Participating in trade shows can be a successful marketing strategy to give your business exposure and meet with corporate decision-makers and end-users. However, it comes at an expense. Along with the travel costs, you’ll also need to cover the cost of the exhibit at your trade show and lease space in the space for the convention hall. Additionally, you’ll be spending much of your time away from the office. This is why it’s essential to do all you can to ensure the event is an absolute success.
The way you manage your booth during the event is a major factor in the outcome. If you make the right decisions at the appropriate time, you’ll not only increase your chances of making money from the cost of your investment but bring in a substantial profit on it. Don’t do the right thing, and the whole event could become a massive loss of time and cash.
With this in mind, keep reading to learn the 10 most crucial to know and do’s of running your exhibit at a trade show.
5 Things You Should Do When Working in Your Booth
Imagine yourself as someone who is attending. You’re there to discover new products, visit the existing suppliers and meet with new business owners. You’ve been on your feet for the entire day, and you’re exhausted and hungry and somewhat anxious. With these conditions, it’s more likely that you’ll be satisfied when an exhibitor follows these five things.
#1 – Greet Attendees
If someone comes to your exhibit booth during your trade show and you are greeted by them, greet them. Take everything else off and greet them by shaking their hand. Make sure to break the ice by asking one or two questions about where the person is from and what their experience with the event has been so far.
In the simplest terms, make them feel happy to have been there.
#2 – Talk to them about their Problems
The people who are attending for a purpose. Maybe they’re searching for new suppliers. Perhaps they’re seeking new products that they can sell. Or perhaps they’re dealing with particular business issues that they’re looking for the solution to.
The only method to determine the reason that a person is coming to your stand is to inquire.
#3 – Provide Relevant Information
The audience loves information as they are pertinent to their desires and desires. Provide it at no cost, and you could be able to win many fans.
For instance, you could offer a free booklet with strategies to tackle the issues that attendees in business face. You can also ask attendees to sign up for a free email newsletter, through which you’ll be sending them useful and informative content on their particular field.
#4 – Qualify Leads
The majority of people who visit your booth is ideal lead. There will be those who are tire-kickers conducting basic research on their choices. Some will simply be interested or inspired to go through your giveaways.
Develop a procedure that lets leads be screened according to how urgent their requirements are and their financial capacity. This way, you will be able to spend your time with leads that are the best placed to make use of your assistance.
#5 – Collect Contact Details
One of the most important aspects of a successful marketing campaign for trade shows is to keep in touch with the attendees following the event. To be able to do this, it is essential to have the contact details of attendees. Begin by locating their names, contact numbers and email addresses. If you can, learn their names, budgets, and when they will need to decide on possible solutions to their issues.
Contact information for attendees should be an integral part of your lead qualifying method.
Five Things You Should Avoid While Working on your Trade Show Exhibit
Things you shouldn’t be doing are as crucial as the tasks you have to perform while operating at your booth. The good thing is that they’re both simple and (hopefully) easy to understand.
#1 – Leave Your Booth
Regardless of the situation, you should not ever leave your trade show exhibit. Your staff or you should always be available to meet guests and engage them in conversations. Even when there is a little foot traffic, and it is coming to the end of the event, make sure you keep your booth full of staff throughout the event.
#2 – Eat
Food can give visitors the impression that you’re not ready to talk to people. This impression could be untrue, but it’ll discourage potential visitors.
If you are in need of food, then take a break and move to a different location to eat.
#3 – Text or Talk on The Phone
Just like eating and using a mobile phone and using the phone can give the impression that you’re not available. It could also signal to visitors that you’re not keen on helping them resolve their issues. The impression you give them will encourage them to visit other exhibitors who are willing to get involved and assist them.
#4 – Don’t Pay Attention to Visitors
As we mentioned before, every attendee should be welcomed with a smile and engage in conversations. It is surprising that many exhibitors and staff members talk to each other and do not pay attention to the people who are at their booths.
If anyone comes into your exhibit at trade shows, the person should be given your immediate and complete attention.
#5 – Sit
It’s not a big deal, particularly in the case of being walking around all day. However, it could signal to people who walk past your booth that you are less than excited about going to the event.
If there’s nobody around, then take a few minutes to relax your feet. However, stand if you see people at your booth or walking towards you.
You’ll need to put in an enormous sum of money for your exhibit for trade shows, as well as booth rental and the cost of travel. Make sure you keep the following 10 essentials of running your booth to make sure your investment will pay dividends both during and following the show.
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