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Secrets to successful exhibiting
Exhibitions are a great way to introduce your products and services to prospective clients. They allow you to interact with people using all five senses. And we know that on average, 75% of visitors are there to buy – if not now, then in the future. So this is an opportunity not to be missed.
Whatever you’re selling, there are a few simple things to take care of. So take some time to read our top tips for exhibition success – it pays to get it right.
1. Get organised. Whoever said “It’s all in the detail” perhaps needed to add, “which involves a serious amount of planning.” It may help to have one person in charge of every aspect of the exhibition. Then nothing should get missed.
2. What do you hope to achieve? Think about why you’re exhibiting, and what you want to achieve. Have some specific targets in mind. You may want 300 new sales leads, or 50 research interviews. Whatever your goals, once they’re clear in your mind you can design your stand accordingly.
3. We know you’re there somewhere, we just can’t find you. Make sure your exhibit stands out, and any advertising or invitations you’ve sent, show exactly where you’ll be. You may get a shock when you arrive and see how many other stands there are.
4. Get the right team on board. Most of your stand’s success will be down to the staff. So recruit the best you can. And keep them focused and motivated with daily team debriefs.
5. It’s worth stating the obvious. Once you have the best people on board, train them well. And start with the basics. Remind them to turn their mobile phones off, and not to eat on the job – so they can concentrate fully on the task in hand. It may sound obvious, but if you appear distracted for even a moment, your prospects will go elsewhere.
6. OK, you’re ready to roll, but make sure everyone knows what they’re doing. Have a rota to ensure your stand is manned at all times. Because, guess what people do when they approach an empty stand? They move on, very quickly.
7. Always put your best side forward. Never forget, it’s a prospective customer you’re talking to. So this means having a team who are well presented, make eye contact and smile.
8. Actually, there’s a lot of skill involved too. Use open-ended questions, and listen carefully to what your prospect says, to get as much information as you can. And when responding, keep your conversation short, concise and to the point.
9. Use the information you get wisely. The contacts you’ve made are all potential customers. Categorise the leads you have and keep in touch with them, to help build your business.
10. Sell, sell, sell – but always the benefits, not the features. Forget the technical blurb… no one’s interested. They just want to know what your product can do for them.
11. The golden rule: no waffle. If you don’t know the answer – find someone who does. Your visitor will always be more impressed by your honesty.
12. And finally. If you’ve followed all the tips above, your stand will be a roaring success. So book early for next year!