How Do the Exhibitors Get Value for Their Investment at Trade Shows?

Trade shows have many benefits for exhibitors that are looking to better market their company’s products. Before we get into the investment value of trade shows, I’m going to explain why exhibitors want to be at trade shows.

Why Go to Trade Shows?

Face-to-Face Marketing:

It is a great way to build rapport for your company. Being there in person for your potential clients helps the consumer feel more connected to the company. You’ll be able to demonstrate, answer questions and give samples, if applicable. This is an opportunity to strengthen brand loyalty and close sales. Not only are you building relationships with clients, but also with your surrounding vendors. Networking is important to every business and could lead to “sharing” clients. Then clients can be supported in industries that offer a specific skill set.

Lead Opportunities:

Trade shows are crawling with large amounts of attendees looking for information that can solve their needs. Of course, the best trade shows to really stand out will be in industry specific ones. This gives your company a direct opportunity to show why you are better than the competition. Ideas to consider for trade shows are to offer incentives for attendees. This could be special pricing or offer add-ons that would be included in their purchase. Also, gathering information is important to follow-up with these potential clients. They’ll be meeting many vendors the same day they meet you, find a way to stand out so they’ll remember you when you reach out.

Brand Awareness:

Depending on the size of your business, you can really showcase what your company is all about. Coordinate with your marketing team to create a unique exhibit that will stand out from competitors. This will automatically increase foot traffic to your exhibit. Industry will affect how you display your information and what you choose to demonstrate. Small businesses will be able to communicate new products and promotions, while large corporations can really focus on design and demonstrations. This is a chance to show what your company is. This can be done when choosing your exhibit booth rental, where you can customize what you need to succeed. Another aspect to include will be social media. You can dominate the trade show with your social game. All social media platforms should be aligned with the brand image your company wants to display, and this should be finalized before the trade show. There’s a good chance that consumers will be checking social media during and after the trade show for information, so it’s important to be ready.

Customer Feedback:

Some of the most important information you could get from customers is feedback. Customers want to be heard and will disclose their experiences, good or bad. Both are vital to your company. Good feedback will give you insight to where your company is thriving and what should continue. Bad feedback, which could be more insightful, is where your company is falling short. This allows you to know where you should focus. Is it training? Process? Customer service? Whatever it is, your customers will let you know. This is also an opportunity to reward customer loyalty or offer a small recompense for an unpleasant experience. This proves to the customer that you know where your true focus is and that’s the customer. Feedback better allows you to understand your target audiences’ needs.

Investment Value in Trade Shows

Now that we know several reasons why going to a trade show is a great opportunity for your business, let’s look into how exhibitors get value for their investments at trade shows.

Marketing Costs:

As mentioned above, face-to-face marketing is a reason to attend a trade show, as it builds relationships. However, the investment value of marketing at a trade show is phenomenal. Marketing at trade shows is more cost-effective than other means. According to SpinGo, “the cost of a face-to-face meeting with a prospect at a trade show is $142. The cost of a face-to-face meeting at a prospect’s office is $259.” This is incredible! You’re getting the same action for a decreased price. And you’re not just scheduling one meeting, you’ll meet hundreds of potential customers at a trade show.

On-Site Sales:

Four out of five attendees have purchasing power. What does that mean? It means you can close more sales without leaving your exhibit. This will directly affect your trade show ROI. The more money you make at the trade show, the better successful investment you’ve incurred. There are tips to help close the sale at trade shows.

Perfect Your Elevator Speech

This 30-second speech needs to be flawless to capture your audience. It needs to be done before the day of the trade show. Be sure to include what your product or service is and, in detail, explain how it meets your audiences’ needs. 

Utilize Call-to-Action:

Give attendees an opportunity to do something when they visit your stall at the exhibition. Here, you’ll want to focus on something that is user-friendly. Many trade show exhibitors combine the use of call-to-actions and QR codes to send customers to the next step. Potential customers can then be led to make an appointment with your onsite reps. for those consumers, who aren’t completely sold, you don’t have to let them go. You can still use call-to-action to build rapport. This could include email sign-ups, free trials, and a landing page.

Showcase Competitive Advantage:

More than likely, you’ll be surrounded by your industry competitors. Your company has an opportunity to show consumers why they are better than the competition. It could be better pricing, quicker shipping or installment, higher quality or innovation. 92% of tradeshow attendees come to see and learn about what’s new in products and services. This is where you can demonstrate, in person, what your competitive advantage is. This can lead to closing on-site sale and having consumers switch to your company from the competition.

The Final Word:

Trade shows offer a great investment value for the companies looking to take advantage of cost-effective marketing tactics, on-site sales and showcasing competitive advantages. There are many reasons to participate in trade shows that can only improve your company, such as brand awareness, building relationships and gaining feedback.