Is a Trade Show a Worthwhile Investment for a Small Business? Oct 26th
Before social media came to the fore, trade shows were considered to be a hot ticket for small businesses. It was an opportunity to forge strong relationships with your peers, meet new customers, and learn more about the latest products and services being offered by competitors. These days, however, there are so many newer types of marketing to take advantage of that a trade show is seen by some as distinctly “old fashioned”.
Trade show tickets are expensive, and for top events aimed at a global audience, the cost of attending can be astronomical. Not surprisingly, many businesses cut back on this type of expenditure during the recent economic recession. With your back to the wall and not enough money in the bank to pay the bills, forking out for a trade show pass is never going to be a priority. Now that things are picking up again, business trade shows are becoming more popular and if you want to make new contacts and introduce new products, it can be a worthwhile investment.
Start Off Small
For a small business, a large trade show is not necessarily the best outlet. It is easy to get lost in amongst the big names, so to start with target smaller trade shows that are specific to your niche. This will give you a better feel for how they work and afford you the opportunity to practise your techniques before you hit the larger events
Networking Opportunities
For new and not yet established businesses, a trade show can be a goldmine of networking opportunities. This is one of the few places where you are likely to see most of your peers and potential customers under one roof, so make the most of it. If this is your first trade show, canvas customers to find out if they are going to attend, and if so arrange to connect with them on the day.
Product Demonstrations
One of the primary advantages of attending trade shows is that it gives you the chance to give customers live demos of how your products work. A live demonstration is worth a thousand glossy brochures so make the most of this valuable opportunity. Practice your demo techniques before the event to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Presentations are also a useful platform for establishing your business as a market leader, but try and make them interesting and not too sales-oriented. Make your trade show displays stand out and be noted by those going by, it will pull them in and intrigue them with what you have to offer.
Design a Great Trade Booth
Trade stands need to be well-designed, so if you don’t have a clue where to start, consider working with an experienced trade show designer such as Finesse Group.
Follow Up on Leads
Don’t forget to take contact details during the event and once it’s all over, follow through on these to thank people for attending and keep your business’s name alive in the mind of a potential customer.
If approached in the right manner, a trade show is a worthy investment for a small business, but if you don’t have a huge budget to spend, only target the shows that are likely to be the most beneficial to your niche.
Oct 26th
Before social media came to the fore, trade shows were considered to be a hot ticket for small businesses. It was an opportunity to forge strong relationships with your peers, meet new customers, and learn more about the latest products and services being offered by competitors. These days, however, there are so many newer types of marketing to take advantage of that a trade show is seen by some as distinctly “old fashioned”.
Trade show tickets are expensive, and for top events aimed at a global audience, the cost of attending can be astronomical. Not surprisingly, many businesses cut back on this type of expenditure during the recent economic recession. With your back to the wall and not enough money in the bank to pay the bills, forking out for a trade show pass is never going to be a priority. Now that things are picking up again, business trade shows are becoming more popular and if you want to make new contacts and introduce new products, it can be a worthwhile investment.
Start Off Small
For a small business, a large trade show is not necessarily the best outlet. It is easy to get lost in amongst the big names, so to start with target smaller trade shows that are specific to your niche. This will give you a better feel for how they work and afford you the opportunity to practise your techniques before you hit the larger events
Networking Opportunities
For new and not yet established businesses, a trade show can be a goldmine of networking opportunities. This is one of the few places where you are likely to see most of your peers and potential customers under one roof, so make the most of it. If this is your first trade show, canvas customers to find out if they are going to attend, and if so arrange to connect with them on the day.
Product Demonstrations
One of the primary advantages of attending trade shows is that it gives you the chance to give customers live demos of how your products work. A live demonstration is worth a thousand glossy brochures so make the most of this valuable opportunity. Practice your demo techniques before the event to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Presentations are also a useful platform for establishing your business as a market leader, but try and make them interesting and not too sales-oriented. Make your trade show displays stand out and be noted by those going by, it will pull them in and intrigue them with what you have to offer.
Design a Great Trade Booth
Trade stands need to be well-designed, so if you don’t have a clue where to start, consider working with an experienced trade show designer such as Finesse Group.
Follow Up on Leads
Don’t forget to take contact details during the event and once it’s all over, follow through on these to thank people for attending and keep your business’s name alive in the mind of a potential customer.
If approached in the right manner, a trade show is a worthy investment for a small business, but if you don’t have a huge budget to spend, only target the shows that are likely to be the most beneficial to your niche.