Take a stand
Exhibiting at a tradeshow can reap commercial benefits for businesses. GILLIAN SHIRLEY looks at how to get the best out of an event
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‘You may only have a few seconds to attract passing visitors to your display so a designer’s skill is essential’
30 CHAMBERLINK OCTOBER 2012
howing your products to customers and potential clients is a vital element in running a successful business. But there’s a lot more to it than setting up your stand in an exhibition hall. As with
all major decisions it is essential to plan ahead before you even book exhibition space. Take time to think about what you want to achieve
from attending an event and set out clearly defined aims. If you decide exhibitions are the right way to promote
your products, you should first research which events are most appropriate for your needs. Establish their track records, ask for an analysis of previous years’ events, find out how many decision makers from your target market were present and don’t be shy about asking your competitors what their attendance achieved. Find out what how much publicity the exhibition
receives, where the organisers place their advertising and what other promotional services they provide. Another issue to consider is where you are going to
exhibit. Is the venue convenient and attractive to your target market? There are pros and cons when it comes to the scale of the event. A huge show at the NEC may bring in thousands of visitors, but how many of those will be particularly interested in your product and how can you make yourself stand out from the crowd? On the other hand a smaller scale event can offer focus and an intimate setting in which people can consider the merits of your offering.
You need to calculate the total cost of running a stand
at the exhibition. It’s not just the rental of the right floor space you need to consider, but also staff costs and the expenditure on the design and production of the stand itself. You may only have a few seconds to attract passing visitors to your display so a designer’s skill is essential and if you plan to exhibit regularly make sure your stand can be taken apart and re-built easily. Make sure you think through the arrangements well in
advance. There are a number of simple details you need to take into account, but which could have a detrimental effect on your exhibit if they are overlooked. For example, when will you be setting up the stand, who is providing the electricity supply and who is taking the brochures, leaflets and business cards to the show? It is advisable to prepare briefing notes for everyone who will be running the stand. They need to know how to respond to a variety of people – existing clients, potential customers, journalists and competitors. Ensure visitors are given a short opportunity to browse your stand before approaching them. Try to find out which category they fall into by asking whether they use your kind of product and what role they hold in their organisation. This will give staff a steer on how much time they should be spending with each individual. Most exhibitors aim to make introductory contacts rather than hope to complete sales on the spot. But it shouldn’t just be an exercise in collecting names, it’s important to qualify leads so you know where to concentrate your efforts once the exhibition is over and the real work begins!
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