Time to schedule your event!

An exhibition is an ideal way of promoting your business, new product or service and of course generating those all-important sales leads.

Before you sign on the dotted line, there are two steps you need to take. The first is setting measurable objectives, write down exactly what you want to achieve by attending the exhibition. This will not only give you a measurement of the success of the exhibition, but it also gives your staff working at the show a target to reach.

The next step is key; making sure you attend the right exhibition for you!!!

It’s easy to sign up for an exhibition because your competitors are there but make sure you investigate the opportunity on offer; are the organiser’s promoting the exhibition and if so ask to see their marketing plan! How many people attend and from which organisations/industries? These questions will help you identify if the exhibition is going to attract your potential customers.

Once you know where you are exhibiting, why your exhibiting and what you want to achieve, make sure that the stand is designed to meet these objectives. You should know what the key marketing message is that you are trying to get across so make sure your stand tells that story. A good stand design will help deliver your exhibition objectives.

Make sure you do not fall into the “one size fit’s all” category – a generic poster or pop up will not inspire people to come and talk to you. Be specific – make your offering relevant to the visitors at this particular exhibition. Don’t forget – the exhibition is your shop window! Make sure you don’t look like your penny pinching –what does that say about how you handle your customers?

Train, Train, Train – Eighty per cent of the success of your stand is down to your staff so train them before attending the exhibition. Make sure they are all in appropriate clothing – branded preferably as it shows you mean business!