As a small business, what are your thoughts on trade shows? The UK and Ireland have a thriving trade show and event industry, with hundreds popping up across the countries each year. And for small businesses, these events can be the perfect opportunity to get the word out to people about who you are and what you do.
When integrated into your marketing strategy and visibility campaign, your participation in relevant trade shows and industry events can open doors to a whole new audience base.
With estimates suggesting that these events attract over 100,000 visitors annually, the potential for growth and exposure is not just significant but also exciting and full of promise.
Now you know about the potential of these events and the benefits that attending an event such as this can bring to you. Let’s take a look at how you can prepare your business for your next event and make it as successful as possible.
Pre-show planning
First and foremost, it’s crucial to define your objectives and understand the exact reason for attending this event. Whether you’re launching a new product, building your mailing list, making connections, or aiming for on-the-day sales, clarifying your goals will not only guide your resource planning but also keep you focused and prepared for the event.
Find the right events.
Not all events are suitable for all businesses. It’s essential to examine the various types of business events, trade shows and venues nationwide, as well as the types of people drawn to these events and other companies that will also be in attendance. For example, a food and drink market in the local community may not be suitable for technology-based companies, while a more professional tech-based expo may not be well-suited for small craft businesses. Do your research and ensure that the events and the audience align with your company, as this will enable you to reap more benefits post-event. For instance, a tech-based company might find a professional expo like ‘TechExpo’ more suitable, while a craft business might thrive in a local craft fair like ‘CraftFest’.
Budgets
You’ll need substantial outlays to set up for your very first event. You will need to invest in equipment and supplies, including furniture, power supplies, banners, pop-up stands, packaging, and more. This is before you even consider the amount of stock you might need if you’re hoping to sell on the day or if you need to create prototypes to demonstrate your product to people during the event. Take the time to sit down and write out everything you’ll need for the event including participation fees. Review past events and the equipment that past attendees have used to get an idea of what to expect and what type of equipment to bring with you. Once you have a clearer idea of what you need to take, you can set your budget accordingly and divide it proportionally to ensure that you cover everything.
Must-haves
It’s essential that you equip yourself with all the necessary supplies to tackle the event. This isn’t just about making a great first impression; it’s about representing your company in the best possible light and having everything you need to ensure the event’s success. You want to be looking at supplies such as business cards, branded pens, and reusable tote bags or brown paper shopping bags for small purchases. You can keep these items plain or have them branded in advance, too. You might need tissue paper, packaging tape, scissors, paper clips, a receipt or an invoice pad. You might use a mobile POS system to help process payments on the spot or use a cash register or calculator to accept payments. Notebooks, pens, hand sanitisers, tissues, spare chargers, power packs, and any promotional items or giveaway items that you’ll be giving to attendees on the day who visit your booth.
Staff training and presentation
Prior to the event, you need to determine if you’re taking any staff members with you, if this is applicable, and precisely what they need to know and how they will need to present themselves on the day.
If you’re going as a solo outfit, then you need to run through a range of scenarios in your head, questions and answers to help you tackle any tricky questions and situations that might crack up, or you might be presented with from attendees, the last thing you want to get caught out and not know something or have to stop and say it or tell them that you’ll get back to them.
As a business owner, you need to make it your business to know the ins and outs of every aspect of your business, from management to customer service and everything in between. If you’re taking others with you, consider aspects such as uniforms. You need to talk about the presentation. You need to consider the words, language, and body language to be used on the day to help attendees engage more effectively. You need to make a good first impression, and you must ensure that the message you convey through the people you bring with you is representative of your company’s values, helping to deliver a consistent message.
Event day checklist
Your event checklist can include determining the arrival time and ensuring that everyone arrives on time, allowing you to set up and verify that you’ve everything. This way if anything is missed, you will have ample time to source it elsewhere or find alternatives.
You want to leave enough time when setting up to run through any technical issues, set up your Wi-Fi, test out timers, etc. You also need to hold team briefings and ensure that you have actions in place to keep your booth organised at all times, regardless of what you’re doing. This means ensuring that there is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, aprons, and hairnets for handling food, drinks, or sensitive products, bins for the disposal of rubbish, and organisational systems for keeping equipment together and tidy is also essential.
Post-event
Lastly, for the event, you need to have a post-show follow-up plan. This is crucial as it allows you to maintain the momentum and relationships built during the event. Your follow-up could include a personalised email within 48 hours to thank people for stopping by, recap your interaction, and detail any next steps they might want to take if they wish to pursue further business. You need to determine how you’re gonna tag leads with different categories, for example, hot, warm, and cold leads. You will need to be able to analyse your metrics, footfall, leads, demos, to sales conversions, promo usage, etc., and then debrief your team to discuss what worked, what didn’t work, key notes and points, and how you can improve for your next event.
