Key Factors to Keep in Mind When Participating in Trade Shows
Trade shows are the perfect platform to meet with key contacts within your chosen industry. They allow you to build upon and develop relationships through face-to-face contact. As such, there are many key factors to keep in mind when participating in Trade Shows and Exhibitions, giving thought to before, during, and after. If you’re looking to take part in a Trade Show, you must first consider the following:
Have a clear objective
Give serious consideration to what you want to achieve by attending a trade show or exhibition. Do you want to raise brand awareness? Launch a new product? Gather new contacts and prospects? Only then can you begin to focus your design and set clear objectives and targets to ensure your stand is as effective as possible.
Consider your budget
At any trade show you will see a wide range of stands based on each company’s budget. Give thought to your budget and what you are able to afford and achieve with it. There are different stand design options to cater for all needs so make sure you choose wisely as you don’t want to spend too much on a stand if your end goal doesn’t generate much revenue.
Choose your shows wisely
There is no point going to a trade show unless it is relevant to you and your business. And there’s no point travelling miles and miles away if it won’t benefit your business either. So, make sure you choose a show that is relevant to your objectives, has the right target audience, is in a suitable location, and of course, within budget.
Give thought to your stand position
You can usually get a map of the hall and all stand options to help you choose your stand position. You can use this to identify key locations such as entrances, thoroughfares and amenities to position your stand, entrance and messaging accordingly.
Allow enough time to prepare
Trade shows are extremely comprehensive events with lots to consider and prepare, including; stand design, graphics, furniture, and marketing collateral. Be aware of lead times for any collateral you want to produce to ensure you are not left wanting at the show.
Utilise every inch of your stand design
With so many competitors within inches from each other you want to make sure you are creating something truly unique that stands out from the crowd. Give thought to the height of your stand – creating gravitas and maximising graphics. Consider how your lighting might help to illuminate certain messaging and products. Ensure fixtures, fittings and furniture fulfil their function and help to create the ultimate experience for your customers.
Push your brand
Wherever possible, ensure your branding is visible. Your brand is your identity so make sure it is the main crux of your design. Everything should flow through your branding seamlessly, from the stand design to the marketing materials to take away, creating one giant branding experience.
Promotional products
Along with marketing materials such as leaflets, flyers, business cards; consider promotional products for people to take away too. It’s not enough to make an impression on the day; you want it to continue after people have left your stand. Promotional products are the perfect way to do this, ensuring your branding remains in the forefront of people’s minds. Consider useful products as these are likely to gain more traction with customers.
Support staff
Make sure the people manning your stand know your product inside-out and have the right preparation and training to undertake such a task as a trade show or exhibition. These are gruelling events, so the staff behind the stand need to be ready for everything. They are also the face of your brand so they need to be dressed appropriately too! Consider a uniform. And where possible, make sure you have the big bosses available throughout the show too as their attendance will make the event more valuable.
Follow up leads and contacts
If you’ve made leads and contacts throughout the show, you want to make sure you follow these up afterwards to continue the communication. Many sales are made after the event itself, so following up is just as important, if not more so, than the event itself.
Review your stand
It’s always worth reflecting upon and evaluating your time at the exhibition. Consider what worked on your stand and what didn’t. Give thought to your budget and whether it worked. Ask yourself whether you made a sufficient return on investment. Consider how other stands worked and how you might be able to incorporate some of their ideas on your stand next time. Gather everyone together for their thoughts and document findings as these will help you for next trade show or exhibition.
Choose your Trade Show collateral with Colin Cross
At Colin Cross, we offer a wide range of marketing collateral, perfect for your next trade show, from signage and display, to leaflets and flyers, business cards, and embroidered workwear. If you’re in the market for some marketing collateral, or would like to know more, look no further than Colin Cross; digital print experts specialising in printing services in Preston, Lancaster and Morecambe, and with over 40 years of experience in the printing industry.
We are able to tackle almost all your printing needs in house, giving you and your business access to one of the best printing companies in the Lancaster area, and indeed the UK as a whole. To find out more, simply contact us on 01995 602288 or email: info@colincrossprinters.co.uk.