An exhibition provides a platform for different exhibitors to promote their products and services physically. It is an opportunity to meet your customers, collect leads, make relationships and sales. An exhibition provides a resourceful space to network, listen to your customers and learn what the competitors are doing differently than you. However, to get the most out of your investment the following are relevant Dos and Don’ts when exhibiting.
DO………
Find out those exhibiting before booking a stand
Why is this necessary? I’ll tell you why; you don’t want to book a stand out of an emotional decision but a well calculated and detailed analysis, an exhibition demands resources, therefore you need to prioritize value for your money before anything else. Find out who is exhibiting, you might want to know if your competitors already booked a stand or if a major exhibitor pulled out of the event. This information speaks volumes about the value of the exhibition.
Reach out to other exhibitors
Exhibitions involves networking and not necessarily with the visitors alone but also with other participants, sometimes some of the resourceful and strategic advice, leads and sales come from unexpected sources. Exhibitors, trade associations and media might not be on your side as they are after the same goal as you but finding out how you might complement each other or work to your advantage.
Be creative with your stand
Every exhibitor will definitely be giving one hundred to decorate their stands and design settings and arrangement of the products. You don’t want to come short on this one, you will have to up your game and go the extra mile to impress, you have this one opportunity to capture the customers’ attention, draw them to your stand and finish the job of closing them. Create a theme, promotion or a competition to help staff strike conversations and entice visitors to your stand.
Motivate and train your staff
This might seem a cliché and a waste of time but trust me it is necessary; this is your investment we are talking about, booking for the stand involved some money, logistical activities to the show to and fro will definitely cost you money. It should be your top priority to get returns and the best way to do so is with an aggressive and motivated team.
Train your staff on what to do and inform them of what will be expected of them more especially the sales team. Do not leave any stone unturned, you will be going hunting and getting your team equipped with the basics and the right tools will enable you to come home with a meal. Training and motivating your staff will complement your creativity in the design and decoration you had above for your stand. Therefore, it is important to have a motivated team who are ready to kill.
Negotiate hard with Exhibition Organizers
Well, you should definitely be mindful of additional marketing activities offered in the event which are designed to extend your business visibility before, during and after the exhibition. Some of these add-on benefits are free, for instance, a free listing in the show guide and on the website; others are available at additional costs. Negotiate for such additional benefits to bolster your brand awareness campaign. As well negotiating a discount for your stand space, find out if the salesperson you are dealing with can give you additional free benefits- such as access to pre-registered visitors data, a prominent spot in show publicity or even enhanced listings in the show guide.
DON’TS…………
Make Assumptions
Exhibition success relies heavily on strategic planning, execution and paying close attention to details at every stage. If you just make an assumption that certain essential items or services will be supplied without checking then you might experience some hiccups during the day and create some last-minute stress for yourself which might negatively affect your plans for the show. Don’t waste time on non-decision makers Exhibition organizers tend to focus more on the quality of the audience who can deliver more than huge visitor figures. As an exhibitor, you should find an event that can offer an audience of buyers, not time wasters. Visitor data from previous events will give you a reliable guide on the nature of the visitors you can expect to see. However, it is upon your sales team to be creative on the amount of time they spend with visitors who are not decision-makers.
Don’t forget to issue freebies Well, freebies
will of course, cost the company some money but it will emphasize on brand awareness after the show. Freebies shouldn’t be in the form of expensive products but simple merchandise such as; pens, caps, carrier bags, notebooks, and stick notes just to name a few. However normal it may seem, freebies contribute in ways we cannot imagine; do not forget to factor this in your exhibition plans.
Exhibitions cost a fortune and it is the task of the team involve to make a good use of it to promote the company’s products and services, generate leads and create sales in the end.
In conclusion, do not forget to reward your team for a job well done; this will maintain the strength and motivation of your team moving forward. Wishing every exhibitor a resourceful show during the Naivasha Horticultural Fair 2019. Cheers!!!!