By Dine Racoma
If you think your business is attracting new customers due to your advertising efforts (not to mention word-of-mouth) alone, then good for you. But you may be tempted to think that attending or exhibiting at a trade show is no longer necessary, and that your marketing and advertising efforts are more than enough.
This, however, is where you may be wrong – you may be neglecting a valuable opportunity to expand your business and brand. If you are looking for real rewards, a trade show can be one of the best ways to achieve this. Many trade show enthusiasts will tell you that the return on investment they have received from a good trade show is incomparable to other marketing strategies. So, before you dismiss trade shows as an unnecessary endeavour, here are the top three reasons why exhibiting at one is a must for your business.
- Meet your real target market
If you’ve ever tried following up on a lead and then ended up just leaving a bunch of messages in someone’s voice mail, then you’ll be happy to know that at a trade show, there is the least likelihood that the same thing will happen. Remember that trade show attendees are there precisely to get to know companies like yours – they have made an effort to be there, so they’re very open to a ‘conversation’. All you need to do is convince them to choose your business – and this can be done with the right message, right platform, right impression, and right booth with attractive elements and materials such as pop up display stands from an experienced banner printing service, product samples, demonstrations, and so on.
- Keep updated with major developments in your sector
One of the best reasons why exhibiting at a trade show is a boon to your business is you can keep updated with major developments in your sector. You are at the centre of where the action is supposed to be, after all, and this gives you a definite edge. You can become aware of cutting-edge innovations in your sector, and perhaps even take advantage of opportunities you would never have seen otherwise. Knowing what your competitors are up to goes a long way in knowing what you should focus on – not just when it comes to your customer base, but also the kind of service or product you provide.
- Meet prospective suppliers and distributors
There are different kinds of trade shows out there, but they all have one aspect in common: they are perfect places where you can meet and interact with prospective suppliers, distributors, and vendors. These people can be a big help to your company, especially if you want to expand. Get involved in a trade show and see the real benefits for yourself.