Why Are Expos Valuable?
Why Expos Are Valuable
If you’re wondering why trade shows are still valuable, we get it. Expos are an investment of time and money — and you want to make sure you get your return on investment….and hey we get it many expos do not return value or even solid leads…
But consider the distinct advantages:
· One-on-one value. At an expo you don’t have to collect leads from random traffic on the internet or use emails and phone calls to try to make a sale. Instead, you can meet with new leads, prospects, and contacts face-to-face — and gain the ability to forge a much stronger connection.
· The lead pool. Another major advantage is the quality of the potential leads circulating at an expo; up to 92 percent of Expo attendees are specifically there to learn about new products and services. A lead at an expo is inherently more valuable, on average, than a lead acquired through other means.
· Location density. At an expo, everything in your industry is concentrated in one location. You’ll have access to news, announcements, prospective customers, and competitors, making it valuable no matter what your goals are.
How to Stand Out at Your First Expo
That said, you’ll have to deal with hundreds of other attendees at this event. How are you going to stand out?
· Do your research ahead of time. First, do your research on the event ahead of time. What type of attendants are they expecting? How many are there going to be? What kind of competition will be there? The better you know your target audience, and the more intimately you know the venue and event, the more specifically you’ll be able to focus your marketing efforts.
· Choose the right giveaway. You’ll definitely want some kind of Expo; giveaways naturally attract more visitors, and generate buzz throughout the event. The question is, what should you give away? That depends on your budget, but you’ll definitely want something original, and the nicer, the Find a unique promotional product to put your brand name on, or enter your visitors into a drawing for a more valuable item. If you manage to impress people, you’ll be the talk of the show.
· Create signage that breaks the norm. People’s eyes are drawn toward signage; yours can make or break your chances of attracting more visitors. Make sure to utilize colors and a font that match your brand, but also stand out among your competition. Extra flair, like cardboard cutouts or lighting displays, may give you the edge you need to attract a visitor over your competitor.
· Get active on social media before the event. If you want to make the most of your Expo attendance, you need to start marketing long before the event. Get on social media and start teasing a product, announcement, or special opportunity at the upcoming Expo. If there’s a hashtag for the event, start using it. It’s good to build up hype, so you’ll get more attendants, and hopefully, some standing buzz from the time you walk in the door.
· Create a long line. Booths with long lines will be perceived as “hotter” or more popular than booths without much attention — that’s because we tend to associate the number of people in line for something with the value of what they’re waiting for. While it’s not good to make your visitors wait around unnecessarily, you can engineer the appearance of a longer line by helping people one at a time, and encouraging longer interactions at your booth.
· Consider using an original stunt. Staging a stunt at an Expo can help draw attention to your booth — so long as you have something original, and you execute it tastefully. If there’s an opportunity to speak, consider signing up for a slot, or use theatrics to call attention to your booth when it’s time for a major announcement, giveaway, activity, or audience interaction.
· Network before and after the event. Networking is one of the most valuable elements of Expo attendance, so don’t neglect it. Spend some time leading up to the event talking to people within your industry, and follow up with them once the event is over.
If you can follow these strategies, and maybe invent a few of your own, you can stand out no matter how packed the venue is. Put some time and thought into your marketing materials, and have your salespeople ready to be on their A game.
See you at a Small Business Expo near you.
Small Business Expos
1300 BIZ EXPO