Trade fairs are an indispensable component of the modern-day economy. They continue to be a very efficient mode of marketing for buyers and sellers of services and goods.
Having the opportunity to be among the best firms in your field, while presenting your latest innovations in a collaborative and engaging environment, is a highly rewarding professional experience and one that more companies should look to take advantage of.
Even though trade shows or fairs have been around for years, they are still a relevant means of promotion, and they certainly benefit businesses of all kinds as long as they invest enough to do it properly.
So, what is a trade show?
Nearly all industries鈥� trade associations support trade shows to generate elements of buzz and excitement at the same time as bringing key players within any given industry together to learn, collaborate, capture new clients, and see what’s emerging and trending.
A trade exhibition is somewhat enigmatic because it is not usually available to the general public. However, members of the press, company representatives, and top professionals from the industry on which the trade show is focusing, will be in attendance.
Attendees access the most recent innovations, features, exclusive pricing, and vital insights about a particular industry’s status. On the other hand, companies are given important time to create relationships, engage with the press, raise brand awareness, garner leads, and complete sales when they exhibit their new product or service.
What are trade shows for?
There is a lot of activity and chaos on the event floor at trade exhibits, so it is easy to become confused and unaware of what is happening around you.
Take notice of these trade show classics to ensure you make the most of your time there and don’t miss anything vital.
Every trade show generally follows a similar event schedule. You can count on participating in seminars, breakout sessions, speaker presentations, targeted exposition events, press and media opportunities, networking events, and even award ceremonies.
But don’t forget about the main event; the expo floor!
People, products, and trade fair booth displays will occupy the floor.
To get the most out of your trade show experience, an experienced firm will pour everything they have into creating their trade show booth, so make sure your company does the same.
After all, if your trade show stand or booth doesn’t stand out, no one will engage with your firm, and you’ll be left standing alone.
When should you start planning for a trade show?
Shows are expensive, and success usually requires meticulous planning. An intelligent show organiser will create a guide with deadlines for booking goods like show catalogue entries, electrical needs, etc.
It also takes time to design and print material. First, examine your brochures to see if they are up to date and fit for your upcoming event. To figure out how many copies you’ll need, assume that your stand will receive 5% of the total number of visitors to the expo.
Don’t forget to keep your website up to date, including product pages.
The 5 reasons why trade shows are so valuable
For many years, the importance of trade shows to the marketing funnel has been contested. This has become even more so as the digital age has grown. However, there is no substitute for face-to-face personal interaction.
No amount of webinars, video conferencing, or social media can ever replace the requirement for physical presence, especially when it comes to new products and services that must be seen in action.
There are numerous reasons why trade exhibitions will continue to exist. Let’s go over the top five reasons they’re still valuable.
Build brand awareness
Trade shows are one of the best methods to get your brand’s name out there to the masses, especially when those people are top industry professionals and the press.聽
Allowing key stakeholders to interact with your product or service while sharing your initiatives and corporate vision is an unrivalled experience. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to communicate with current and new clients, expanding your reach further than ever.
Gain targeted leads
As previously stated, your trade show experience allows you to engage and establish relationships with people who have never seen or heard of your company.聽
This is your moment to entice them and persuade them to buy your service, product, and company. It is generally known that face-to-face sales are much more straightforward than impersonal emails and phone calls. Building a successful relationship with these individuals will boost your chances of doing business with them after the trade show.
Close deals
Remember that trade shows are often invitation-only, so the participants will all be specifically targeted and, more than likely, companies and people on your shortlist.聽
Make the most of this chance by finding out ahead of time, just who your sales team should be meeting with, which will make the closing process as seamless as possible.
Learn industry insight
A trade show is the best place to get a pulse on your industry. Being surrounded by your fiercest competitors while learning from the industry’s greatest minds during speaker sessions and seminars places you in a very advantageous position.聽
Take a tour around the floor and observe what your competitors are doing correctly and incorrectly. You can even pose as a customer to obtain information such as pricing and new features. After a few hours, you’ll have a solid foundation of competition techniques and methods to help your business to flourish.
Networking
It’s a no-brainer. Every trade show revolves around networking. So make time during the day to do so and attend parties and events to grab the opportunity to mix with key players in your field. You can even utilise social media before the actual event to contact the connections you’d like to meet, so everyone knows where to gather.
Showcase your best
Trade shows have proven themselves to be an incredibly beneficial element of every business’s marketing mix.聽
That won’t change any time soon because trade shows provide benefits that the typically favoured digital marketing solutions never could. So now that you understand the five reasons why these events are worth your attendance, it’s time to search for the top trade shows within your industry and register. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
What makes a trade show successful?
To make trade shows work for you, follow these steps:
- Advance promotion of your stand on your website and social media, and invite clients to visit you at the event.
- Make sure that your display is professional, attractive, and bustling.
- Rotate your employees to keep them alert and fresh.
- Be attentive and courteous, but don’t pounce on people or position yourself at the stand’s entrance. Instead, be available yet act like wallpaper until needed.
- Mark new products with the word “NEW.”
- Visitors should be addressed by reading their name tags.
- Any enquiries should be followed up on as soon as possible.
- Hold a debrief meeting with your team after the event, but while things are still fresh, set goals for the next event.
Avoid the following trade show blunders:
- Not making it clear who you are or what your company does.
- Putting up barriers to entry, such as steps or balustrades.
- Utilising boring, unprofessional, or low-quality stand decor.
- Employees who seem bored, tired, or indifferent.
- Allowing your stand to become disorderly throughout the day.
- Failing to collect contact information for follow-up after the show.
Summary
Your staff are the key component of any on-site package. Engaging and informative employees are the best means to market your company to others. Direct product involvement is the most effective technique to engage your target audience. Allow the product to speak for itself and wow your guests.
Trade exhibitions can be hectic and demanding places. Offering complimentary refreshments or sofas with electric charging points is an easy method to increase the number of visitors to your booth. In addition, when customers stop for a cup of coffee, you have an excellent opportunity to collect product testimonials that you can use to market your business after the event.
Every marketer enjoys measuring things. That is why trade show stands are so important. The more people who visit your exhibition stand, the more leads you’ll collect and the more deals your sales team will close.
