You’ve prepared well for the show, you’ve lined up your best staff, you have your stand branded and you have communicated your attendance to a wide audience. Now what do you do to get maximum exposure while there and ensure your stand or sales people get the attention they need and most importantly bring home some lucrative leads?
There are various ways you can win the attention of your audience:
1.Network
Make a list of all the people your company wants to talk to and allocate customers to your sales or management team accordingly. This can be by territory, by markets served or by the persons title. Ensure the team speak to all the people planned on your list. Don’t forget to ask for business cards from people you speak to and give yours in return. If this person is a new contact, ensure to seek permission to contact them in the future if they have a particular interest in your product or company and note what reason they wish you to keep in contact with you.
2.Attend Evening Events
At most conferences and trade fairs there will be an evening event hosted by the organisers. Why not ask members of the team to attend as this can be a great opportunity to meet new or potential customers.
3.Organise a Product Demo
Should budget allow why not organise a product demo. This will offer you an opportunity to showcase your product or launch a new one. It allows you to invite customers or people you meet at the show and gives them a chance to familiarise themselves with your product and meet the sales team whilst doing so.
4.Communication
As mentioned previously, communicating your attendance at a show is paramount to its success! Share updates on Social Media, give updates on events you are attending or if you plan a demo or product launch. There are often opportunities in booklets or on the ground marketing so again, if budget allows there may be an opportunity to explore some of these.
5.Goody Bags
If it is possible distribute samples to the visitors in a goodie bag and offer a keep sake to take home to remind them of your brand. There are thousands of options but pick something they will use as otherwise it will gather dust in a desk drawer. The more you distribute products with your brand’s name, the more visibility you get. Branded bags are a great way to ensure your logo and company name is seen throughout the venue.
6.Plan the next show
Often the organisers give a large discount to book for the next year there and then. It might a good time to take this discount, however it may also be a good idea to measure the success of the show first when you get back to the office and long term returning to the show a second-year running may not be the best for the company.