Trade shows can be one of the most lucrative ways of securing new leads and generating new sales. There is always a buzz on the stadium floor as businesses set up their stalls and stands to show off their products and services. To be part of that buzz you need to get registered for your local and most popular trade show. It’s vital that you take the time to prepare for it, make a plan of objectives for your one or two days exhibiting and have a strategy to convert new leads into sales and revenue. Take a look at these ways you can make your mark at a trade show.
The Stall
The chances are you will have very limited square footage to set out your stall. Make sure your branding is visible, and you have plenty of information leaflets and business cards available to passing footfall traffic. You’ve gotta stand out. G Force Printing are a specialised print shop that can digitally create all sorts of promotional and branded material ready for your stand to look professional. You are competing with a whole host of other small firms from within your industry sector. Try and stand out from the crowd by making your branding bold, utilising banners and directing people towards your stall with the use of mobile marketing material.
Try and zone off a little bit of space to demonstrate your product in all its glory. Allow people to get up close and personal with the product, see it in action and have the opportunity to talk to you directly if they show an interest.
Human Interaction
You shouldn’t, under any circumstances, be turning up to a trade show in your T-shirt and trainers. You need to look the part so have your hair cut, iron your trousers, whip on a tie and polish your shoes. People attending these fairs aren’t simply looking at the products or exploring the services, they are also vetting the people behind the companies. Although it may not be your natural forte, you need to be engaging, enthuse about your product and speak to your potential customer base. Interest will be piqued if crowds begin to form at your stand.
Get Their Names
The easiest way to see all of your hard work at a trade show go to waste is not to follow up on leads. You need to take the names of the people who show an interest in your product or service and take the time to send them a follow-up email on your return to the office. As a subtle marketing ploy, you should offer them a small discount or incentive to place their first order. Get analytical and try to work out your lead to sale conversion rate. This way, you can calculate if the money you forked out for the trade show was worth it and decide whether you are going to do another one.
Trade shows aren’t for the faint-hearted. You will be on your feet all day, you may not get much time to grab lunch, and you may be hoarse at the end of the day because you’ve been talking so much. However, it will all have been worth it when you see your customer base expand and your sales figures increase.
