If your company has ever exhibited, you will know that it can be fun and hopefully productive. In addition, it can be very exhausting as you invite people onto your stand to learn more about what you do and who you are. It can be difficult to continue sounding fresh while using the same pitch on prospect after prospect. It is for this reason that you will want to ensure your exhibition stand is professional looking and that your staff are properly trained so that they can vary their script enough to make the exhibition more interesting for them as well. This training will also be useful when they return to their normal work environment and engage people on the phone or face to face. Planning your stand can go a long way toward having a successful exhibition for you and your staff.
Following are four things you will want to consider before the big event;
Clothing: Many companies will ask their staff to arrive in business attire. Ten years ago, this was still the norm but nowadays, it is much more common to dress down in fashionable comfortable clothing. Many will dress in polo shirts or dress shirts that have been embroidered with their company logo. This helps build brand awareness and really looks the part on the stand. Of course, if you do want to go the more formal route, you could have some corporate ties supplied that will help show that you are part of the team.
Plan Your Stand: If you are going to go to the expense of exhibiting, don’t simply put up a card table in the shell stall space that you have been allotted! If you cannot do it right, consider promoting your company in other ways and only exhibit when your budget allows for you to do it professionally. This means purchasing either an exhibition stand printed in full colour or at least a few nice banners that can be placed around your stand. You will also want a nice table or shelving units that can feature your brochures and products if applicable.
Promotional Gifts: Exhibitions are a brilliant opportunity to meet your customers and prospective customers. I find it such a waste when people exhibit and do not hand out promotional material for visitors to their stand to take with them. People love free gifts and if you plan ahead, you can ensure your stand is not only decorated with proper banners but also your personalized gifts such as stress balls, mugs and pens. If you budget allows, purchase a few different types as they look great on the stand. Business gifts help build your brand and ensure that people remember you when they get back to their office. Make sure all of the gifts on your stand feature your logo and contact details.
Qualify Your Visitors: Once you have your stand, clothing and gifts in place, don’t just stand their smiling. It is time to gather information. You will find that many of the people that come on your stand are excellent prospects. Other may not be. In fact they may not have any use for your products or services. I like to recommend that you or your staff engage each and every visitor. Have a few questions for them such as what they do, who they work for, do they have any use for your products… Those that answer your question correctly are qualified prospects and should be given much more attention. Perhaps you could take them onto your stand, ensure they have all of your promotional literature and even a nice printed gift that you hold back for the best prospects. Visitors that do not quality should be politely waved on their way. You are paying to be on the stand exhibiting your company. Use this time wisely.
Exhibiting can be a very rewarding experience. If you plan for it properly, you will get much more out of the event than if you do not.
I hope this blog has be of interest to you. Please feel free to leave a comment.
Posted by Dan Toombs