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Trade Show Competitive Intelligence (CI)

Maximizing Your Intelligence Efforts

© 2001 Predictive Research Group

Agenda

Part I– Competitive Intelligence Background– Trade Show Intelligence Opportunities– Trade Show Intelligence Benefits– Trade Show CI Process

Part II– Targeting Trade Shows– Trade Show Tactics– Trade Show CI Exercises– Defensive Operations


Part I

Competitive Intelligence Basics Why Trade Show Intelligence Yields Value Trade Show Intelligence Process


What is Competitive Intelligence?

CI is a Coordinated Process

Analyzed Information Anticipating Future

Competitive Landscape Identification of Market

Signals Always On-going Hard Work


Definition of CI

Competitive Intelligence is a systematic process for gathering and analyzing information about your competitive

landscape and general business trends so that you can make well-informed

strategic decisions.


What Intelligence Is Not…

Spying Corporate Espionage Stealing Raw Data Reports Thick Unprocessed

Information Reports Same as Market

Research


Why People Don’t Use Intelligence

Know it all Nothing worth watching It’s Spying Not taught in business

school It’s a cost center not a

profit center Financial vs. Technical Tried it, didn’t work


How Can CI Help Our Company?

Uncover new or potential competitors Anticipate changes and trends in the marketplace Anticipate competitor’s strategies and actions Identify M&A activities and possibilities Learn from the successes and failures of others. Learn about new products, technologies, and

processes that can affect your business Learn about legislative or regulatory changes that can

affect your business Learn industry best practices through CI Benchmarking


Trade Show Intelligence“Free information on your competitors”

Companies show off their products and strategies Talkative salespeople Real-life products to demo Piles of literature Deals, negotiations, partnerships happen

“Wherever money is exchanged, so is information.”


Who Attends Trade Shows?

Competitors Your suppliers Your competitor’s

suppliers Financial analysts Industry analysts Magazine editors


What can you learn at a Trade Show?

About the Industry Market dynamics Growth Prospects Trends Alliances/Relationships

About the Competitor New Products (features, changes, availability,

release date, etc.) Prices, Costs & Distribution Marketing tactics (themes, slogans, pitch lines,

strategies, initiatives, targeting) Attendee interest Technology (changes, bundling, efficiency,

emphasis ‘or lack of’, leading edge?)

New alliances/Partnerships


Trade Show Information Exchanges

0

25

50

75

100 95 95 94

77 76

51

26

1

Asked for LiteratureTalked to current suppliersCompared Similar ProductsFound at least one new supplierAsked for a price quotationRequested onsite sales repSigned a purchase order

The Power of Trade Shows: Fact Sheet #3, Trade Show Bureau, Copyright 1992


Minimum Trade Show CI Process

Determine Required Intelligence

Target Key Shows Form Team Identify Experts Needed Pre-show Meeting Networking Meetings Communications Debriefing Post-mortem


Determine Required Intelligence

What do you need to know?– Cost/Financials– Management– Processes– Strategy/Marketing– Technology/R&D

Who needs to be targeted to acquire that intelligence?


Target Key Shows

What shows target your customer’s profile? What shows target your suppliers or partners? What shows target your competitors? Local and Regional Shows are important Use Trade Show Directories

– International Exhibitors Association– Exposition Trade Shows & Fairs Directory– Trade Shows Worldwide– Your Associations, Conferences, Etc.


Form Your Team

Form a Vertical Team Technical Sales Operations Marketing

“Pick a leader to coordinate the intelligence efforts.”


Identify What Experts Are Needed

Identify key internal resources Ensure their availability Cover all bases Organize and Categorize


The Pre-show Meeting

Target key booths (suppliers, competitors, etc.)

Assign tasks Pass out and discuss a

map of the show floor Hand out checklist of

key objectives.


