30 Secrets To Exhibiting Success:
1. On average, 75% of visitors to an exhibition are there to buy or plan to buy in the future.
2. Exhibiting is the most cost-effective way of getting your products and services in front of customers.
3. Exhibiting is the only medium which allows you to interact with potential customers using all 5 senses.
4. Decide why you are exhibiting and what you wish to achieve. Have some specific, measurable targets in mind, e.g. Get 300 qualified sales leads or conduct 50 research interviews.
5. Design your stand to help deliver your objectives.
6. Have one person in charge of every aspect of the exhibition.
7. 80% of stand success is down to staff, so train them.
8. If you can invite people, do! If you don’t your competition will.
9. Formulate a plan to categorise leads for follow up.
10. At the show, let people know you are there, advertise.
11. Don’t ask closed questions.
12. Keep your conversations with clients short and concise.
13. Turn off your mobile phone.
14. Focus - get all the details you can from your prospect.
15. Make a rota, so everyone knows where he or she is what they should be doing.
16. Always make eye contact and smile.
17. Listen to your prospect and sell benefits not features; eg. this is good for you because…
18. Go for it! Have staff whose presence says “Hi, how are you?”
19. You and your staff need to look fresh and feel fresh.
20. Use all 5 senses to attract people to your stand.
21. Have daily team debriefs.
22. Classify all leads.
23. Don’t eat whilst on the stand.
24. Don’t get into conversations about products you don’t know, ask a more knowledgeable team member to help/demonstrate.
25. Remember why you are there; stay focused on your objectives.
26. Talk less, listen more.
27. Conduct a show debrief with the stand team.
28. Follow up leads; you will need to contact them at least 6 times.
29. Make use of all the information you have gathered.
30. Book early for next year.
Also see this more detailed list.
UK-based UKTI International Trade Advisers can give you further guidance - if you are not already working with one please complete this form.