Showcasing your company at an expo is not only a way to meet new prospects, potential referrers and partners, but also an opportunity to renew existing relationships. Plus, exhibitors can meet with more people in one day than they might normally manage to meet over the course of a few months. In the process you can
learn more
about the customers and the market you serve. With good preparation, execution and follow-up, your exhibit can help your company increase both visibility and credibility with the audience you're working so hard to engage.
Know Your Customer and Solution
Know exactly what you want to accomplish by participating in an Expo or any business event. What are your goals for the number of attendees you want to stop at your table, the number of businesses you want to meet, or the number of new leads to capture?
For the best results, don't try to sell all of your goods and services, and don't try to sell to everyone. Who is your ideal customer for the day, what is the most pressing challenge for that client, and what is the best solution you can offer? Design your booth and marketing materials with that focus in mind, and pay very careful attention to your messaging. When possible, include interactive demonstrations with at least a little entertainment value.
Purchasing agents will want to know exactly how you can meet their needs and why they should consider
you and your firm
for a future opportunity. What will you and your teammates say to communicate the unique value you deliver and the results you can help your clients achieve?
Plan Ahead for Every Stage
In order to get the best possible results from exhibiting, have a strategy in place for how to approach every stage of the experience--before, during and after the event. For example,
before
the event you might want to spread the word about your participation via social media and email marketing. Perhaps you can blog on a topic relevant to your audience and create a tie-in to the upcoming event. If there's an agency you would really like to meet, why not reach out and encourage a representative to stop by your booth?
During
the event, use the most interactive methods possible to engage booth attendees, identify ideal prospects who visit your booth and offer to keep in touch to provide more information. Know in advance how you will follow up with prospects
after
the show, in order to provide value and nurture relationships throughout the year.
Make Them Want to Stop at Your Booth
With so many exhibitors on hand, attendees often have a hard time deciding which booths to visit. You can increase your foot traffic by making your booth (or table) stand from others. Your table setting and design should be attractive, consistent with your company's branding, with clean lines and signage that speaks directly to the wants and needs of your customers (rather than boasting about your company).
While there are companies that sell or rent booth products for events, you can set up your booth more affordably using supplies from outlets such as office or art supply stores and discount chains. If you plan to use promotional giveaways and have a tight budget, consider keeping pricier items behind the table and hand out strategically to the prospects you most want to remember you.
By the way, make a checklist for booth set-up and be sure you bring along all the supplies and equipment you'll need on hand to assemble your display efficiently. Arrive early to give yourself plenty of time to be ready when the show opens.
Be Engaging
During the show, be warm, welcoming and project high energy. Passersby are more likely to stop and talk if you are standing beside or in front of your table (without blocking the aisle), than if you are sitting and watching people pass by. Make sure you have plenty of marketing materials on hand. Staff should be well prepared to share key messaging, use relevant talking points with confidence. If applicable, be sure your exhibit team can present or give demonstrations with ease.
Never
leave your booth unattended.
Collect Contact Information
For most organizations, it is rare to make a sale right on the spot at a trade show. The real work happens after the show. Be sure to collect key contact information, such as email addresses you can use to reach out for followup. For those who give you permission, add them to your email marketing list. Your collection method can be as simple as collecting business cards or having people write their information on an email signup sheet. Then you can enter the new contact information into your computer database back at the office. Or, to save time and eliminate the data entry task, arrange to have visitors enter their information directly into your list using a mobile device, such as a cell phone or iPad.
Follow Up Immediately
Use the contact information you collected during the event to follow up with visitors within 24 hours or as soon as possible. The longer the lag time, the greater chance your new contacts will forget who you are or lose interest in getting to know you better.
Evaluate and Make Improvements
Immediately after the show, while everything is still fresh in your mind, evaluate what went well with your experience, what could have gone better, and make a note of what you will do differently to ensure even better results the next time you exhibit!
