Are you ready to take your product or service to a trade show or exhibition? If so, there’s a lot of work to do to ensure you have a successful day. It’s a great opportunity to get in front of an audience that is already interested in your industry. But, once you are there, how are you going to stand out from the crowd?
In this guide, we’re going to talk you through some of the tactics you need to employ for a successful trade fair appearance. Appearance is everything, closely followed by attitude. Read on to find out how you should play things.
Making the most of your position
Often with trade shows, you may not even know where you will be located in the room until you arrive on the day. Ideally, you want somewhere central, where you will get the most traffic. But what can you do if you are stuck out on the periphery?
Make sure your team gets out onto the main floor and tries to engage with as many people as possible. And, use your quiet position to your advantage. People may enjoy the fact they are having a break, and their moods could be ripe for some gentle persuasion that your product is an ideal fit for them.
Grab attention
The only trouble with trade fairs is that everyone is clamouring for attention. And, it’s fair to say that it can be tough to break through all of that noise. So, think carefully about how you are going to pull visitors to your stall.
Research exhibition services well before you go, and ensure that your stand is striking enough to attract people. Look into branded products that you can hand out – people love getting free stuff, and will be happy to have a quick chat for something as small as a pen.
Keep attention
Let’s not mess around here – trade shows aren’t going to be successful for you if you are a shrinking violet. You will need to keep those energy levels at a maximum all day, and treat everybody you speak to as a potential customer. It’s a good idea to sketch out a one-pager that you can memorise – and that your staff can reel off with ease.
So, a great team is essential. You will need to choose people that can engage others and keep the conversation going. Swap up the roles a little, too, and have people walking the floor for a couple of hours, and then swapping back to the booths. It will keep your team fresh, and it will keep your audience interested.
Follow up
Finally, the real success of a trade show is what happens afterwards. You should have an enormous list of contact details from the fair, and you need to use them. Calling people directly is the best way to go – but you could also consider an email blast.
Also, make sure you organise a meeting with your team after the event. You will need to discuss your successes and failures, and identify where you can change things next time around. It’s the first of many trade shows, and it’s all a big learning experience. Good luck!
