Exhibition Success: The Willow Way

Invite bloggers and industry journalists to your stand, even if it is just for a coffee or tea.  These individuals are often unofficial voices in the industry with wide audiences and a lot of the time are very vocal on social media.

Give useful freebies to contact you meet.  Many companies at events give out pens, note pads, stress toys etc. but a lot of the time they end up forgotten about or on the floor!  By giving potential customers useful freebies such as free Wi-Fi for the venue or a safe place to leave and charge their phone in exchange for signing up to a newsletter subscription, sales teams will stand out amongst competitors.

A post show evaluation while the show is still fresh in your mind can be a vital part of your exhibiting process. Having a meeting with your sales team or the group of staff members who were present on the stand to discuss what was good about the stand, what was negative and what they would change for next year can make your prep and brief for the next stand easier for yourself.  With the show so fresh in the minds of staff, there will be plenty of thoughts about the stand and the show in general.  Remember it is never too early to start thinking about the next show.

Host competitions on the stand that are non-promotional, not only will it provide a fun and entertaining way to interact with potential customers but the noises from a good crowd will attract others to the stand.  Try things like inviting visitors to play you in a game as an introduction and ice breaker.

Don’t forget your existing clients while you are at trade shows and exhibitions.  A lot of the time your team is so focused on gaining new leads and contacts that they forget that your existing clients are at the show as well.  Make sure to send an email before the exhibition to your existing clients and invite them for a tea, coffee, or simply for a chat.