A Trade Show Can’t Be Successful Without These Things
A trade show is an exhibition of the latest products and services from many different businesses from the same niche offer.
Their main purpose is to showcase the best of what’s currently available on the market from each company, that can be of use to consumers, while at the same time providing great opportunities for companies to scope their competition as well as make important connections with prospective business partners.
However, whether you’re the one hosting it, or your company is simply attending, there are some key things that make for a successful trade show.
1. The Right Venue
Right off the start, you can’t have a really great trade show if the location isn’t up to par. The venue of your event must be in the right location, convenient for your guests.
Also, it has to provide room for an ample number of exhibitors and visitors, because more options on products and services are directly correlated with better chances of everyone finding what they’re looking for.
There are some places where a lot of trade shows are traditionally held – Chicago, for example, is home to some of the biggest trade shows.
This means that if you’re currently researching venues – whether that’s in order to host a trade show, or because you’re looking for a good one your business can participate in, then you should probably start with a place that has a well-established base of trade shows.
Keep in mind that the really good venues will often offer participants the option of having a backup team that specializes in working with a company’s sales staff in order to maximize the positive outcome of the trade show.
2. Interesting Presentations
Yes, each company is responsible for ensuring their presentation is interesting and engaging, especially because the whole point of a trade show is to make it easier for businesses to promote their products and services, and it’s up to them to accomplish that.
However, the venue is also responsible for making sure the presentations are interesting enough so as many visitors as possible find what they need there.
For example, there should be adequate space between companies’ booths – it should be at least two meters wide in order for each booth to have a decent amount of space, and for visitors to have a chance to walk around freely.
There should also be a decent number of products that are presented at each company’s booth, as well as signs that clearly identify its owner, what products the company specializes in within the industry the event is based around.
3. Social Media Marketing
Of course, there’s something to be said about traditional media marketing. However, for something like a trade show, focusing on social media marketing can not only create buzz about the event itself but can also prove to be much more engaging both when it comes to the participants and the attendees.
If you’re the one hosting, developing a social media marketing campaign well in advance so as to create a buzz about the event and give people an opportunity to take part in it is crucial.
On the other hand, if you’re a participant, developing a social media marketing strategy that puts focus on the conversation with people who have an interest in your business can prove just as effective.
4. Networking Options
It’s become a standard for trade shows to have electronic badge scanners that can be used by the attendees in order to keep track of new people they meet and establish connections with them.
They work by allowing you to scan their badge, obviously, but they also print it out for you then and there. However, some trade shows also offer more traditional networking options – such as speed-networking sessions that help attendees establish solid connections faster than they would on their own.
Both of these options are important because it’s much easier for companies to find what they’re looking for if they have more connections within the industry.
A big part of why people go to trade shows is to find prospective business partners, so offering them services that simplify this process is crucial.
If you’re the one doing the networking – it might also be a good idea to jot down something distinctive from the conversation you just had on the card.
You’ll be meeting a lot of people, and ensuring that you can remember exactly what each of them is interested in will enable you to make a smooth follow-up later on.
5. A Well Organized Team
Once you have everything ready for the event – the real work is ready to start. Having a well-organized team of people that can oversee what’s going on and offer help where needed is crucial in order for things to go well. This goes both in the case you’re the one hosting and participating in the event.
Providing your team with the necessary resources in order to make sure everything goes smoothly is paramount. A mistake here will cost you time and money, especially because it’s important for you to focus on running your own booth or presentation instead of worrying about every little thing.
If you’re the host – you want to make sure you have proactive people working for you that can anticipate the needs of the participants and attendees in order to avoid any complications.
If you’re a participant – it’s important to have a team that can oversee your booth so as to make sure there are no interruptions, and also keep track of how many people visit it in order for you to stay on top of your numbers.
6. Giveaways/Prizes
Trade shows are all about business, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. You can go a long way in making your visitors happy by offering them something fun – whether it’s a free branded t-shirt or even just some pens.
And of course, if you’re looking to get recognized, having winning prizes is an easy way to attract more visitors as well as notoriety. If you’re the one hosting – setting up a booth or a stand where people can enter to win something is an excellent idea.
People love getting stuff for free, especially if it’s branded with the event name and logo, so they can show it off later on.
On the other hand, if you’re one of the exhibitors, you want to have a giveaway that will help you attract the right kind of attention. Maybe it’s a special item that can only be bought at your booth, and it fits in with your brand.
Trade shows are events that offer great opportunities for businesses to promote their products and connect with other companies.
Their success, however, depends on whether or not they have all the basic features – such as a well-organized team, networking options, giveaways/prizes, etc. By having all of these things, you can ensure that the event will be a success, no matter what your role in it is.
