Large trade shows, exhibitions, and events can be a great way to draw attention to your company or product, connect with potential customers, and make some sales. However, the success of a show will come down to the preparation that goes into it, so we have compiled some tips to help you make the most of your next show.
Tips for Your Next Exhibition or Event
Sign Up Well in Advance of the Event
Signing up in advance will give you the time to study the floor plan and figure out how to use your allotted space to maximum advantage. For example, it may be that the position of your stand means that you are unlikely to get the best of the footfall. Free-floating staff members placed strategically to direct people to your booth can work wonders in such situations. Of course, some events will not allow this, so it is essential to digest the rules in advance and plan your strategy accordingly.
Decide What You Want to Achieve
What are your aims at this event? What is it that you want to achieve? Are you trying to generate sales, harvest leads, or make contacts at other businesses in your sector? Maybe you are trying to attract new talent to come and join your team. Whatever you are trying to achieve, knowing the “what” makes the “how” a lot easier to begin to plan out.
Choose and Brief Your Team
The team members that you bring with you can make the difference between having a successful show and one that is a bust. Trade shows are problematic for introverted people. If you have such people on your team, don’t think “it will do them good to attend”, as it usually won’t.
Choose outgoing team members who are in their element, talking to others and selling your brand. It should be the time to shine for your sales team. Ensure that your team is well-briefed, not just on what to expect from the event and information about your products, but who the target audience is. Hence, they know who they should be working hardest to interest.
Plan Your Advertising and Print
Trade shows are a place where your branding game should be very on-point. Think about the various advertising options that can help show a unified brand image. Remember that this will often be the first impression people have of your company.
Branded Clothing
Here at Chelmer Print, we have a range of smart, branded clothing that can help identify your team and make them stand out from the crowd. This cohesive visual identity can give a highly-professional veneer to the sales team representing your company.
Think about the type of clothing that suits the event best. For example, suppose it is indoor and crowded. In that case, polo shirts or t-shirts may be best, but if there is air conditioning or the event is in a cold space, a sweatshirt or jacket may be better.
Pop Up / Roller Banner Displays
Roller banners that are easy to assemble are a staple of trade shows. There is nothing worse than building a complicated backdrop when you know that a couple of super-wide pop-up roller banners will cover the space very well.
We have a dedicated and talented graphic design team who can help to put together an excellent, eye-catching backdrop for your exhibition stall. We have an extensive range of different options in terms of banner sizes, styles and weights, so take the time to view the roller banner brochure before deciding.
Choose Your Print Work
Now that you have decided on your roller banners, it is time to choose the best print work for the show. Business cards can be an excellent way to leave a lasting impression, particularly with people you have connected with. Ideally, each sales team member would have their own to follow up with prospects after the show.
Brochures can also be an excellent resource to have on hand to showcase all that is great about your business. We would recommend a smaller print run of these than flyers or leaflets and being selective about whom you hand them out to. Not everyone will appreciate a bulky brochure, but your best prospects may find them very useful.
Follow Up After the Show
One of the most important things you can do with a trade show is to take contact information from interested parties and follow up with them afterwards.
Many businesses forget this step and then wonder why their trade show wasn’t more successful. Following up with customers or prospects is crucial for any trade show or exhibition, so be sure to do this and get as much success as you deserve from your next one.