15 Skills for Highly Successful Tradeshows
Planning to take part in a trade show in the UAE? Before you start the process be specific about your goals. Get a list of exhibition companies in Dubai, and go through their portfolio. If you are happy with their work get their help. But before you begin any campaign discuss with your team your objectives. Is it market leadership, leads, customer relationship or awareness that you are trying to achieve? Whatever your goals are you need certain skills to make your event a success.
1. Stand up and be ready
At most trade shows we see staff sitting behind a table. Don’t do that. Stand up and be ready. Talk to people. To take part in the exhibition and to design a showstopper stand your company will be paying the exhibition company in Dubai thousands or tens of thousands for you to be there. You can rest later.
2. Always use the most assertive media
Nothing can beat face-to-face interaction. To get lots of customers and prospects in the same room for face-to-face discussions a trade show is the ultimate opportunity. This is followed by phone discussions, high impact mailers, direct social media messages, and finally email.
To get mileage you need to bring people to assertive media. From face-to-face meetings try to get as much mileage as possible.
3. Stand out
Exhibition companies in Dubai will be able to help you to grab a good venue for the trade show. To stand out from the crowd a top exhibition company will use unique color schemes. This should be followed by social media strategy and data-driven targeting.
4. Cool giveaways
If people are qualified to buy your product or service give them something away that is really cool. To qualified prospects you can give sweatshirts or headphones or any other unique gifts.
5. Target people specifically
By title and function define who you want to meet at the tradeshow. To know who to call and when to call you can use predictive analytics.
6. Treat appointments like appointments
At least a month before the event, get on the phone and invite people to meet you at the show. Set specific appointments. You can set appointments at weird times like 11.35 am. People don’t forget such appointments. If they miss the appointment, follow up immediately at the show.
7. Keep a track of questions
Keep a track of all of the questions that you get asked at your booth and summarize the answers when you meet up people.
8. Highlight your cool features
There will be 100 different booths promising many products and services. But if you want to get noticed and grab people’s attention you need cool features.
9. Clarity trumps influence
Be clear when you tell people what you do. Be specific and simple. Don’t use round numbers when you give statistics or case studies.
10. Be assertive, not aggressive
Be patient and listen if attendees have queries. Introduce yourself to anybody who walks by, but if they want to leave don’t stop them. For introverts this is going to be a struggle.
11. Divert a river, don’t dig a well
Don’t let your staff sit behind the desk. Let them stand out and divert traffic to your booth.
12. Follow up immediately
It is after the show is over that the real work starts. Respond to leads very quickly. Immediate follow up will reap benefits.
13. Be pleasantly persistent
Sales people are often not determined enough. To follow up on a lead that comes from the website the average sales person only makes 1.5 phone call attempts. He should be taking at least 6 to 9 attempts.
14. Plan way ahead
You can pull off almost any event in a matter of 8 weeks, according to research. However, to get the best venue you need to book months in advance. From a list of exhibition companies in Dubai choose the one that you are sure will meet your goals. Get them on board and start planning for your show well in advance.
15. Rinse and repeat
To plan for your next event make sure to review your notes from your debriefs.
Good luck!