Not all that long ago, anyone who was anyone in business would attend a whole string of trade events. Going to one of these after the other was a must if you were to stand any chance at taking your business far. Back then, events like these were the best way to get the word out. Now, though, we have things like social media and online marketing. This can leave many business owners wondering whether trade shows are more hassle than they’re worth. This is a view which will only be strengthened if you’ve forked out on a few events like this and never seen a return. But, we’re here to tell you that it isn’t time to give up on trade shows just yet.
Unlike social media, events like these links you up with companies and contacts. They quite literally see you shoulder to shoulder with the best in your field. Rather than being a sign that trade shows are past it, your failure to make money here is an indication that you’re approaching them wrong. Instead of hanging up your trade show mantel then, keep on reading to find out what mistakes you’re making.
You aren’t bothering with visibility
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By r.classen
Your social media campaign wouldn’t do you any good if you didn’t take care of hashtags and sharing. This is how you take create visibility online, and it leads to results. Why is it, then, that you let your event stands go under the radar? Of course, hashtags aren’t going to help you here, but good old banners like the ones you can find if you click here will. Remember that you’re in a room filled with companies, many of whom will be offering similar things. It’s no good laying a few products on a table and hoping they’ll do the job. Instead, you need to put a literal hashtag on your displays to stand any chance. That means putting a fair amount of thought into how your visuals are going to stand out. We’re talking banners, flags, and even visual displays behind your stand. As with social media, the more effort you put in here, the more interest you’re going to create.
You’re sending the wrong staff
It’s also possible that you’re sending all the wrong staff to these events. Again, the chances are that’s because you aren’t putting much thought into your efforts here. Instead of sending your best, you send a skeleton team of lackluster employees. But, team members like these are never going to take your business to the next level at an event, are they? New or untrained staff who are left alone could do more damage than good. Don’t do that to yourself or them. If a big trade event is coming up, you need to attend yourself, and you need to take your best staff members with you. Remember that this isn’t like any other marketing method you know. When it comes down to it, trade shows are about professionals and investors talking to you and your team on the floor. If they don’t like what they see on the day, why on earth would they even consider investing with you?
You’re focusing too much on on-the-day sales
If you always do the above but still fail to see returns, it’s possible that you simply have your focus in the wrong place. Often, trade events are less about the sales you make on the day and more about the contacts you create. The chances are that you won’t sell a great deal while you’re there, but that doesn’t mean the event is a failure. Remember, trade events are about making contacts. And, those contacts often don’t come to fruition until later. Instead of focusing solely on the day itself, then, you need to think about how you can turn leads into future sales. The best way of doing that is to take a trusty pack of business cards with you. Investors speak to all sorts of companies at these events, and they usually end up with a great pack of cards. They then sort through these later to choose which companies they liked the best. If you don’t take cards along with you, there’s no chance of you even coming into the running. Make sure then, that you get these printed to secure returns next time you attend an event like this. As soon as you start to see responses, you’ll wonder why you ever doubted trade shows in the first place.
