7 Trade Show Mistakes To Avoid
Taking part in a trade show? Here are 7 mistakes to avoid in order to make sure that your trade show experience is a success.
Skimping on your display
A poor display will likely cause you to go unnoticed. By outsourcing an exhibition stand contractor, you can design and build a booth that stands out. Don’t try to go cheap as you’ll end up with a basic display that doesn’t entice anyone to come near.
Failing to use social media
Social media can be a useful tool for helping to attract people to your stall. There will likely be a hashtag for the event – other companies will be taking advantage of this on Twitter and Instagram. By posting updates with the event hashtag, you’ll alert anyone searching for the event on these social media platforms. You can also live-stream footage of the trade show on Facebook and YouTube.
Not scoping out the competition
There could be other companies taking part in the trade show that are direct competitors. If you’re given a list of other companies taking part beforehand, make sure to research these other companies. You want to be certain that you can stand out among your competitors – by researching them, you can find your USP and make this your main promotional angle.
Setting up late
It’s important to make the most of the entire day. If you set up late, you could miss out on those early bird attendees. Setting up early also allows you to take a look around the other stalls and see what other people are doing – just in case you need to alter your strategy.
Not engaging with attendees
Sitting on your phone and hoping attendees will come to you is not the attitude to have at a trade show. Don’t be afraid to call passers-by over. It could be worth rehearsing a presentation that you can deliver to people who take an interest. You could even offer a demonstration of your product. The key is to be confident and enthusiastic. If you feel that you haven’t got it in you, you could always hire sales reps to help you out (although it’s beneficial to still be at the event).
Being too pushy
It’s possible to suffer from the opposite problem and annoy people by being too pushy. While there’s nothing wrong with calling people over, you don’t want to be using hard sell tactics. A lot of people will be there to browse and not everyone may be your target market. Only start pushing for a sale, if you think someone is truly interested in what you have to offer.
Not sharing contact details
Many companies make few direct sales at a trade show. It’s more of a case of building exposure and generating potential leads. Giving out business cards and flyers can be a great way of giving people your contact details so that if they do decide to buy into your product/service at a later date, they know how to get hold of you. You may also be able to ask attendees who are interested to leave their contact details.
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