Networking Meetings

Attend off-the-floor meet and greet meetings Presentations Find informal, pick-up meetings Hospitality suites Company hosted parties


Facilitate Communications

Allow easy communication so your team can act on the intelligence it acquires

Make use of: Cell phones Pagers Wireless Hand-held Devices Laptops w/scanners and modems Cameras and Recorders*


In-Show Debriefing

Debrief during the show Exchange intelligence gathered and its

implications Verify or dispel previous assumptions Alter game plan accordingly Pursue follow-up intelligence collection efforts


Post-Mortem

Pull team together to pool findings Use public forums to report your conclusions Identify key benefactors of the intelligence and

arrange to discuss it with them Avoid lengthy formal reports Examine the effectiveness of your actions


Part II

Defining Objectives Assembling a CI Tool Kit Additional sources of information Intelligence acquisition tactics Ethics CI Defensive techniques Examination of CI effectiveness


Intelligence Requirements Definition Process

Select area of focus(Market trends, competitor strategy,etc.)

Create intelligence objective(Create a question to be answered)

Identify pieces of puzzle(Where can the components be found?)

Envision end result(What would you do with that intelligence?)


Exercise

Create a trade show intelligence goal

1. Select a business area to focus on2. Create or select an intelligence objective3. Identify the pieces of that intelligence puzzle

that may be found at a trade show4. Ask yourself: “If that intelligence it was

determined, would we be able to use it?”


Trade Show Intelligence Tool Kit

Competitor or key target Information– Company news reports (intended mergers, or changes in their

distribution channel )– Advertisements, product claims, etc– Background info (size, market, exec bios, etc.)

Trade show floor map w/targets Trade show planners and directory Categorized list of experts and contact info Communication devices (phones, pagers, etc.)


Additional Trade Show Sources

Journalists/Editors/Publishers Conference Organizers Presentation Speakers Other attendees Customers Vendors Speakers at Scientific and Technical

Presentations


Additional Ways to Capture Intelligence From Trade Shows

Create area on expense reports to list intelligence found (captures employee attendee’s observations)

Scan transcripts of speeches/presentations given


Other Places to Use These Trade Show Intelligence Tactics

Science and Technology Events Professional Group Meetings Research Forums and Exhibits Public Relations Events Conferences/Symposia Stockholders Meetings


Ethics Guidelines

Some general guidelines Do not lie or misrepresent yourself Always observe legal guidelines Do not deliberately mislead people in interviews Do not plant eavesdropping devices Do not knowingly press someone for information that may

jeopardize that person’s job or reputation Respect all requests for confidentiality Do not steal trade secrets or other proprietary knowledge.

“Do not do anything that will harm or embarrass yourself or the corporation”


Points to Remember

Stay focused Do not become

overwhelmed Avoid being discouraged

(patience) Do not blindly collect

information (analyze it) Adhere to your code of

ethics


Protecting Yourself From Intelligence Leaks

Establish list of “taboo” intelligence items

Remember your are never alone People may not be who they

appear to be Divulge only the necessary

information to promote your product/service

Look at your booth/exhibit from a third party perspective


Exercise

What information is acceptable to give out at a trade show?

What information is not acceptable to give out at a trade show?


Defensive Operations

Company Wide CI Awareness

Employee Education– Topics to avoid– Questions to dodge– People to watch for– Speaking loudly

Legal Counsel– Marketing material– Press releases– Papers, speeches, etc


Look Out!

Target lower, more inexperienced employees Drop-in or eavesdrop on other conversations Remain silent/don’t do the talking Ask speakers targeted or pointed questions in

public arenas

Methods people use for eliciting intelligence


How Successful Were You?

Possible Problems Wrong trade show Looking for wrong items Used wrong tactics Had broad focus In the wrong areas


Easy Ways to Fail

Do not take it seriously Assume it is easy Think it does not require much work Suspect it happens instantly (not long term) Believe that you competition is not doing it Think you know it all already


Success vs. Failure

Success Planning Organization Focus Defined Objectives

Failure Ad Hoc Disorganization Broad range Non-defined objectives


Trade Show Intelligence

Phone: (650) 577-1900Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.prg3.com

http://www.prg3.com

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