How to Ensure A Successful Trade Show

December 8, 2015

Part of being a business owner is attending trade shows and exhibitions. These offline marketing strategies still matter today because they allow you to communicate better. You can size up your competition and see what they’re doing. You might even bump into some industry legends who can share nuggets of advice with you.
Excelling in a trade show setting can be hugely beneficial for the future of the business. So you need to make sure you do what you can to make the experience a successful one. Here are some things you can do to make sure you have a successful trade show.
Be Engaging
You always have to make sure you are approachable and engaging. People will be interacting with you, and observing the business first hand. So it’s vital that you make a good impression as much as possible. And the best way to do this is to be engaging and easy to talk to. People will have questions and queries, and you should try to answer them. But you also need to be personable and talkative. This leaves a good impression and makes people think highly of you.
Have an Amazing Stand
The stand is also key to how well you can expect to do at the show. You need to have a professional and stylish stand. You could contact a company like Highfields International and get them to design your stand for you. You want to blow away the competition wow prospective customers, and the perfect stand will do this. However, a poor and unattractive stand will drive away business and reflect badly on the brand.
A Hook is Key
It’s always a good idea to try to have something that makes you stand out. When you’re at the trade show, there will be lots of other companies there too. Many of them will be your competitors, so you need a hook that sets you apart from them. The best way to do this is to have some kind of skit or demonstration going on. This will attract people over and pique their interest. If you make it engaging and funny, you’re likely to attract more people.
Always Stay Professional
In any sort of business setting, it’s always important to make sure you stay professional. This means you have to conduct yourself in a professional and responsible manner at all times. Make sure you dress in an appropriate way and present yourself in a way that fits the company’s ethos. Remember, you are an ambassador for the brand, so people need to view you as being professional. Make sure you act and conduct yourself in the right manner, or you will put people off and drive them away.
Trade shows are one of the most important and effective forms of business marketing. They afford you a rare opportunity of interacting with clients face to face. There are so many ways to have a successful trade show but a lot of ways to go wrong as well. Hopefully, these ideas will keep you on the road to success.

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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