The Importance of Trade Fair and Expo Marketing

The Importance of Trade Fair and Expo Marketing

Trade fairs and exhibitions might be the platforms that your business needs to achieve your goals. Regardless of the sector and industry you have decided to operate in, trade fair marketing can provide you with opportunities that the day-to-day business correspondence usually does not. With the opportunities for participating, as an exhibitor or a visitor, there will be benefits for both types of attendance. The market trends are experiencing constant fluctuations, and being part of such an event might be essential for your future professional plans. In the following paragraphs, we will take a closer look at how beneficial a trade fair could be if you attend prepared for its prospects.

1. Meeting with Potential Customers and Future Partners

One of the major reasons that make visiting an expo an important step into the business world is the possibility to communicate to people face-to-face. For instance, a carefully prepared company booth and a personal approach to every visitor might leave a lasting impression on a person who plans to complete a business deal at the trade show. Let’s not forget a big percentage of the expo attendees are decision-makers from all size companies, so it is important to know your audience and provide information according to the person’s role in the industry. Therefore, it is crucial when engaging in a business conversation to provide all the information a visitor might need in a concise and attractive way. When the exhibition is over, participants will surely remember the meeting they had with the exceptionally prepared, company representatives who took part in the event.

*But where to engage your audience during the trade fair? *

  • Your boot will be an excellent choice . Make product presentations and showcase your services. Communicate with the visitors and impress them with unexpected features and benefits. However, if you want to get to the “big fishes” meaning company CEOs, media representatives and investors you need to get creative.
  • Visit the event lounge . Most expos have a designated meeting place where exhibitors and professional visitors can sit down, relax and engage in conversation. It’s the perfect place to drink a glass of wine and find a potential partner.
  • Enrol in all additional activities . Events like workshops, lectures, summits and conferences present ideal opportunities to find what you are looking for. You need a specific supplier - attend a product presentation, searching for a potential partner - go to a conference.
  • Go to the after-parties . At the end of each expo day, there is either an official dinner or a party. You need to be there. Studies show most successful business negotiations start during these types of events.

Throughout all of these meetings and get-togethers you need to remember a couple of things:

  • Always have enough business cards . Writing your name and phone on the back of a brochure doesn’t scream reliable partner.
  • Try to be as genuine as the situation allows . Script answers and fake smiles are not the best way to influence a company CEO with decades of experience in the business.
  • Dress to impress on all occasions . Once you look important, people tend to perceive you that way and it will be easier for them to engage in conversation.
  • Listen . Make sure to make a mental note of all the things your potential clients or partners say. We promise it will come in handy once the final negotiations start.

2. Trade Fair and Expos are Possible Sales Opportunities

After we discussed the importance of direct “live” communication and the first impression, we will continue with a fundamental process that runs throughout the event. Completing a long-awaited deal or negotiating prices could be the milestone that can change your company’s future or expand the product sector of your business. Careful preparation will convert into leads as people are generally motivated to commit to a deal when participating in an event. So, when aware of the possibilities that the trade fair marketing provides, next the exhibitor has to distinguish the steps that his company has to make to achieve his goals. An easy, yet productive start could be:

  • Discuss and set goals with your team, so they can be prepared well in advance and apply the most efficient sales strategy.
  • Reach out to as many visitors as possible. Don’t forget that most of them are motivated to commit a deal, or at least hear what you can offer to them.
  • Monitor yours and your team’s performance, take notes, collect business cards, contacts, etc. Apart from these steps, you can do extensive research on what your competitors are offering at the current moment months before the expo’s dates.
  • Exploring their strengths and weaknesses may lead to a better presentation on the show.

Trade Fair Marketing

3. Improve Skills and Gain Know-How at the Additional Program of the Trade Fair

Most of the expos have an additional program that includes supporting events that make the visitor’s experience more beneficial. Workshops, conferences, demonstrations, lectures, tastings are all scheduled to add value to the exhibitions. Industrial associations and organisations create distinct areas where they can display new products or a member’s expertise. This is certainly a way to obtain know-how, especially if your day-to-day business does not necessarily include training and workshops. A good example of how valuable an additional program could be are the food, spirits and wine exhibitions. Tastings are crucial at those events – new products can be sampled, experts rate them, and eventually, a winner is picked if there is a scheduled competition. Most of us have heard about award-winning wines that have to be tasted at least once, so we can know the true meaning of high quality and standard. A great example of how exciting and useful an additional program can be is the VINITALY wine expo – where visitors can explore a wide range of exclusive events.

4. Brand Awareness

A big percentage of the companies that attend exhibitions look for opportunities to expand their business network and build awareness. This is a creative way to get the brand in front of new customers, so they can learn more about what your companies’ business is. A perfect opportunity if you want the audience to remember you as a reliable, serious and important player in the industry’s market. This can be obtained by positioning your company’s booth near the leaders in the industry. It is a strategy used to help your customers recognise you as an established brand. Having this in mind, physical appearance is an important step in this process – a company that wants to attend a trade show will have to invest in retention materials, display banners, booth construction, uniforms or branded clothes, etc. By doing all this, you add value. People will eventually recognise you as a trustworthy and reputable brand that they can rely on, complete a deal or start a partnership. At some point, it is all about the appearance. Another way to leave a good impression is if you and your team have proactive behaviour, engaging the audience and creating a conversation. You can implement a game in your advertising materials or distribute free promo code for your product or service. Ensure your brand stands out, make some noise, make people notice you. This way, at the end of the event, they will still talk about your company, presentation, ideas, etc.

We covered some of the main reasons to attend/exhibit at a trade fair. But let’s not forget that after all, you will meet fellow professionals, fans, partners or random visitors at events like this. The most important thing is to have conversations with as many people as possible – expand your business network. It is essential to hear what customers have to say what their point of view is. It is the way to improve, so you can exceed people’s expectations at some point, win new customers and partners.

Apart from the serious and business part of the event, try to enjoy your visit. After all, there should be time for small breaks and non-business conversations, to truly connect to other people. Get ready for your next expo!

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