

Traditionals

This group was born before the end of World War II and is generally in retirement, or are about to retire. They value team success over individual success. They are used to sacrificing themselves for others and working hard. They respond to people who are experts.

You should use words like “best” and “knowledgeable.” Presentations from local community experts or industry pros work best.

As you can see, you’ll need to tailor your presentation to whichever generation you are talking to. Create a pitch for each group and practice it before you get to the trade show. You’ll be ready for anyone who approaches you and you’ll have more success than the booth next to you who doesn’t know much about who they’re talking to!

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