Thursday, August 6, 2015

Why Your Company Needs To Exhibit at Trade Shows

Like any business, you probably use a wide range of marketing materials to spread your message far and wide, from traditional printed pieces to digital media. Possibly due to fear of the unknown, one marketing opportunity remains largely untapped by many businesses: the trade show. Expos, conferences, trade shows, etc., are complicated, and require a good amount of planning and capital. However, they provide opportunities you simply can't afford to pass up.



Face to Face

The goal of marketing is to grab the attention of your target audience. Often, those who receive your mailers or who see your posts online aren't necessarily looking for your particular product or service at that time.

In contrast, a trade show is essentially the opposite situation. Trade shows, by their very nature, are designed to bring businesses and their clients/prospects together in a venue where interaction is the name of the game. Attendees are there because they are interested in your industry and have come to the show for information or to make a purchase. You simply have to grab their attention with your display and qualify them. As a result, trade shows are excellent opportunities to create lasting relationships.



Good Leads

We can see how big an opportunity your trade show is by looking at the number of attendees. The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, for example, brings in more than 150,000 people per year. Even niche shows like the San Diego Comic Book Convention, which is a mecca for all things entertainment and pop culture, draws over 100,000 people (and growing) annually.

This represents a massive opportunity for generating leads you literally won't find anywhere else. Every single person who walks through the door is a potential lead just waiting to do business with somebody like you.



People are People

Trade shows and events have withstood the test of every technological revolution because people buy from people. Trade shows are a time-efficient way for sellers to sell and buyers to buy; the right companies and people are concentrated in one venue for a brief amount of time. To keep the expos fresh and interesting for attendees, show organizers and exhibitors have woven digital media into the fabric of the event.



Worth the Expense

No doubt exhibiting at trade shows can cost a lot of money. However, think about the investment you put into the efforts of your salespeople every day, especially if they have national or international territories. The expense of the show is akin to sending your sales staff to a single place where perhaps thousands of clients and prospects are concentrated. Compare this to sending your staff all over the country or the world to get in front of a mere fraction of those prospects.



Think About It:

From the lasting impressions they create to the face-to-face encounters, trade shows are truly an excellent opportunity to reach new customers. There are few better venues for finding like-minded individuals who are already interested in your particular industry. By all means, be selective about the expos at which you choose to exhibit. Make your investment count! If you train your booth staff, practice brand consistency, and have a plan for following up on leads, you'll discover that trade shows are an investment that can pay dividends for a lifetime.



What are your thoughts on this? Please leave a comment or email us peterl@plumgroveprinters.com.


Until next time,

Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com
PeterL@PlumGrovePrinters.com

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Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Increase Foot Traffic to Your Booth

Conventions are and always will be one of the best ways to grow your brand, build your reputation, and generate new leads. Regardless of the type of industry you operate in, you won't have to look hard to find a tradeshow that fits your needs. Among other things, expos are excellent networking opportunities and a great way to attract potential new customers on a massive scale; after all, everyone in attendance is already interested in products or services like yours. However, simply showing up isn't enough. If you want your brand exposed to the maximum amount of prospects, you should increase foot traffic to your booth.

Make Sure People Can Find You

When you sign up for a booth at a tradeshow, you'll be given a location by the expo organizers. In some cases, you can select your location, and in others not. Regardless, this booth space will be your own little corner of the event as well as the main way people will find you during the show. Your assigned booth number will be printed in the visitors'€™ program.

Remember that you'll be packed in with dozens or scores of other businesses, all fighting for the attention of the people walking by. Attendees can become overwhelmed with so much going on, making it difficult to find a vendor based on booth number alone. Therefore, you need a display that stands out and makes your brand known. Depending on the venue, you may have the option of using an overhead banner or an extremely tall banner/flag stand as part of your display. Sometimes foot traffic boils down to visibility.

Make Sure Your Staff Is Friendly and Approachable

Once attendees are in your booth, you want to qualify them as prospects, not scare them away with a disinterested or poorly trained booth staff. Conventions are tough on everybody, but are especially tough on exhibitors, who have to be "on" all day long while they juggle the many details of exhibiting. Everyone who walks up to your booth should always be greeted with a friendly smile and a sunny disposition. If they're greeted with a negative attitude, rest assured your prospects WILL develop a negative view of your company and take their business elsewhere.

Conventions are excellent opportunities to grow your business, and filled with pitfalls for exhibitors to avoid. Reputation alone will never guarantee tradeshow success. You need to be on your game to unlock the full business potential of these types of events.

Until next time,

Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com
PeterL@PlumGrovePrinters.com

Like Plum Grove Printers Facebook PageFollow Plum Grove Printers TwitterConnect with Plum Grove Printers LinkedInConnect with Plum Grove Printers Google+
Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.