How to Make the Most of Your Next Trade Show

Whatever industry you’re in, trade shows are important. A great opportunity to meet new people, network and get your brand out there. A good trade show can give your business the impetus and the confidence it needs to thrive.

Though trade shows require a financial and time investment, get it right and you could enjoy an impressive return on your investment. So, to help you get as much as possible from your next event, we’ve put together a few tips straight from our expert team:

Bigger isn’t always better

You don’t have to have the biggest stand at a trade show to get noticed. Though big stands will draw attention, if your stand is well put together, full of useful information and staffed by an engaging and knowledgeable team, visitors will be sure to stop by to talk, learn and network.

Get your message across

Decide exactly what it is you’re trying to promote at the exhibition and then work to ensure all your information and branding is getting that same message across, clearly and concisely. If you try to pack too much in, your message can become diluted and confusing, so be clear, stick to the point and create a confident and engaging company image.

Communicate

A lot of organisers offer benefits and support to exhibitors both before, during and after the show. Talk to your venue to find out what they provide in the way of social media, press activity, add-on events like drinks receptions and make sure your company is involved wherever possible.

Be professional

The people manning your stand are ambassadors for your business. The more professional, knowledgeable and communicative they are, the more you’ll get out of the event. It’s important to ensure your company comes across as professional and trustworthy, so make sure your staff don’t eat while they’re on the stand and end up talking to potential customers with a mouthful of food.  Make sure they don’t sit down and that they are always at the front engaging with customers and talking to fellow exhibitors. In addition, even if it has been a long day, never look bored and ensure the stand is buzzing as the doors are closing just as much as it was when they opened.

Friendly competition

A competition is a great way to engage with passersby and get contact details from potential customers. Offer a prize that’s worth competing for and do your best to get entrants as excited as possible about what’s on offer.

Follow up

Last but not least, it’s incredibly important that you follow up on any leads you get during the show. If you just sit back and wait for customers to get in touch with you, you may lose out on valuable business, or worse, rivals could steal your new client from under your nose. Putting in a few hours on the phone after the event will consolidate the work you did during the show and help your business get the most out of the exhibition. A good CRM system such as Microsoft Dynamics will ensure valuable contacts are not lost or forgotten.

To find out more about making the most of exhibitions and events, explore our site or get in touch with us today.