Whether you want to gain visibility or credibility, exhibiting at a trade show can help you reap both of these benefits and more. Moreover, whether your presence or your stall is large or small, you can use tradeshows as a launchpad for your company. You can meet new clients, establish a good report with existing clients and help your brand to become established and well known.
However, many business owners, especially small business owners, are perturbed by the amount they need to pay in order to secure a spot at a trade show. And this is true- there are sometimes steep fees involved when a business owner wants to exhibit their company through a trade show. Then there are the other expenses to take into account; the time to prepare, the travel costs to the event, and in some cases the training of staff for the event.
In this short article, we will uncover how to maximize your presence at a trade show and give your business that extra leverage. Take a look at the following 8 reasons to see why exhibiting your business at a trade show can be a profitable investment.
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Contents
Get the Right Business Leads
Okay, so we have already covered the fact that setting up at a trade show is not free. In fact, it can be rather costly depending on the show. However, if you create a good strategy instead of just going in blindly, then you can end up making several positive and profitable business leads. When you participate in a trade show, you have the opportunity to expand your client database- especially if the trade show you are exhibiting at is highly targeted and in a niche.
And, what’s more, people that come to trade shows to just ‘look around’ are- more often than not- ready to seal the deal. This means that these people are the potential leads you want to be following up on- not the long list of email addresses.
Here’s how to strategize for this:
- Set an objective. If you are working with a team of employees, then establish your main sale goals prior to the event.
- Set a precedent to interact with every possible person. These people can become your loyal customers.
- Once you have made key interactions, make sure that you keep a record of them. This way, you can follow up after the trade show.
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Strengthen your Brand
Branding is one of the most important pillars of a successful business. This is especially true for those businesses that rely on trust and a strong reputation. Therefore, you can leverage a tradeshow to show up in the industry, proving why you should be taken seriously. What’s more, is that when you showcase your business at a big tradeshow known for bringing in large industry names, you are setting your business on their level. Psychologically, this creates a big impact for first timers when they come across your company at a trade show. Use these tips to place yourself in a stronger position:
- If possible, set up your stall next to a well-known and successful company.
- Use eye-catching colors and banners for your display. In fact, intuitive trade show booth design is a critical part of a successful stall at a show.
- Ensure that you have a relevant, engaging social media account information readily available and visible. This will prove valuable in connecting with attendees.
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Close Sales without Annoying your Customers
Emails, sales calls, and telesales. All the methods that are considered ‘direct marketing’ usually cause your prospective clients to roll their eyes, sigh a little deeper and then ignore your efforts. In contrast, closing sales at a trade show leave your clients with a sweet experience and give your business a warm face and a genuine smile. This gives clients a refreshing experience in the face of the incessant world of online marketing and advertising.
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Choose the Right Trade Show
This is more of a tip than a reason. Select a trade show that is the best selection for your particular type of business. Similarly, see what kind of target market the trade show is appealing to, and judge whether or not it aligns with the type of customer you are trying to attract.
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An Opportunity to Showcase your New Products
If you already have a decent sized client based, having a stall at a show can give your business a great platform to showcase new products. For example; you have a new, non-toxic, all natural cleaning product. What is your biggest challenge? Proving to everyday folk that this natural product actually cleans with the same effectiveness as more common chemical-based options. Your solution? Demonstrate the effectiveness at a tradeshow. This way, you can simultaneously launch the new product and dispel that number one doubt most people have about natural cleaning products.
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Keep a Close Watch on your Competitors
If your chosen trade show has a narrow niche, then the chances are high you will have various competitors around you. Instead of looking at them as competition, look at similar businesses as a strong network to encourage people to buy into your business. Your competitors are, in a more abstract way, helping to promote your niche, and in effect, your products. Furthermore, you are able to see what your competitors are offering and check if you are up-to-date with both products and pricing.
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Gain a Larger Distributor Network
If you find just one single new distributor at a trade show, you can greatly increase your revenue and trade shows are full to the brim with distributors looking for a new addition to their arsenal.
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Find New Products
If you are looking to expand your business offerings, then take a look around a trade show because these are the places to be if your business is hunting for new products that can supplement your current range of products.
There are many benefits of exhibiting at a trade show- the above are just a few. By participating in a trade show, you offer new avenues for your business and help to expand your brand’s presence in the industry.