Building your Company’s Visibility and Credibility at Trade Shows

Exhibiting at a trade show is your company’s opportunity to showcase your products and network with qualified prospects, but whether or not they provide enough ROI to offset costs is a major concern for most companies today. Whether your goal is to generate leads or impact your brand, it’s important to set clear expectations and understand key takeaways that will make your exhibit worthwhile.

1. Trade shows attendees are filled with pre-screened individuals who go inot an event ready to speak to vendors and exhibitors, and the majority of them have buying authority. Interactions are invaluable so make them worthwhile.
2. All exhibitors have similar goals, so keep that in mind when building your booth and gearing it up for the event. Guide your team to stand out from the crowd.
3. Rely on creativity – not gimmicks or giveaways. Consider creative ways to lead attendees to you booth. Engage them with irresistible challenges or displays. Trust your team’s unique ideas and allow them to be creative.
4. Establish relationships rather than the hard sell. Attendees are bombarded with pitches and presentations throughout the day, so focus on building relationships by staring genuine conversations with prospective clients.
5. Find out what works and use it . Take a look at what buzzwords or messages work in your market and tailor them to suit your market. Highlight how your products are different from the rest.
6. Take advantage of the platform. Invite attendees to attend your own conference after hours. Consider an “invite-only” mixer at a local hotspot with key attendees. Choosing the right spot will boost your credibility.
7. Encourage your team to soar to new heights. Motivate your team to share their enthusiasm, engage with attendees and generate rapport naturally. This will not only enhance productivity but enrich the overall trade show experience for everyone.