Trade shows were once a “must do” event in any self-respective business’s marketing strategy, but these days they have been somewhat overtaken by the booming social media industry. But despite the popularity of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like, a good old-fashioned trade show has a lot of benefits to offer and unlike most other types of marketing, you get to meet an awful lot of people under one roof, face-to-face.
Better Sales Opportunities
The audience at a trade show is what industry experts refer to as “qualified”. That means they are there because they are already interested in what you have to offer. Essentially you have a foot in the door before you even talk to them. From a sales perspective, this is a golden opportunity to boost your customer base. So instead of having the ‘phone slammed down on you during yet another cold call, book a place at a trade show and enjoy far better results.
Exciting New Prospects
Most people you meet at trade shows will be new prospects. They are unlikely to have been contacted by your sales team in the past and therefore they will be more open to what you have to say. The same applies to B2B trade shows. Buyers who go along to these events are there for a reason and usually have a lot of influence within their business. These people are exceptionally well qualified to buy, which means that you stand an excellent chance of making a sale if you have what they are looking for.
Better Sales Leads
Contacts made at trade events are generally very good. Trade shows are very busy places and visitors don’t normally have time to waste, so if they do spend time talking to you it is because they are genuinely interested in what you have to offer. For this reason, any contacts and leads you make on the day will be well worth following up on as they are likely to generate future sales.
For best results, contact leads within a day or two of the event to cement the contact and keep your details fresh in the mind of the person. Drop them an email or give them a friendly call to remind them of what you spoke about. To make this easier, keep detailed notes about any key contacts you make on the day to help inform any follow-up conversations.
Check Out Your Competitors
Since most (if not all) of your main competitors will be attending the same trade shows, this is a great opportunity to check out what they are offering and whether there is anything you can improve upon. No matter how busy you are, try and make the time to wander around and discreetly see what your competitors are doing.
Time Out
Time away from the office is always time well spent, and if it means you get to speak to potential customers face-to-face, so much the better.
For best results, make sure your trade show booth is well designed and professional looking, and if you need any tips, check out
finesse-exhibitions.co.uk.
