Well that depends!
· Is it your target audience?
· What are your expectations of the day?
· Does it fit into your marketing strategy?
Craig and I are exhibiting at two military events next week, so it’s going to be a busy one! We have blocked out time in our diaries post-event to ensure we have the time to follow-up the leads. We know it’s going to be a busy couple of days talking all things MBA pathway and Level 3 Education and Training qualifications.
But what do you think – are exhibitions worth the hassle?
In my experience, ensuring your team are trained and know the objectives of the day is integral to how you measure a “successful day”. You’d be surprised how many stand holders have been “told” they are on the stand and have no idea what the business expects from them!
The benefits of exhibiting are that it gives you an opportunity to reconnect with customers through personal interactions, helping to rebuild and strengthen your relationships. Increasing your brand visibility and awareness, provides you with the opportunity to gain quality lead generation and sales opportunities, attracting a focused audience, this improves your conversion rates compared to virtual events.
You can also gain valuable market insights and perform competitive analysis, helping you stay informed about industry trends. Networking and collaboration opportunities enable you to form new partnerships and strengthen industry connections.
Position yourself as a thought Leader by offering to talk at a seminar or run a short workshop – adding value and showcasing your expertise to the attendees. This will give you immediate feedback on products and services allowing for improvements.
It’s not over when you pack down!
After the preparation and time spent on the day it is key that you allocate to action your follow-up plan? This includes following up with leads, analysing feedback, evaluating the event’s ROI, nurturing new relationships, and updating marketing strategies based on insights gained.
Additionally, sharing event highlights on social media, review competitors’ activities, and plan improvements for future exhibitions to enhance your overall effectiveness.
Happy exhibiting!
