Trade shows can offer an excellent opportunity to exhibit your products and services, strengthen your brand, and establish connections with prospective customers. By making an impression, you can generate leads, secure sales, and potentially secure significant contracts.
Consistent and ongoing participation in the same trade shows is likely to lead to success. Other businesses in the industry, including potential customers, may perceive your regular attendance as a sign of credibility, stability, and long-term commitment. It may take several years of attending the same show before these businesses begin to show increased interest in your company.
Getting value for money
Participating in international shows and exhibitions can be a costly endeavour. It’s crucial to focus on events that attract attendees who have the potential to become your customers. For smaller exporters, joining forces with complementary exporters is a cost-effective approach to showcase your products at trade events.
When attending a trade show, it is vital to handle all the official requirements with care. Skilful planning and execution before, during, and after the event are essential to achieve desirable outcomes.
Preparing for a trade show
To maximise your investment, adequate preparation is crucial. Arriving at the event unprepared not only wastes the opportunity but can also harm your business’s professional image.
Here are the key steps you should take to prepare:
- Set objectives: Understand your goals for the event. Do you aim to increase market share or introduce new products/services? Set specific and realistic objectives. If you’re new to exporting, your initial objective may be to generate leads for future follow-up.
- Conduct market research: Study the host country’s culture, economy, and business environment to avoid mistakes, delays, or communication issues. Request a list of attendees from event organisers and identify potential competitors. Often, this information is available on the event’s website.
- Budget: Estimate costs for exhibition space, marketing materials, accommodation, meals, travel, and insurance based on your previous trade show experiences. Assess whether the investment is commercially viable.
- Plan your stand: Design a stand that stands out from the rest. Create an eye-catching, open, and inviting display with a focal point and a strong key message.
When planning your exhibition stand, take the following points into consideration:
- Opt for booking space only and utilise a modular stand design. These stands are easy to transport, assemble, and dismantle, offering versatility. Declare any stands you bring to Customs when leaving, to avoid duty charges upon arrival back in New Zealand.
- Familiarise yourself with the stand requirements, including size, flooring, lighting, visitor traffic flow, and furniture needs.
- Determine the materials necessary for the design and construction of your stand, and research potential suppliers.
- Promotion: Pre-event promotion and publicity are essential to generate interest and set your company and products apart from others.
- Early planning: Keep in mind that deadlines for pre-event promotional materials can be as early as two months prior to the event. Ensure you have an ample supply of brochures and business cards.
- Meeting bookings: Identify key companies that are important to your business and likely to be at the show. Introduce your company to them well in advance and try to secure meeting commitments. Send invitations and incentives to other interesting companies to visit your stand.
- Exhibition briefing: Thoroughly brief all staff working at the stand on their sales and communication responsibilities. They should be knowledgeable about the unique selling points and advantages of your products or services, and how to effectively communicate them.
- Cultural considerations: Do not underestimate the importance of cultural nuances. Different colours and symbols can have positive or negative connotations in various countries, so ensure their appropriate use.
During the event
- Arrival: Make sure staff arrive with ample time to recover from jet lag, set up the stand, make necessary adjustments to plans, and handle any last-minute issues.
- Day-to-day activities: Explore the exhibition, observe competitors and potential partners, capture photos, and have meetings with potential clients.
- Visitors: Familiarise yourself with different types of visitors and manage the time spent with prospects. If they are primarily seeking information, save the selling for after the event.
After the event
- Follow-up leads: Make an effort to promptly follow up on any leads you generate.
- Analysis. Compile a final report that assesses accomplishments in relation to objectives, effectiveness, performance, costs, and sales. Additionally, provide recommendations for future participation.
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