Successful Trade Show And Exhibition Participation For Manufacturing and Electronic Firm: by DMS Graphics

Successful Trade Show and Exhibition Participation

Trade Shows and exhibitions are a great way to make B2B sales, seek potential clients and reacquaint yourself with existing customers as well as being a great form of  Inbound marketing and PR.

Value for money

Trade shows and Exhibitions are one of the most cost effective ways to market your company. Market research shows you get a better Return On Your Investment per visitor than cold calling, per call.

B2B Lead generation

As any sales person knows, a warm call is better than a cold call. Once the initial contact has been made at an event or exhibition it requires less effort to close a sale. Often a follow up in person is not necessary, as the potential client has20 already made face to face contact and built up an initial business relationship.

Facts

Surveys say that over 80% of the delegates attending the events are the company buyers.

New Contacts 

There is no better way than to meet new contacts and show off your products, especially to showcase a brand new product for the event.

Beat The Competition

Exhibitions are a great way to stand out from the crowd. If your local competition is not attending the show this is the opportunity to take one step ahead. If they are attending this is the opportunity to show how much better you are with your well designed stand, well turned out staff and product comparisons.

Decide Objectives

• Sell a product on the day – “Cash Register”
• Leads for new customers
• Launch a new product
• Reinforce brand
• Meet the media – “Press Release” for the day
• Test out a new product idea
  

The Message on your Exhibition Stand

• Visually attractive
• One central theme
• Less is more
• Keep it simple BUT specific
• Inform potential customers how they may benefit
• Hooks “Ask me about…”
• Only a few seconds to attract
• Magic words: New, Saves Time, Saves Money, Makes Money
  

Target Customers

• What product or services
• To whom?
• What is the customer benefit?
  

Your Key Competitive Advantage

• Avoid obstructions (do not use trestle tables, use bar tables to one side)
• Keep it simple
• Use colour to stand out
• Use product displays – live demonstrations
• Interactive exhibits – people love to touch and feel
• Select the position of your stand carefully to ensure maximum exposure.
• Try and get an exhibition stand with an open end, opposite interesting areas.
• Maximise floor area to maximise return
• 

Branding

• Use one theme on all customer seen material
• On stand literature
• Give-aways
• Name badges
• Uniform
• Reflect current marketing campaign

Stand Staffing 1

• Do not converse with each other.
• Do not stand chatting on mobiles while on the stand.
• Do not eat on stand. Take time to get away from the stand and have a break.
• Make sure you have enough staff on the stand to cover this and be able to walk and meet other exhibitors.

Stand Staffing 2

• First impression counts
• Mix of Technical and Sales
• Rotate staff
• Maximum number during workshop breaks
• Debrief at the end of the day
• Brief staff at the beginning

Selling

• Maximum 30 second rule
• Can I help you? NO
• Use open questions
• Act like an advisor – not sales person
• Show genuine interest in their business
• Use visuals
• Target other Exhibitors. Check through show guide and make sure you visit the stands of potential customers.

Closing the Sale

• Clarify contact details and write details in enquiry book
• Giving out literature – not a result
• People saying they will telephone you – not a result
• Make appointments – result
• Agreement to phone – result

At trade shows you can use the Inbound Method to close sales after the event.

Smile

• It makes a big difference.

Literature

• Keep it simple, avoid bulky brochures
• Designed to reinforce your message

Arrange a competition with prizes

• Relevant to products and services
• Keep it simple but specific
• Aim to collect business cards
• Aim to give you more time to talk
•  

Pre-Promotion

• Invite 25 customers to do more business
• Invite 25 prospects
• Send invitation with covering letter selling benefits and key competitive advantage
• Email link to booking page
• Discounts for on the day orders
• Invitation with invoices
• Pre-book fast track attendees

If you need helping putting together a fantastic trade show, then this is the the team you need to hire

Ask DMS about signs, graphics & print…

Kevin Edmonds

DDI: 01622 607966

Tel: 01622 681366

Fax: 01622 688928
Email: kevin@askdms.com

www.askdms.com