Trade shows
A trade fair or trade show is a forum, where companies exhibit to their prospective customers, their new products and services. Most trade fairs are open to the public. A trade show is the best way to interact with customers first hand, an opportunity that most manufacturing company dealers would not get otherwise. It also helps approaching future customers who come to a trade show with no aim, and no clue about your product or service. In fact, it is a great socializing arena, where company personnel get to meet representatives of their competitors, suppliers and distributors too. Trade shows have great potential, being customer-centered marketing. Some trade shows are often promoted by the State or the Centre, as a means of economic development. What goes into a trade show Trade shows vary in complexity, being mere stalls to big seminars and exhibitions. But what goes into setting up a trade show is the same, irrespective of its complexity.
The four Ps of trade show management are:
- Planning: This involves laying the groundwork, and working towards the purpose of the product marketing, and channelizing efforts towards the same.
- Promotions: This is done in order to communicate a consistent message to the customers about the product in line with its existing image. It means communicating effectively, in order to attract customers to come to the stall and buy the product.
- People: Who must be trained in order to sell effectively and make the trade show a success, and to ensure that maximum business is made.
- Productivity: Appropriate follow up must be done after the trade show, to evaluate your own performance in the show and for productive results.
Some of the companies in USA and UKconducting trade show There are many companies which are conducting trade shows. Since the trade shows nowadays have become the very effective method for the manufacturers to reach to their customers. In fact the manufacturing companies get a direct feed back about the project. The following are the company list who conducts the trade shows. Trade Show Company - Biz trade shows This is a company which is conducting big trade shows globally. This produces huge trade opportunities for the organizers of the trade fair. The work of Biz trade is to hunt the sponsors, Lease out the stalls on contracts, invite the visitors in an attractive way and the most important task is to target the customers and make them aware of the trade shows. This is a company which fills the gap between the manufacturers and the consumers.
Trade show company - Fiber 2 fashion
Fiber 2 fashion is a very dedicated company who conducts the trade shows. This company provides a platform between the customers and the business manufacturers. This company is working for many years in this field.
Trade show company - First trade show
This company was founded during late 80s. The basic idea of the company is to make the customers more success and they did it. All the companies either big or small fully depend upon this company. Their motto is service to the customer, quality control, dependability and price.
The Dos while setting up a trade show If you are planning to set up a stall in a trade show, here is what you have to do:
- Select a show in view of your marketing needs, anticipated costs, convenience of location and dates, competition and distribution channel involvement.
- Develop a budget, keeping in mind, cost of the stall, transport, food and accommodation for the personnel at the stall, manufacturing costs, marketing expenses, etc.
- Select and book a booth that would prove most beneficial to your product, and at the same time, falling within your budget. Try to obtain a booth in the fair, where most traffic is anticipated.
- Analyze your target audience how many of them are estimated to turn up at the fair, at what time, on which days, etc. Plan your resources and time accordingly.
- Decide what you are going to exhibit and sell, instead of exhibiting too many products that will confuse your potential customers and test their patience. Allot the booth completely to one product, a new one maybe, and focus on selling that one effectively.
- Exhibitors are given an Exhibitors Manual, which must be read carefully. All the instructions given there must be adhered to carefully, in order to avoid future hassle. You can also find out relevant useful details about whether food is allowed to be served in the stall,
- Keep your literature ready. All the brochures, manuals and flyers that are going to be given out must be prepared especially for the trade fair. Anyone who crosses the stall must have a copy of your flyer, preferably a brief precise one. Enough copies have to be available, to avoid the embarrassing possibility of lack of enough brochures, especially when a customer asks for them.
- Concentrate on your exhibit. Be equipped for the demonstrations and presentations planned. Make sure power supply and space are available at all times. Several types of displays could be used, such as pop up displays, custom exhibits, banners, product samples, and so on. Present your company attractively and pay attention to details.
- Give away material, such as business cards, flyers, samples and relevant freebies, to as many people as you can, even to those who dont seem to be potential buyers. A number of these people become real buyers eventually, if you grab their interest.
- Build a new mailing list, collect details from all those you talk to, about your products. Promise them that you will get back to them, and keep your promise.
Select your team properly. Select people who talk well and can convince people. They must be oriented properly first, especially about the objective of the stall, so that they know what to do. You could also write your sales pitch well in advance, and make sure everyone in the stall communicates the same thing. Make sure the stall is always adequately manned.
- Promotions must be carried out effectively, before the trade show, during the show itself at strategic spots, other than the stall itself. Also distribute response forms and data sheets at your stalls that the visitors of your stall can fill out.
- Follow up must be done after the show: all the people who asked for detailed brochures must be sent the required material. Those on the mailing list must be mailed regularly from then on. This must start immediately, when the need for the product and memory is still fresh. Promptness is appreciated.
- Evaluate your performance at the show: Did the booth achieve its aims Was the target audience reached What was the general response like Asking oneself these questions would help the next trade show that you attend.
Some useful tips to follow, while putting up a stall in a trade show
- Try and make your stall a unique one, one that will attract attention in the fair.
- You could employ a company expert to come in at specific hours, to talk technically about the product, and hype his arrival.
- If it is a big fair and a big stall, you could seek out media partnerships also.
- Make it a point to meet press members and try to get maximum coverage and publicity.
- Talk to your present customers about your product, and how it has been performing.
- Be alert always. Take the chance to score one over your competitor at any point possible, so that you can win the customers confidence.
- Trade show booths are usually very expensive, considering cost of manufacture, giveaways and promotional handouts, accommodation, travel, food, space rental, construction and design of the stall. There could be other expenses too. Limited booth space can pose as a big disadvantage too, when there are many things to display. There is also pressure to make good business at a trade show, within limited time. Often people manning the booths get tired and fizzle out soon. People also just float from one booth to another, and few are actually interested. But this is where most potential buyers lurk at trade shows. Trade shows are most definitely big opportunities to make big business.
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