Have you ever counted the many ways that trade show marketing helps your business? Studies show that participation in trade shows is a viable choice for companies that wish to promote their products and/or services to a large group of people who are looking for specialized products or services.
Beyond the obvious opportunity to sell products, participating in trade shows gives you the opportunities to build relationships, promote your brand, increase your customer database, and network (and even to spy oncompetitors!).
- Relationship Building. Though there are various forms of marketing, participating in a trade show allows you the opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with the show attendees, therefore making it easier for them to warm up to you and get a feel for you. One of your goals should be to want to create a positive experience for the potential customer. Having face to face interaction will help to accomplish this.
- Promote Your Brand. Your trade show display affords you the opportunity to promote your brand to a larger specified group of potential customers under the same roof. If you have a well designed trade show display, people most likely will still remember it well after the the show is over.
- Increase your customer database. A good number of people who attend trade shows have purchasing and decision making authority. If you’re not at a trade show, guess who is there, your competitors. Which means that they will have the opportunity to snag new clients and not you. As you are in business to increase revenue, building your customer database should be a priority.
- Networking. Make it a point to get to know other exhibitors at the show. They may have a need for your product or service, or can provide you with customer leads which may in turn increase your customer database.
Another most likely overlooked benefit of participating in a trade show is that when you participate in one, you have the opportunity to openly spy on your competitors. When you’re not busy, discreetly watch them from time to time. However, if they realize that you are watching them, smile and look the other way, or better yet, act as if you’re admiring their trade show display; you don’t want to be too brazen. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two.
As for the appearance of your trade show display, keep in mind that your exhibition stand should reflect the quality and professionalism of your products, your services, and your company as a whole. Again, show attendees tend to remember the trade show booths, if nothing else.
Because of this, be sure to have appropriate sales material to distribute, as well as having well trained, knowledgeable display staff, who are prepared to give a brief description of the products and services that are being promoted to those who show interest. The staff should also make it a point to request contact information from each person who stops by the display booth so that you can follow up with them a few days after the show.
When you contact them – and be absolutely sure to do so – make it a point to ask for feedback about your display, the staff, and the products or services that were being promoted. Even though it may not be positive, the feedback received can be beneficial in helping to improve your participation in the next trade show.
It is important to let potential customers know that their feedback matters. For people in general, when they feel that their opinion matters, they usually feel more comfortable, tend to let their guards down a bit, and may be more willing to do business with you, which in turn, increases your customer list and sales.