Monthly Archives: October 2019

There is much in the media about digital marketing, particularly how effective social media can be in getting a brand known. However, there are some things that are still just as effective, and some marketing experts think they have more of an impact. One of the more traditional methods of being seen by potential customers is trade shows. You will have an audience that are interested in the relevant industry and there is no other way as effective to meet up with like-minded people.

 The beauty of trade shows is that for a few days you can meet and greet potential customers, let them see your products and discuss any issues regarding delivery times, and be there to answer all their questions in person about things like payment terms etc. For some customers, this beats all the digital methods of communicating and you can win sales because of it. These few suggestions will help you to make the most of the time your business spends displaying its wares at a trade show or similar event.

 Choose the Right One

 There are trade shows happening in every city throughout the year. You need to do some research to find the one the customers you are after will be attending. This is often mentioned in the advertising material, but if not, you could always ring the organizers for more information.

 Once you’ve found the right one for your business, book a slot as soon as you can. The spaces at trade shows disappear very quickly and dragging your feet could mean you lose out by not being able to rent a stand for the show you want.

 Trade shows can be a great source of new leads, but as with all marketing strategies, it is the results that matter. You will only get the leads you are after if you have chosen wisely when picking which ones to attend.

 Be Eye Catching

 Make you stand eye catching so that people cannot miss it. Do not go overboard with things like flashing lights, as that can put people off. But you can ensure your stand still makes an impact by having a design that shows off your products clearly, and perhaps a reasonable size screen with images and videos on it.

 Before the show, take a look at your competitors’ websites and social media pages. This will give you an idea of the sorts of things they may be showing and let you focus on the things they are not doing. Because your stand is different, it will attract more attention than the ones that all look the same.

 After walking around many stands, people become tired and want a place to rest their weary feet. Have some seats on your stand where they can sit while they chat, and you may be surprised how many more people approach you.

Use Trade Show Promotional Products

 Trade show promotional products can put your brand name in front of someone every time they drink a coffee, use a pen, look at the time, or any number of other daily tasks. There are so many free gifts you can give at a trade show that are useful to people, and they will keep them and make use of them putting your brand constantly at the front of their mind.

 You do not have to spend a fortune on trade show promotional products as there is such a huge array to choose from. Just a few examples are calculators, memory sticks, pens, wallets, gloves, t-shirts, torches, desk accessories, key rings and rulers. Then of course there are bags. People walking around trade shows will collects items from various different stands. If one of your trade show promotional products is a bag big enough to put them all in, it is your name that will keep appearing around the show, and the bag will probably be used afterwards too.

 At Axis Promotional Products, we can supply you with all the branded trade show promotional products you need, whether you want to buy some items in bulk or want something bespoke for a special customer, we are always able to help.

Never Leave Your Stand Unattended

There should always be someone representing your business. If people approach your stand and there is no one there, it reflects on your business in a bad way. The customer might be no great loss but could equally be the buyer for a chain of stores. You could have lost a really big order just for the want of there being enough staff to make sure your stand is never left unattended.

Be Smart, Be Polite, Be Helpful, Be Friendly

 A trade show could be the first time someone comes across your brand, and first impressions count. Any staff on the stand should be smartly dressed, polite and be as helpful as they can. They should never make promises they cannot keep, and if they are unsure about anything, they should tell the enquirer they will find out for them.

 Greeting potential customers with a smile always helps to win them over. People usually assume the way employees behave is the culture of the business, so friendly and helpful will make them assume your business is that way too.

 Humour is always a good tactic too, as long as it is not directed at the potential customer personally. People often remember something humorous for longer than they do the usual marketing messages, and they are more likely to tell other people about it.

 Follow Up New Connections

 Take contact details of any new connections you make and email or call them within the first 2 to 3 days after the trade show. Keep it simple, like mentioning how nice it was to meet them, just to make that connection outside of the trade show environment.

 If you leave it much longer to get in touch with them, others may have beaten you too it or they may not remember who you are and what you were selling.

 If you are going to a trade show and want promotional products for the event, give Axis Promotional Products a call on 01 524 0966 or visit our website and see the huge array of items we have on offer.