If you want to improve your marketing strategy to reach a new market, events can offer the ideal opportunity to promote your products and services to an audience that is warm to your industry. There are very few occasions where you will find a large number of interested potential customers under one roof. Certainly events involve a large investment with exhibition display stands, marketing collateral, staffing and sustenance costs. You need to make sure you make the most of the opportunity to ensure return of investment. So how do you plan the perfect event?
Which Exhibition?
Choosing the right exhibition is essential. If you have time you could attend the event as a delegate to see whether it is right for your organisation. It would enable you to look at what your competitors are talking about, learn about new market trends, to see what stand catches your eye and to see what activities attract the most attention. This is the perfect cost effective research, trying before you buy. If the timing is not right, you could always look at the event website to view the statistics on the show, to see how many of your competitors exhibited and any activities that made headlines.
Know Your Objectives
Too many companies turn up at an exhibition with no clear plan or objectives. If you are taking a day or two out of the office with a few members of your team, you need to prove that the expense was worth your while. Never exhibit unprepared, pre-event planning meetings are essential for setting your goals and objectives. Start researching your competitors, know who is attending and where they are located as it is always good to keep an eye on the competition. Ensure all members of your team understand the goals set and their role during the event. With all this planning under your belt you will ensure your team adopt a professional, cohesive approach, promoting your products and services.
Get Noticed
So once you’ve chosen your event and booked your space, you now need to consider outdoor exhibition display stands and what style would suit your needs. Are you going to display product or literature? Do you need a meeting area? Have you planned any competitions or activities? The design and layout of your stand should be perfect for your requirements. You need to ensure there is plenty of room for your team as well as your visitors. The more comfortable they feel, the longer they will stay and chat.
Attract a Crowd
Planning some kind of activity at the exhibition is good for gaining attention. Whether a competition, a game or product launch, ensure early promotion of your activities on your website and social media as well as in the event brochure. Not only will you benefit from those joining in the activity you will also get the benefit from those that just want to watch or read about what is going on.
Follow up your Leads
One huge mistake that organisations make is after the expense of taking a stand at an exhibition and making the effort to work hard, networking and making contacts, they don’t follow up afterwards. It is estimated that a whopping 75% of leads are not followed up after an event. The normal busy work routine continues and before you realise a few weeks have passed before you make contact. You run the risk of the interest going cold and this lack of activity renders the whole process null and void. Always follow up contacts and targets as soon as you return to the office. Make that call, add them to your mailing list and nurture the relationship.
Trade shows and exhibition are a lot of work, a lot of fun and a huge investment, however, get it right and you could