Trade shows are an excellent way to increase your business, enhance brand awareness, generate leads, and network with people in-the-know. Most companies wait for a trade show to launch a new product because launching at a trade show gives more exposure.
You get to interact with the customers directly and demonstrate the product for them, you could make scores of sales right then are there. This is because people attend trade shows with the sole intent of being the first to know the latest launches. There are many more benefits of exhibiting at a trade show and if you want to reap all of them, you should follow the following tips:
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Select A Suitable Trade Show
The first tip is to make sure you belong to the trade show you are thinking of attending. There are many types of trade shows, some are for B2B networking while others also welcome customers. Each trade show has a theme and you must ensure that your business portfolio is in line with the demand of the theme. Asking the trade show organizers for insights about the number and type of attendees can help narrow down the expos you should actually invest time and money in.
Define The Objectives
You should know how to set clear and concise trade show goals. Everyone has a different experience at a trade show based on what they were originally after. So make your goals measurable and specific. What do you aim to get out of attending this trade show? Do you simply want to network or do you have a specific number of leads you wish to generate? Are you simply attending to launch a new product? Answering these questions will help you create smart goals that will impact your trade show strategy.
Have A Creative Booth
Often there are hundreds of booths on an exhibition floor and if people don’t come to your booth, all of your efforts are wasted. This is why it is important to have an attractive booth. The first tip in this regard is to book early so you can choose the spot you think is best. Before designing the booth, ask the organizers about any restrictions that could affect advertising. Make sure your booth is an open, friendly-looking space that represents your brand. You can add banners, hangings, and LEDs to make it eye catching. Go to aplusexpo.com to get your custom booth.
Give Out Promotional Items
When leaving for the expo, make sure you take all your promotional material with you. The flyers, literature, brochures, and other souvenirs are vital to generating leads. Everyone at the trade show will be very busy, which means they might like you and what you have to offer but quickly forget it as they move on to the next booth.
This is why you should hand out business cards to everyone you talk to. The card will remind them what your company is called and the literature will be a refresher on what was discussed and what you offer. Giving gifts like mugs, USBs, pens, etc with your logo on it is also a great idea as it makes them remember your name.
Time Management And Research
Much of your success at a trade show depends on what you do before the event. If you want to make the most of the 3-7 days you have to do a lot of homework and devise a strategy. Research can involve finding out who the other exhibitors and speakers are along with what they do and their business portfolio.
Based on the information you gather, you can decide which one of them will make a practical collaborator, find out their contact details and ask them to meet with you at the expo. You will get to meet a lot more people if you have it planned as opposed to just talking to anyone who happens to pass by. The time for all your research, planning, preparation should be meticulously calculated and the schedule should be adhered to.
Follow Up With Leads
If you do everything right you should have hundreds of leads by the time the event closes. But your hard work does not end here. The trade show is just the meeting place and initiator of important business conversations. Most prospects will just go back and get busy in their work, you have to remind them about the wonderful collaboration you proposed or the amazing product you showed them. Two weeks after the expo, call everyone you met and ask if they are still interested, you would be surprised what a big business venture one phone call can lead to.
Conclusion
Attending a trade show is not just flying to another country with your products and pitching them to people like a door-to-door salesman. Trade shows are organized spaces designed to encourage B2B collaborations and increase sales. They are a very effective method of making your brand known, especially in a new geographical area. The best part of expos is all the knowledge you gather by chit-chatting with more experienced people or simply observing your rivals. If you follow the provided tips, you will have a very productive time at the trade show.
