If you’ve never marketed your business in a trade show before, you’re missing out. Trade shows offer an excellent venue for spreading awareness about your brand, marketing, networking, meeting new customers, and, of course, selling products and services. Trade show displays can be an excellent way to take your business to new heights of success. The following are some of the top incentives for businesses to participate in trade shows.
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Trade Shows are Cost Effective
While booth prices and travel costs can vary, dollar for dollar the cost of a trade show is generally well worth the price. Even basic booth displays that feature quality banners, trade show displays or pop up displays can be highly effective in terms of the return on investment. There is a display option for every budget, so any size business can create and benefit from having a display at a trade show. Done well, it can be one of the most cost effective methods of advertising and marketing available to you.
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You’ll Meet Your Target Market
Well-chosen trade shows put your products and marketing materials in front of your target audience in a highly focused way. While other marketing methods and formats can be hit or miss, advertising at a trade show within your industry puts you right on the pulse of the latest wave of customers. People who attend trade shows are there to learn about what you’re selling and make purchases. It’s the perfect time to shine and make some fruitful new connections that could pay off exponentially over the years.
Whether you want to do a brand new product launch or familiarize more people with your core selection, renting trade show booths offers an extremely ripe opportunity for marketing and selling.
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Make Face to Face Connections
In this increasingly online technologically-driven world we live in, face to face connection in business is becoming all too rare. Trade shows offer an opportunity for businesses and potential new clients to shake hands, look each other in the eye and make a genuine human connection.
For some online-only businesses that don’t have a brick and mortar store, the trade show is one of the only opportunities to be able to experience this with both clients and vendors. Trade shows are also ideal for building and expanding upon existing connections. While some business and client relationships can certainly be fostered online or over the telephone, there is nothing like an in-person meeting to take things to the next level.
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Build Your Client Base
At a minimum, trade shows offer an opportunity to collect contact information for new potential clients. No matter where the person is in the sales funnel, connecting with them offers an opportunity to create the foundation for doing business with them down the road. Even simply compiling an email list or collecting business cards can contribute greatly to your database.
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Connect with Highly Targeted Sales Leads
Remember, the people you make contact with at a trade show are fresh leads who came to the show to learn about your industry and potentially make purchases. This kind of ripe lead is highly valuable to your business and brand.
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Enjoy a Level Playing Field
Small businesses receive a particular benefit from attending trade shows, for it allows them to make contact with the same customers as the larger businesses and brands that will be displaying at the show. In many cases, your business will be able to reach and connect with literally thousands of clients over the course of the show, allowing you to compete with much larger businesses. It’s your chance to shine, and the right trade show booth displays or pop up displays, marketing materials, sales and offers can help set you apart from the rest.
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Engage in Direct Selling
Businesses that are accustomed to less direct methods of selling such as online stores often relish the opportunity to get their products directly in front of potential new customers. Trade shows are an excellent way to eliminate the shipping step and send customers home with your product.
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Make an Excellent Impression
An in-person product or service display is an ideal opportunity for making an awesome impression on both current customers and people you are meeting for the first time. There are some aspects of products or services that can be difficult to convey online or in print, and the “live” scenario of a trade show allows businesses to showcase key aspects and dimensions of their offerings in a way that isn’t possible in other venues. A well-choreographed demonstration as well as contests and free giveaways can all help to enhance the interactive experience.
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Learn From the Competition
Trade shows aren’t just an opportunity to connect with customers who are ripe for making purchases; they are also a place to see what your peers and competitors are up to. Trade shows tend to showcase the latest industry trends, products and resources, so it’s a great place for gathering ideas and inspiration for your own company’s next chapter. Many trade show vendors also offer seminars or classes for all who attend, even other vendors. You can enrich your skills and knowledge base in a number of ways at trade shows.
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Loosen Up and Have Fun!
Lastly, trade shows can also be an opportunity to lighten up, socialize and have a little fun! Meeting new people for business relationships is one thing, but forming personal relationships may result in friendships that can last a lifetime. While trade shows are primarily about business, there’s also room for fun and socializing in the evenings or during breaks.
Trade shows can offer tremendous benefits to any size business. They help create an outstanding venue for marketing, networking, spreading awareness about your brand, meeting new clients, and, of course, selling your products and services.
The right booth displays, pop up displays or other trade show materials can make your trade show booths even more impressive and memorable to all who see it. Take advantage of all the benefits of trade show marketing by finding ideal shows in your industry. Meet new clients, foster mutually beneficial relationships, make more sales, and you just might take your business to amazing new places you never imagined were possible.
