Top 5 Benefits of Attending Trade Shows
Trade shows take place in the biggest cities across the country in any industry you can imagine. A gathering of industry experts, enthusiasts, and media under one roof in a setting that promotes business, education, and fun. There is much value in attending a trade show for your industry. In fact, the upside is so great, it would be a shame to miss out on all potential profits to be made.
Success at a trade show requires a well-implemented booth and Evo Exhibits can help. Their Discover, Create, Connect process takes a number of factors into consideration; such as your trade show goals, booth type, orientation, footprint, required features, and budget. They also lend you their professionals to ensure the exhibition is a success.
Visiting a trade show is an investment. It is about weighing risk versus reward. To help you understand the reward, here are some of the top benefits of attending trade shows:
1. Raise brand awareness
A trade show is a great opportunity to raise brand awareness among industry professionals and the key decision makers that matter. It can be difficult for start-ups to get a foothold in the industry in which they operate. Raising brand awareness at a trade show is a relatively straightforward process. Check out these tips to get it right:
- Create eye-catching graphics that engage the audience. Place your brand name, logo, and message strategically throughout the space for maximum impact.
- Include social media information for potential buyers to find you online. The key to a trade show is achieving residual sales well after the doors of the exhibition have closed.
- Place your booth in close proximity to blue chip companies. This will enhance your brand as it gives attendees the impression that you are one of the industry leaders. It also has the built in benefit of a steady flow of foot traffic.
2. Forge business relationships
Everybody needs help no matter how big or great they are as a company. Forging alliances with other industry related companies can help you enter vertical markets that you would may not break into otherwise. At a trade show you have the opportunity for face-to-face meetings with potential partners — allowing for a chance at a good first impression. Here are some ideas on how to increase your opportunities of networking:
- Take a look at the exhibition schedule for social events; such as parties, lunch breaks, and other gatherings. These are great side-events which allow you to mingle with industry leaders in a relaxed setting and potentially exchange contact information.
- Have a professional approach to the trade show so other companies take you seriously. Companies wants to form partnerships with competent and reliable operations.
3. Highly targeted leads
Your sales team will love the trade show environment as much of the leg work is done for them – a large crowd of highly targeted buyers are herded under one roof. Attendees who made the effort to attend a trade show do so because they are actively looking to buy the right products for their needs. The sales team simply needs to highlight the positive aspects of your products effectively to close a sale. Refer to these tips on how to sell at a trade show:
- Setup your trade show booth around your flagship products and highlight the benefits to the consumer. Evo Exhibits can help setup your booth to increase the chances of selling to your target customer.
- Attendees can get caught up in the mood of the event — capitalize on that by trying to close the deal on the spot.
- For deals that you cannot close on the spot, set up an appointment after the event for another chance to persuade the lead.
4. Competitor analysis
A trade show exposes the strategies and best offerings of all the top brands in the industry — it would be a shame to not pay attention to this. Take a walk around the show floor and see what other companies are doing to attract customers. Also take note of what poorly performing booths are doing. Perhaps there is a common denominator that is pushing customers away. Understanding this can help you avoid the same mistakes. Here are some suggestions for executing effective competitor analysis:
- As much as your industry and competitors will tolerate, do in-depth research in their booths. Learn as much as possible about what they have deemed to be their most significant offerings.
- Keep notes on everything you learn in an organized manner. There is much to see at a trade show and attempting to store it all in your head is ineffective.
- You want to learn from the best — focus on the booths that are attracting the most attention.
5. Education
Trade shows are usually filled with a myriad of educational sessions that help you explore and learn about the industry you operate in. Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments and new technologies enables you to plot a course for your business to be competitive. It may be hard to fit education into your schedule as your main goals might be to sell at the event. However, if you are willing to give up some short-term goals for long term success, attending educational sessions is a no-brainer.
- Look at the schedule to find out what sessions are taking place during the course of the event. Prioritize sessions that are most related to your business and determine how you can fit them into your schedule.
- Take notes during the educational events to remember actionable information to be applied once you get back to the office.
- Network with industry leaders at competing booths. Develop a relationship and they might share some insight that might help you improve your products. It is just another reason why exhibiting at a trade show is a good idea.
Thinking of attending a trade show?
Now that you have learned about the benefits of attending trade shows, all that is left is to get the most out of the process — that’s where Evo Exhibits comes in. Our comprehensive Discover. Create. Connect. process has a proven track record to give you a competitive edge. Our team includes project managers, production, estimators, designers, and account executives.
A trade show should be a fun process — providing new business, increasing brand awareness, presenting networking opportunities, and giving the chance to learn more about the industry you conduct business in. Pick out a trade show that matches your product range and begin planning for success!
