Building Relations With Exhibitions

Companies are used to setting goals for exhibitors, that is, to collect sales leads. But now it's no longer simple to collect clues. You should focus on the establishment of customer relationships, so that potential customers can experience your products or experience your company.

Through a series of post exhibition surveys, Katie Delahaye Paine of KDPaine & Partners, a consultancy, found that 20% of the participants had no impression of the booth they visited. There are always some chaotic scenes in the trade fair. People are crowded and noisy, but they can still be regarded as an effective marketing venue. However, changes in the workforce and in technology have prompted companies to create new exhibitors.

"Many companies feel that there are countless reasons to make themselves. Give up the exhibition "Because exhibitors have no effect on them," he said. "But when people are concentrating their attention on the Internet, you will find that direct contact between people can bring more opportunities."

Assess the most important channel

Success comes from pre planning and publicity. The company should notify potential customers in advance, make good use of the exhibition time, organize the appropriate team as the exhibition staff, place appropriate information on the booth, and do not slack after the exhibition.

Trade Show and Event Marketing author consultant Stevens (Ruth B. Stevens) said, "I think pre marketing strategy is one of the most important links in exhibition marketing, but it is also one of the least utilized links. People are so concerned about the days in the exhibition that they forget that they should treat it as a six month project from three months before the exhibition to three months after the exhibition.

Stevens suggested that exhibitors not only make good use of the audience provided by the exhibition organizers. Pre registration list We should also make good use of our customers and potential customers list. "You have to find out if they will go to the exhibition and take the initiative to make appointments with them."

Continuous in-depth communication between exhibitors and exhibition organizers is critical to pre launch planning. Lipman, President of Integrated Show Management & Marketing, stressed that Sam Lippman.

"Smart exhibitors should manage the exhibition manager well throughout the process." Li man said. He added that some companies, including exhibitors and organizers, are making good use of predictive modeling software and matching software. Typically, the exhibition manager first determines the audience's interest, then sends an invitation letter by e-mail to meet people who have similar interests with them, and tells them the names and relevant information of the appropriate exhibitors.

Identifying target list

Paula Turk, the head of Main Event Marketing, said exhibitors must formulate relevant strategies ahead of schedule. She said, "you must be clear about what the purpose of your participation is, how you will assess whether this goal is achieved, and you have to make sure everyone knows their responsibilities."

Tke added, "do you have a list of companies you want to talk to? If you prepare the list, maybe you can host a dinner party or a reception, or invite everyone to have a cup of coffee. You have to catch up with these people before they go to the exhibition. Most importantly, you need to exchange phone numbers with them so that they can promise to spend ten minutes to visit your booth. Even if you fail to get in touch with them in the exhibition, you have made them feel impressed with your company.

Many experts agree that the key part of the pre launch strategy is right. Nature of exhibition And a clear understanding of the composition of the audience.

For the Marisa Edmund, director of optics, imaging and optoelectronic mechanical parts supplier Edmund Optics, it is very important for companies like them to make a clear exposition of the nature of the exhibition in advance. (Edmund Marisa) She pointed out that "presentation must interact with customers." We will put the products on the floor so that the audience can touch them and feel them. "

Paine said if exhibitors did not introduce new products or improved products, exhibiting would be a waste of time.

"You'd better invent something new, otherwise you'd better not participate in the exhibition." She said, "why? Do you think the exhibition is so big, why do I keep a booth with new exhibits and go to a booth without any fresh things? "

Burke, a marketing and communications manager for King Industries, a professional chemicals manufacturer, also agrees with the fun factor in the business of Bob Burk. "Everyone likes the sense of humor behind these promotional activities, but you must also convey a serious message: what new products your company has, and how it will help these audiences." Burke pointed out.

Once the company has successfully attracted the audience, the conversation will turn to serious technical topics. Burke said, "when you are developing a product that requires years of testing and requires customers to invest a considerable amount of money to make use of it, you need to ensure that people with technical skills are in the booth."

　 Build exhibition experience

"People always bring problems," he said. They may be ready to buy your stuff, and want to consult with you about some performance terms of the product, but if there is no one on the booth to help them, the situation can be imagined.

Experts also pointed out that the key booth staff should be from the market sector, or related technology, engineering or management team. If sales representatives can wander around the exhibition hall or visit potential customers who are not on the scene, then their work will be more effective.

For exhibitors, no matter who he or she is going to be a booth worker, he must establish relationships with potential customers and customers, and help companies identify the quality of sales leads on the spot. This is the starting point for the marketing department or the sales department to conduct post exhibition liaison.

"The questionnaire can help you eliminate the unqualified sales leads," Simon Carrie, Siemon Co.'s global marketing manager, said. "You can clearly ask them if they care about your follow up in Co.." You can also communicate with the end-users on the new products of the company and continue to expand the current partnership. "

Conduct off-site activities

Vecchi Kristin Veach, vice president of Live Marketing, said that there are many technologies or strategies that can help companies achieve successes in follow-up work.

"For your target audience, what is the best way to receive information? If he is a skilled technician, short message or e-mail may be a good way. If he is a doctor, this may not be the best way. That is to say, the technology you employ must match the audience. "

Sometimes, the company plan or the overall market strategy can be achieved only once. The off-site activities or company activities that play a role in assisting the exhibition are a good complement to the participation strategy. Walton, President of Unconventional Promotions, a consultancy, pointed out that Donna Wotton.

She said that only fifty to sixty small attends with carefully selected visitors would bring benefits to businesses. Potential buyers had the opportunity to hear other companies (or your customers) about their happy experiences of using your product. For event sponsors, such an occasion can give its sales representatives several hours to reach close contact with key customers.

Burke also said that King Industries also relies on exhibitions, non exhibition activities and seminars to promote its products. No matter what kind of activities, the ultimate goal is the same. "We should try to talk with customers and face to face. A truly effective business exhibition and activity marketing method is to strive for face-to-face conversation and interact with customers. Burke emphasized.