Exhibitions and Trade shows – maximising impact
Attending exhibitions and trade shows can be hugely beneficial for your business – as long as you plan thoroughly beforehand, execute well on the day, and follow up effectively afterwards.
Based on our wealth of experience, we’ve pulled together five top tips and product recommendations, so that investing in an exhibition stand represents time and money well spent.
Five top tips for exhibiting at trade shows:
1. Analyse why you are exhibiting
Think carefully about how your company will benefit from the considerable investment involved. Set some specific goals (e.g. leads generated, revenue on the day, quantity of samples distributed) and measure your results against these goals to determine success.
2. Assess your budget for the event
A classic formula is:
- 30% on merchandise. According to research, a useful promotional item can increase the likelihood of a prospect coming back to you by a massive 25%!
- 40% on stand decor. Exhibition visitors will subconsciously scan the stands before deciding whether to turn to you or someone else, so make sure there is something about your stand that will attract them.
- 20% on team clothing. If you’re not in branded matching outfits, visitors will struggle to identify your team from the rest of the crowd. Don’t be afraid to pick eye-catching, brightly coloured clothing that will get you noticed.
- 10% on posters and leaflets. Well-designed printed literature will complement and support your promotional merchandise, and leave visitors with a lasting impression of your company.
3. Plan the look of your stand carefully
Put yourself in the shoes of an event visitor and think carefully about how to make your stand the one they will remember for months afterwards.
4. Have a strategy to engage with your target audience
Run a competition, raffle or quiz to give your sales team a chance to engage with attendees. Prizes don’t need to cost the earth to attract attention – gift vouchers or free samples of your product work well. If you can also collect their business cards or contact details, these can be followed up after the event.
5. Have a post-event plan
Failing to follow up on hot leads after an event can squander all the time and money invested beforehand. Make sure you allocate a few hours each day for the next couple of weeks to follow up every lead thoroughly – it’s essential!
Top 5 product recommendations:
Branded paper carrier bags
Our most popular exhibition bag. With the option for full colour printing over the whole outer surface, this item gives you plenty of design space, and they’re biodegradable and eco-friendly too. We also stock the very popular branded tote bag.
Branded staff clothing
Branded polo and T-shirts are a great way to give your event team a cohesive look and ensure they stand out from the crowd.
Branded energy drinks
It can be exhausting walking around an exhibition all day. Offer your customers an energy boost with a branded drink product. Full colour printing can be applied to the whole outer surface, giving you great design flexibility and ensuring your brand is highly visible.
Branded powerbank
Phone batteries can run flat surprisingly quickly. Be on hand with a branded powerbank and quickly get your customers’ phones up and running again. Powerbanks will be kept and used for a long time after the exhibition, creating brand exposure for months to come.
Branded travel mug
A popular product especially in the winter months. Many coffee shops are now offering a discount if you take your own mug in. Help your customers participate in this scheme with a branded mug.
We have over 100,000 products in our range so get in touch today to start exploring creative merchandise ideas! Do you have questions about how we can help your company? Send us an email and we’ll get in touch shortly.Looking for new ideas?
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