What To Do And Not Do When Attending An Exhibition

Exhibitions are the perfect chance to make sales, collect qualified leads and build important business relationships. But, there are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to attending an exhibition.

The Do’s

• Find out who’s exhibiting before booking. – This is a good indication of how successful an event is and how big the audience may be. Find out if your competitors are exhibiting, if your target customers will be there, and if other exhibitor’s products will complement yours.

• Talk to exhibitors – It’s all about networking.

• Make sure you stand out – Think outside of the box as to how you will grab people’s attention. Talk to exhibition contractors for creative ideas.

• Train and motivate stand staff – Don’t let your staff eat on the stand, come across as too eager or ask open-ended questions. Train your staff to get as much information as possible so you can figure out if the person is a prospective customer.

• Speculate – Hot leads and securing sales is the primary goal of exhibiting, but even just getting your name out there can do a lot for business.

The Don’ts

• Don’t shy away from negotiating with the exhibition organisers – When you book your stand, keep in mind that most events offer extra marketing opportunities aimed at extending and enhancing your business’s visibility before, during and even after the event. Some of these extras will be free, like being listed on the website and in the event guide, but others require additional expenses. Besides negotiating a discount on your stand, find out if you can get any other free benefits, like being included in event e-alerts.

• Don’t assume – Your exhibition success relies heavily in planning, but it also relies on paying attention to details every step of the way. If you assume that services or items will automatically be supplied without making sure, you risk major glitches on the day and loads of stress, too.

• Don’t waste your time – Event organisers typically focus more on quality of the audience than pulling in huge crowds. So, you need to find the events that will offer an audience of buyers, and not just people who will waste your time. Ask for visitor data from past events to get a good idea of the type of visitors you may expect to see. But, it comes down to your sales team at the event minimising the amount of time they spend with people who just aren’t the decision makers.

• Don’t choose technology over personal service – While there have been tons of developments in mobile communication, don’t let technological breakthroughs jeopardise personal service.

• Don’t forget to reward your stand staff if they do a good job – Exhibitions are the perfect chance for you to motivate your exhibition team and build a strong workforce. Arrange a team meal after the event or even give out tickets to relevant events for a job well done. Don’t forget to thank and acknowledge any personal detriments or family time your employee sacrificed to work your exhibition stand.

Use these do’s and don’ts to ensure you have a successful exhibition.