ICM - Leeds Design Agency

In the current economic climate trade show attendance and exhibits may be down so why invest in a stand during this difficult period?

Exhibiting at a trade show offers you one of the best ways to get in front of lots of customers and prospects in a relatively short amount of time.

At a typical national trade show, with 10,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors, you can realistically have 200 visitors per day. In comparison with daily sales call numbers you would find it difficult to even approach that number. You may not have the opportunity to go into as much detail in your presentation but being an exhibitor does open doors for future communications, a door which can be very difficult to get your foot through.

Trade shows can be an incredibly effective promotion and sales tool for your business. Whether you’re a trade show novice or an experienced participant, these tips will help you get the best return on investment from any trade show you attend.

1. Set clear goals for your participation.
What do you want to get out of it? Do you expect to sell a particular amount of inventory at the trade show, or expect to become known to a certain number of suppliers? Are you focusing on promotion/brand awareness or hoping to launch a new product?

You can have more than one goal you just need to be clear about what your participation in the trade show is going to achieve.

2. Do your research.
You need to choose the trade shows that will give your business the best ROI in terms of your goals. If your goal is on-site sales, having a booth at a big flashy trade show where your booth is one of a dozen selling similar products may not be the best choice.

You want to choose a trade show that best targets the audience you want to reach, and best suits your participation goals. Find out what the particular trade show’s objectives are, and investigate and evaluate the show’s audience.

3. Once you’ve chosen a particular trade show to attend, plan your budget and book your space.
Find out everything you can about your space, including where it is on the floor, what kind of other exhibits will be around it, whether it’s a high traffic or low traffic area, and the physical conditions of the booth space, such as lighting.

4. Plan your exhibit in terms of your audience.
Who is it that you’re targeting with your trade show display? Retail customers? Trade buyers? Other businesses in your industry? Different audiences “shop” trade shows differently and have different needs.

5. Advertise in advance.
Put the word out you’re participating in a particular trade show, by inviting your clients, customers, suppliers and other contacts to attend the show. (Be sure you give them all the details, such as your booth number.)

If you have one, be sure to advertise your coming trade show attendance on your web site as well.

6. Be an attendee not an exhibitor.
If the budget is tight this year, be an attendee and not an exhibitor. Capitalize on the trade show by being a speaker or a panel expert. This will add credibility to your business and attract potential leads.

So now you’re ready to attend that trade show – almost.

Thermphos International are one of the worlds largest producers of phosphorous and phosphates. We are their chosen exhibition consultants; we are responsible for marketing, building, planning and advising them on their exhibition strategy.