Let’s be honest, trade shows aren’t as popular as they used to be. Rising exhibition costs and the arrival of LinkedIn for business networking has led to a decline in exhibition attendance in some industries.
That said, in other industries, like building engineering services, trade shows are still thriving and businesses can’t afford not to exhibit as this would be like handing hot leads to your strongest competitor.
The exhibition environment is unique. Where else would you get the opportunity to meet with potential buyers, industry influencers and trade media all in one go?
If face-to-face marketing is still an important part of your marketing strategy, it’s important you get the basics right, pre, during and post show.
Pre-show promotion
Exhibition objectives – Before you book your exhibition stand, define your exhibition objectives. Are you attending to launch a new product? Generate sales leads? Build brand awareness?
Exhibition stand design – The look of your exhibition stand alone can lead you to exhibition success or disaster. Don’t scrimp. Invest in a well-designed exhibition stand.
Exhibition promotion – Promote your exhibition attendance. Invite your clients to the trade show, put a web banner on your website homepage with the trade show dates and your stand number, add an exhibition promo banner to your email signature.
At the show
Exhibition networking – It may sound obvious, but smile on your stand, appear friendly and approachable. Don’t sit down, put your hands in your pockets or turn your back to the flow of exhibition traffic.
Exhibition promotional literature – Well-designed promotional literature is a must for your exhibition stand but don’t let yourself down by the way it’s presented. Use literature racks. Don’t pile your sales literature on a table.
Exhibition rota – Non-stop business networking on stand can become tiring so set an exhibition rota to allow everyone a chance to look around the trade show and take a break. But, never leave your stand unattended. You never know when that all important customer might come along!
Post-show marketing
Exhibition leads – Go through your exhibition leads and prioritise them – hot, warm and cold. Call hot leads immediately to arrange a meeting; email warm leads with the information they’ve requested and suggest a meeting; send cold leads a well-crafted letter and a copy of your company brochure.
Exhibition evaluation – There is no point in exhibiting if you don’t measure your return on investment. Did you achieve your exhibition objectives? Did your sales leads recoup some of your exhibition investment? If so, book your stand for next year.
Like any good PR agency, we make a point of attending all our clients’ key trade shows, to support them and seek out their competition. The ACR Show, Ecobuild, PHEX, Recycling & Waste Management and regional trade shows Let’s Do Business in Eastbourne and Hastings are a few of those in our diary this year.
If you want to make your exhibition presence count, we can help you with exhibition stand design, exhibition strategy and post-show exhibition marketing.
- Tags:
- ACR Show
- business networking
- Ecobuild
- exhibition attendance
- exhibition evaluation
- exhibition lead generation
- exhibition leads
- exhibition networking
- exhibition objectives
- exhibition promotion
- exhibition promotional literature
- exhibition rota
- exhibition stand design
- face-to-face marketing
- Let's Do Business Eastbourne
- Let's Do Business Hastings
- PHEX
- Recycling & Waste Management
