So you’re preparing for an upcoming exhibition and want to make sure you’ve got all of your bases covered. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. There’s a lot of things to be taken into consideration before your ready for the big day itself. We’ve broken it down for you below:
Before you can properly begin to prepare for an exhibition, conference or show you need to set yourself realistic goals and budgets. For example, what is the main reason you are attending this event as an exhibitor? On-spot sales, lead and data collection, brand exposure or a bit of a combination? Once you figure this out, you can better tailor your plan to achieve the outcome you want. It is also important to set a realistic budget. Without doing sufficient research into how much the event itself and all the preparations will cost, you may end up not being able to deliver in the way you planned.
This is where you need to think about what you are going to bring to the event and what you need to have prepared. For example, you need to make sure all of your designs and branding are fully representative of what your brand stands for and how you want to be perceived. This is also the time to take to social media and advertise that you will be attending this event. This let’s potential prospects know that you’re going to be in attendance and also spreads awareness about the event.
Now that you’ve identified what you’re looking to achieve at this event, it’s time to think about the physical layout and design of your booth. This is your chance to create an amazing platform where you can engage in conversation. If you have a boring stand with no real life to it, how can you imagine potential customers to come over for a chat… Instead, take this as an opportunity to show potential clientele how you stand out from competitors. You can do this in a multitude of ways. These include things like: a killer exhibition display, cutting edge branded leaflets, brochures and business cards as well as memorable handouts that standout.
It’s time for the event, what now? During the event itself, remember to be constantly present, looking inviting and ready for a chat. This is the perfect time to collect data and information about potential customers. This can be in the form of email sign up sheets, online social media followings etc. Whatever you think best suits your business, do it. Just make sure you have data collected for you to utilise in your post-event marketing efforts.
The steps you take after the event are arguably more important than what you do during the event itself. This is where you can use the contact and lead information you gathered during the exhibition and turn these into sales. Whether it’s through direct mail, email or social media you need to strike fast after the event while your brand is still fresh in their minds. Contacting leads weeks or months after a conference won’t get you anywhere. They will have either forgotten about your company’s standout qualities or they will have found a solution elsewhere. If you have any further questions about exhibition preparation or are looking to do some rebranding before a big event, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always happy to have a chat.