12th June 2019

Posted By: Chantelle Mills

Exhibitions are difficult. On paper they seem like the perfect opportunity to meet new customers, mingle with existing customers and drive sales. But the reality is exhibitions are hard work, time consuming, can lead to disappointment and even damage your reputation if not done right.

So we decided to put together a few tips on how to get the most out of your next exhibition and shine in the process.

Choose your trade show wisely

Before jumping in head first make sure you’ve done your research. There are plenty of exhibitions out there that vary in both size and cost. Before committing to anything get the organisers of the exhibitions you are interested in to send you an exhibitor information pack. This will tell you everything you need to make an informed decision on whether the exhibition is right for you i.e. exhibition delegates and demographics. Also check their exhibitor list to see if any of your competitors are there, this is a good indication that the show has the right audience.

What is the exhibition objective?

When you book an exhibition you have to have a clear plan on what you are trying to achieve so you can plan and instruct your staff accordingly.  Here are a few things to think about:

• What products/service are you showing?
• Lead target and how will you log your leads?
• What level of return on investment are you hoping to achieve?

 

Start promoting the exhibition early

Exhibitions normally leave a good size dent in your marketing budget so you want to make sure you do everything possible to maximise the return. It’s a good idea to let people know you are going to be there, tell them to save the date and invite them to come and see you. There are various ways in which you can spread the word. Via direct mail, your sales / customer service team, email marketing, your website and on your email signatures.

Look your best but don’t over do it

It’s easy to cover your stand with vague messaging and hope for the best. You might even be tempted to plaster it with every single detail about your company so you get ‘the most for your money’. Doing so will most likely make you fade in with everyone else and dilute your message. Be simple, BE BOLD and don’t over complicate things! The text you include needs to be straight to the point so it’s easily read by the visitor and memorable for maximum impact. If you need to give the delegate more information, consider creating a leaflet, brochure or information pack for them to take away.

Post-exhibition Follow Up

If you’ve followed all our advice so far you’re likely to have a load of leads at the end of the exhibition. Following up these leads can take weeks but you should send a thank you for your interest and we will be in contact via email to all the people that visited your stand as soon as possible. In the upcoming days/ weeks your sales team should be calling every single lead to put a meeting in the diary.

Measure Your Success

All potential and actual customers, sales and other opportunities that have come from the exhibition should be tracked so you can evaluate the data and make a decision on whether that particular exhibition was worth it.

Once you commit to an exhibition there’s a lot to do but this doesn’t have to be stressful. Hopefully a few of the above points will help you make the most out of your next exhibition and lighten the load. Just remember to allow plenty of time to prepare, organise your team and have plenty of fun!