Participating in a trade fair is one of the most powerful tools for promoting your company in the market. The results you achieve at a trade fair largely depend on your preparation, the appeal of your stand, the performance of your staff during the event, and how you follow up with the contacts you make.
We have prepared a brief guide for you on how to participate in a trade fair effectively.
Make Use of Trade Fair Resources
We have prepared a brief guide for you on how to participate in a trade fair effectively.
Make Use of Trade Fair Resources
The Trade Fair Organizers Are Your Main Friends and Helpers
You can always request to have news about your company published on the trade fair website and on social media, ask for a mailing to your target audience on behalf of the general director or another official, or get advice on how to participate in the trade fair effectively (according to statistics, most participants, when asked «Who taught you how to exhibit at a trade fair?», answer «no one»).
Conduct a Pre-Fair Promotional Campaign
Many exhibitors believe that it’s only the organizers’ responsibility to attract visitors to the fair. Of course, the organizers conduct various advertising campaigns to bring your target audience to the trade fair. However, organizers generally focus on attracting the overall audience to the event itself—not to your specific booth.
You can increase attendance at your booth yourself. This doesn’t require additional financial resources; you only need to use your company’s existing information channels to announce your participation before the event:
Formulate Your Objectives
Attracting new clients and increasing sales are, of course, the main goals of participating in a trade fair. To estimate the potential benefit of exhibiting, request information from the organizers about visitors from your target audience, calculate the average sales value of your products, and estimate the average number of real potential clients. With well-defined objectives and active staff participation at the trade fair, you will not only cover your costs, but also attract new long-term customers, retain existing ones, and achieve above-average profits.
You can always request to have news about your company published on the trade fair website and on social media, ask for a mailing to your target audience on behalf of the general director or another official, or get advice on how to participate in the trade fair effectively (according to statistics, most participants, when asked «Who taught you how to exhibit at a trade fair?», answer «no one»).
Conduct a Pre-Fair Promotional Campaign
Many exhibitors believe that it’s only the organizers’ responsibility to attract visitors to the fair. Of course, the organizers conduct various advertising campaigns to bring your target audience to the trade fair. However, organizers generally focus on attracting the overall audience to the event itself—not to your specific booth.
You can increase attendance at your booth yourself. This doesn’t require additional financial resources; you only need to use your company’s existing information channels to announce your participation before the event:
- Post a trade fair banner on your website with an invitation to visit your booth (we will prepare an individual registration link for you);
- Publish news about your participation and the products you’ll be showcasing on your social media;
- Send an invitation with your booth number and a link for a free ticket to your partners and clients.
Formulate Your Objectives
Attracting new clients and increasing sales are, of course, the main goals of participating in a trade fair. To estimate the potential benefit of exhibiting, request information from the organizers about visitors from your target audience, calculate the average sales value of your products, and estimate the average number of real potential clients. With well-defined objectives and active staff participation at the trade fair, you will not only cover your costs, but also attract new long-term customers, retain existing ones, and achieve above-average profits.
Plan your trade fair space
Submitting an application to participate in the trade fair is good; designing an attractive booth for visitors is even better! Take responsibility for the design of your exhibition space and the presentation of your products. We’ve prepared a small checklist for you.
Actively demonstrate your products
Label Samples and Their Features
If all staff are busy, a visitor can still inspect the item, learn about its features, and discuss details with you later.
Vertical Display
Display large assortments vertically, and keep secondary products in catalogs.
Impeccable Appearance
Your products should look flawless. Most people judge by association—if it looks good, it must work well.
Put Yourself in Your Clients’ Shoes
Identify what interests them most. What is especially important to them? What are their fears and doubts? What guides their purchasing decisions? Present your products from their perspective.
Showcase Your Achievements
Display photos of completed projects, staff at work, client testimonials, publications about your company in print media, certificates, letters of appreciation, awards, etc.
Choose the Right Staff
Trade fair results depend at least 80% on your team’s performance. Visitors remember exhibitors because of interactions with company staff.
Any company’s exhibition goal is sales and new clients. Why, then, do most companies send a marketer to staff their booth? Because they are responsible for trade fairs? But how can a marketer become a salesperson in a day? They simply can’t.
To perform well at the trade fair, one needs a whole set of skills: in addition to active selling skills, deep knowledge of products, the target audience, the competitive environment, and the state of the industry.
A trade fair is a professionalism test—a demanding public performance lasting several days. Don’t choose trade fair staff based on «who is currently not needed at the office.» Send your best employees!
Process Contacts Immediately
Don’t postpone processing lead forms. Take care of urgent matters at the office, then start entering information into your database and reaching out to clients. It is known that large companies (especially in highly competitive markets) start processing contacts right during the trade fair. Forms collected on the first day are sent to the office and followed up on the very next day with commercial offers and calls. If you manage to process exhibition contacts during the fair and in the first few days after, all the better—you’ll gain an advantage over your competitors.
Submitting an application to participate in the trade fair is good; designing an attractive booth for visitors is even better! Take responsibility for the design of your exhibition space and the presentation of your products. We’ve prepared a small checklist for you.
Actively demonstrate your products
- Showcase your product’s features
- Allow visitors to interact with and try the product themselves
Label Samples and Their Features
If all staff are busy, a visitor can still inspect the item, learn about its features, and discuss details with you later.
Vertical Display
Display large assortments vertically, and keep secondary products in catalogs.
Impeccable Appearance
Your products should look flawless. Most people judge by association—if it looks good, it must work well.
Put Yourself in Your Clients’ Shoes
Identify what interests them most. What is especially important to them? What are their fears and doubts? What guides their purchasing decisions? Present your products from their perspective.
Showcase Your Achievements
Display photos of completed projects, staff at work, client testimonials, publications about your company in print media, certificates, letters of appreciation, awards, etc.
Choose the Right Staff
Trade fair results depend at least 80% on your team’s performance. Visitors remember exhibitors because of interactions with company staff.
Any company’s exhibition goal is sales and new clients. Why, then, do most companies send a marketer to staff their booth? Because they are responsible for trade fairs? But how can a marketer become a salesperson in a day? They simply can’t.
To perform well at the trade fair, one needs a whole set of skills: in addition to active selling skills, deep knowledge of products, the target audience, the competitive environment, and the state of the industry.
A trade fair is a professionalism test—a demanding public performance lasting several days. Don’t choose trade fair staff based on «who is currently not needed at the office.» Send your best employees!
Process Contacts Immediately
Don’t postpone processing lead forms. Take care of urgent matters at the office, then start entering information into your database and reaching out to clients. It is known that large companies (especially in highly competitive markets) start processing contacts right during the trade fair. Forms collected on the first day are sent to the office and followed up on the very next day with commercial offers and calls. If you manage to process exhibition contacts during the fair and in the first few days after, all the better—you’ll gain an advantage over your competitors.