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Show, don’t tell
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a trade show when you have worked hard to have your product ready to show the world. However, without adequate intellectual property protection, you may be putting your work at risk before you secure the first buyer.
Tal Williams, partner at Australian Business Lawyers offers these practical tips:
1. Seek provisional patent protection before you exhibit. If you disclose your idea before you protect, you will invalidate your claim to a patent as the technology will not be deemed ‘new and inventive’ once revealed publicly.
2. If the product is highly confidential, consider closed booths by appointment only and confidentiality agreements.
3. Speak in general terms. You may be proud of how innovative your product is, but it is best to keep the details to yourself. If someone is interested, speak with them at a later stage.
4. Visibly list your patents, copyright and trademark information in English and the language of the country you are visiting, as well as your customs notifications.
5. Consider showing ‘first design copies’ or copies that have a small defect to throw IP pirates off the scent.
6. Keep a record of who is inspecting your product.
7. Beware of IP spies. Mobile technology makes it easier for spies to take photos and videos surreptitiously.
If in doubt about your IP, see a trademark or patent attorney. Also, check out international IP protection information on IP Australia’s website www.ipaustralia.gov.au/ippassport
—Philip Noonan, director general of IP Australia
Funding an exhibition
You may be eligible to have part of your trade show costs reimbursed through Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants scheme. For more information see: www.austrade.gov.au/exportgrants
Also check with you state or territory government to see if there are grants or other types of assistance available for your business.
You may also be interested in joining an Austrade-coordinated Australian National Stand, which means you exhibit with other Australian companies under one pavilion.
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I can’t over-emphasize the importance of properly prepared paperwork for international travel, particularly when ‘consumables’ are involved. Try to get a contact through the expo organizer who is specially educated on the process of dealing with giveaway items. Most trade shows or convention centers will have someone to recommend. You don’t want to get stuck at customs with a huge bill for items you are simply planing to giveaway as promotions. The right person can help you sort that out.
Give plenty of thought to the impression you are going to leave on the customers who visit your booth!
One of the best and easiest ways to stick in the minds (and pockets) of the buyers you meet is with a well though out promotional giveaway item. With the right promotional item you can end up making a 2 minute grip and grin turn into a decades long business relationship, simply because the right promotional gift can be with that buyer for years, with your logo in his face providing years of use. Every time he gets in his car, goes out to golf, or better yet, sits down to his desk your brand can be right there in his vision reminding him of the reliable service you are ready and willing to offer.
Excellent tips Adeline!
I can’t begin to tell you how many trade shows I’ve been to where even a huge multinational company looks embarrassingly unprepared because they overlooked even just one of the points you brought up here.
For me I think the booth area size can be a major stumbling block for exhibitors in the planning stages. It’s so obvious when a company is trying to project an image of being a powerhouse simply by buying a huge amount of exhibit space. Of course when the exhibit fails to impress (or looks slovenly thrown together) it can give the exact opposite impression!
Many times I’ve seen really nice displays that end up looking like sad orphaned children abandoned in the middle of a huge, empty booth. Choosing the right size booth can be a huge help in spending your display budget wisely.
Thanks again for the tips!