Exhibition success – it’s as easy as 1 2 3
Exhibition season is upon us and if you’re exhibiting it should be the biggest event in your marketing calendar. To make sure it’s also your most successful follow these three easy steps:
### 1. Let people know you’re going to be there
You might wonder why we’ve suggested something so simple, but you would be surprised how many companies focus all their energy and budget on stand design, build and opening day, but actually forget to tell people they’re going to be there.
Give visitors a reason to put you at the top of their ‘must see’ list. For those in a B2B market it’s likely that the decision maker you want to be talking to has blocked out half a day in their diary to whizz around the show. If they’re really organised they may even have a hit list of people they want to see. Don’t leave it to chance that they may wander past your stand.
Something as simple as a pre-show email could get you up to the top of their ‘must see’ list. Revisit your database of current and lapsed clients, and let them know that you’re going to be there, where your stand is located and more importantly why they should come and visit YOU! Have you got a new product launching at the show? Are you doing an exclusive show-only discount? Perhaps you’ll be talking at one of the exhibition seminars? It could even be as simple as ‘come and join us for a coffee and pastry on the stand’ (you’ll be surprised how successful this one can be).
### 2. Give people a reason to come to your stand at the show
So, you’ve done everything you can beforehand to let people know you’re going to be there. You’ve sent the pre-show email, you’ve advertised in the trade titles, you’ve called your current clients telling them you’re going to be there and you’ve armed your sales team with well written, informative marketing collateral.
Grabbing attention through other means can also help increase brand awareness. Many people underestimate the need for good quality giveaways. I was once at an exhibition in Aberdeen (not known to be the sunniest place on earth) but one exhibitor had looked at the weather forecast and bought electric hand held fans, that, when turned on, lit up with the company name. It was amazing how many people knew their brand name by the end of the show. And what did they want in return for a fan? Your name and email address.
### 3. Follow up leads
You’ve planned the show for months, worked your stand until you literally can’t stand anymore, time to relax? Wrong! This time could be equally as busy as the lead up to the show if you’ve done everything else right. Again, you’d be surprised how many people a) don’t gather data during the show or b) don’t follow up the leads after.
If you were to do a quick calculation – work out the cost of doing the exhibition (stand build, space, staff for the show, hotels, literature, advertising etc), now divide that by how many leads you’ve got – you’ll probably find that the cost per lead will make your eyes pop out, but these now should be quality leads. The people on your list have taken the time to visit your stand and say hi, so make sure you follow them up. If you’ve qualified your leads well at the show you should know who are the hot leads – get on the phone, send an email, link with them on social media.
Now’s the time to make the investment you’ve made in the exhibition work hard for you. If they’re not leads you can close straight away could you be planning a contact strategy? Add them to your database for receiving newsletters or even add them to your diary for a call in six months. Whatever you do, don’t commit the crime of doing nothing with them. After all, building quality leads and generating sales was the reason you went to the show in the first place, wasn’t it?