If you are eager to expand your brand or to strengthen your customer base, there is no better avenue down which to travel than the one towards the trade show. These incredible events held over a couple of days are great ways to mingle with likeminded businesses and to show off your brand to a readymade market. Think about the sort of trade show that you might want to attend.
You could choose to fork out for the large global event with thousands of potential new clients. However, this can be expensive and you may find yourself lost within a sea of well established sector rivals. Alternatively, you could consider a cheaper yet more local and intimate trade show. These can be an effective way to test the waters, get used to the set-up and format of the event, and work on attracting more regional clientele. Take a look at these three steps that you can take to ensure trade show success.
Presentation
When you attend a trade show, you need to consider how you present your brand with various booth ideas – check out these vendor booth ideas for inspiration! You will be the face of your business so you need to portray an image that exudes confidences, friendliness, and professionalism. Get suited and booted, have a haircut, and consider the sort of branding you might want on your attire.
As well as presenting yourself effectively, you need to consider your stall. Most trade shows will only give you a small space in which to set out your platform. These swathes of stalls or booths can easily become lost and look the same. You need to stand out with some expert branding. Consider putting up a branded banner with bold colors, your logo, social media feeds, and contact details. If the arena or exhibition hall is large, use a branded vertical flag to ensure that people can catch sight of your stall from across the other side of the hall (you can click here if you need help designing this) . Being visible is crucial to attracting footfall to your stall.
Beyond the banners and flags, the physical materials you hand out to visitors play a major role in how people remember your business. Many successful exhibitors prepare professional packets of information to distribute during conversations. Using a high-quality custom printed folder printing service allows you to keep your brochures, price sheets, and business cards organized in one neat package. This makes it easy for interested leads to carry your materials around the event without losing them. When these folders have your clean branding on the front, they keep working for you long after the attendee leaves your booth.
Keeping Up Momentum
When you attend a trade show, it can be disheartening to see crowds developing at your neighbors pitches only to leave you feeling left out in the cold. Attract footfall with a laptop presentation and your products in action. As you gain a crowd, start enthusing about your products in a friendly and non-threatening way. The market stall sort of sales pitch is no longer favored song the millennial market. If you are eager to keep building momentum, encourage some sign-ups to a mailing list. When you return to the office, you can capture the buzz of the trade show and instruct a copywriting services provider to write and send out a newsletter to your list of contacts. These experts can guide potential customers towards sales funnels and shop pages, making this a key facet of your marketing strategy.
When footfall leaves your stall, don’t assume that they have fulfilled their role by signing up to your email list. Give away those gimmicky freebies such as branded pencil toppers, mousepads, and pens in a branded plastic bag. Everyone loves a freebie and this is a great form of free marketing as your stall visitors begin meandering through the rest of the exhibition hall.
The Day
A trade show is hard work. You’ll need to get up early, pack your vehicle, and be ready for being on your feet for a long time. It pays to take a team with you so you can rota your time on the stall. When people visit your booth, you want to be refreshed and alert. Ensure that you factor in toilet breaks, mealtimes, and moments to stretch your legs. Two people on a stall are even better as one person can be presenting services and products to passing footfall while the other is on hand for specific and individual questions. Keep your rota to two hours at a time on the stall so you don’t become too tired.
At the end of the trade show, ensure that you keep that email list that you have generated close to hand. You need to be on this the moment you enter the office the next day. By touching base with these interested parties, you don’t give them time to go elsewhere and do business with one of your rivals.
A trade show is a great way to get your brand out there. You can show off your wares and develop your contacts within your industry. Use it as a chance to network, to generate a customer base, and to drive traffic to your online presence. Follow this guide and you can ensure trade show success in three simple steps.