Many events have been cancelled or postponed over the last 12 months due to the global coronavirus pandemic. However, as the COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and other safety measures start to make a positive difference, there’s hope that in-person occasions will become increasingly possible and popular again.
As a business owner, trade shows are one such event worth investing in. They can be great places to connect with potential clients, get access to helpful feedback, build your brand, generate leads and sales, and showcase yourself as an expert in your field. Here are some ways to make success more likely for your organization at the next industry trade show you exhibit at.
Planning and Preparation
You’ll be more likely to obtain great results from your tradeshow attendance if you put in enough time preparing for it. Booking in early allows you to secure yourself a better position at the event and makes it simpler to get accommodation and lower-cost flights if you and your team must travel for the show. You may also need to book appointments at the event.
Pre-planning enables you to get your marketing team on board to inform your audience of your presence at the event and entice people to attend with hints about targeted offers only available on-site. You’ll likely have to sort out posters, product sheets, and order forms for the show, too.
You also need to give your sales team enough notice to stock up on wares you’ll hopefully get many orders for during the tradeshow. Don’t forget, too, that it takes time to ship stand items to a venue, so allow enough time for goods to arrive. The more time you give yourself and your team to get everything organized, the more effective your exhibit can be.
Make Sure Your Brand Stands Out
With so many stands and companies for visitors to check out, it’s necessary to find a way for your brand to stand out. For instance, put something eye-catching on the back wall of your stand and elsewhere to generate visual interest. Choose things relating to what you want browsers to remember about your brand, such as your top products or a memorable tagline, or some other kind of point of difference.
Steer clear of having a stall that looks too cluttered, as this tends to confuse people and makes it hard for them to get close to you or check out wares properly. It can sometimes come across as less than professional, too. Plus, it pays to appeal to the different senses when designing and setting up your stand. For instance, you could have a video running that showcases what you do and why your business is worth examining further.
You may also like to run demonstrations around what you offer, especially those that demonstrate your expertise in your field. In addition, have unique, eye-catching promotional products available as giveaways to entice people passing by to come in and learn more about your brand and how you can solve their problem or add some benefit to their life.
Be Engaging and Proactive
Another tip for having success at a tradeshow is to make sure you and others working on your stand are engaging and personable, not to mention proactive. There’s no point having people on the station who look bored and don’t want to be there or who are rude or generally unapproachable when people stop by to learn more.
It’s crucial to be friendly, open, and chat with people. Draw passersby into conversations and showcase your enthusiasm for the event and your passion for the business and what it sells. Be genuine, interested in other people, and listen to what they say or ask as they browse. Doing this will help you form real connections, make positive impressions, and be more likely to generate firm leads and even sales as a result.
Plus, have some call to action featured on the day to help you get better results from the tradeshow. For example, try out a competition that requires people to sign up for your newsletter to enter or a special deal that’s only available for a limited time to attendees.
These are some of the top ways to make sure the time and money you invest in attending a key event pay off for your business. On top, always follow up on all leads and orders after the tradeshow, so you don’t miss out on any opportunities. Put in the hard work, and you’re sure to enjoy great success from the next show you exhibit at.
