Top tips for optimising your presence before, during and after a trade-show!
Several months before…
If you are looking at optimising your presence at a trade show, the first question you need to ask yourself about exhibiting at a trade-show is “Is this show right for my company?” It costs a lot of money to participate in a trade-show and you will want to ensure that you use your marketing budget wisely. Start by questioning what your business goals will be when you go there.
- Do you want to increase brand awareness?
- Do you want to network and expand your database?
- Do you want to keep up with market innovations?
Plan an engaging presence! Ask yourself what your main message is going to be during the show and put together an adjusted elevator pitch so that you will be well prepared when people drop-by your booth.
You need to let your clients, partners and prospects know that you will be present, so spread the word as soon as you can.
Do you want to meet with new prospects? Ask yourself what targets you are missing from your database. Your sales team will need to dedicate some of their time to cold-calling, or alternatively the dirty work could be outsourced to a lead generation specialist. Find a marketing agency specialized in your niche, for example if you are selling to Broadcasters, look for a demand generation agency specialised in broadcasters.
Remember the small practicalities, don’t forget to order enough business cards!
Optimising your presence during the trade show…
You need to have lots of energy and be very active! Don’t just assume that people will approach you when you are sitting at your booth. Optimising your presence at a trade show means you have to be proactive.
- Make time for yourself to go out & network – this will benefit both your personal growth and business development for your company. Active networking is all about building your reputation and long-term relationships over time.
- Get as many business cards as you can, not just from potential leads but from anyone who could be helpful for your business in the future: potential partners, or people who could introduce you to the appropriate contacts later. In your networking be efficient, learn how to give a good impression, get the information you need and end a conversation quickly.
- Follow-up closely on your pre-arranged meetings, call and SMS those who are late or didn’t show up. Maybe they are stuck in another meeting but will get back to you later if they see that you are still eager to have a conversation with them.
