Over the years we have been involved with exhibitions and expos with as a vendor selling their wares and as a organiser that is managing the whole expo.
As someone that used to sign off attendance at these events ( some of which are hugely expensive), we have seen many different forms of ‘attendance’ and ‘show and tell’ techniques, all with varying different degrees of success.
As an organiser, we try our hardest to ensure that each exhibitor can obtain maximum exposure for themselves during the expo and of course ‘dynamic pricing’ operates such that prime spots will cost more than the more restricted spots where footfall will be potentially reduced,
In fact the success of the ‘spot’ is more often than not down to how the team manning the stand go about their task.
The key is trying to creatively lure the visitors to your stand and then converting that visit into a enquiry for business, after all this is why the attendance has usually booked. (There are exceptions of course when visibility and maintaining brand awareness are the objective).
All to often we hear exhibitors saying, we had no one visit our stand and yet the supplier in the far corner was constantly busy. Further investigation often shows that the other supplier has been giving away the ever popular branded power bank chargers or chocolate. This of course doesn’t necessarily confirm success. Quite often these visitors have simply visited the stand to receive the giveaway even though they have no intention of utilising whatever the exhibitor has to offer, their success has merely been converted into an increased cost of attendance without the desired evidence of warm or hot leads.
Some homework prior to attendance is required – who is attending? The organisers are unlikely to release personal details of attendees but will more often than not be happy to identify organisations attending. A simple matching of the attendee list with target prospects will highlight the people that you want to visit the stand. The next task is to bring those people to the stand or at least to make contact . This is where the networking comes into play. It makes sense to have at least 2 people manning the stand although one of those two may in fact spend more time searching the exhibition to find those people – they will probably visit the coffee station. Why not place that second person near the coffee area where they can make initial contact and invite them to meet at the stand ? They may decline but at least contact will have been made so that they can be reeled in as they walk near your stand.
‘Come visit us, we have a great power bank that you’ll find useful and we have one with your name on it.’ – nearly always successful in bringing them to you.
Some form of interactive competition on the stand helps. Why not issue an invitation to meet at a specific time on the stand where you will fast track them to have a go at the interactive competition ?
The stand layout is probably one of the most important issues facing engagement. Too many exhibitors assume that by turning up, they will be flooded with people interested in talking to them. So much so that they then present a series of barriers and obstacles, more impressive than the TV Show ‘GLADIATORS’ that reduce the opportunity for that engagement opportunity.
The wrong way to encourage potential customers to visit your stand.
Usually the first thing is to sit on a chair right at the back of the stand. Then to up the ante they place a big 6ft table between them and the potential audience. The table is laden with expensive marketing giveaways that, if given away invariably simply increase the cost of attendance.
To add to physical presence, they then place the laptop on that table, usually facing toward the exhibitor. This does two things – 1) presents a physical barrier and something the sales person can hide behind and 2) displays a complete lack of interest in whats happening in front of them and allows them to catch up with work that is so much more important than forging new relationships and developing new opportunities!
So! Small details but can be the difference between a full order book or a depleted marketing budget.
Try an open stand space, standing at the front of that space, with inviting body language rather than arms folded chatting to a colleague and ignoring the passing traffic. Engage the passing foot traffic after trying to identify if they are a potential client. By all means have a ‘podium’ to locate the necessary evil of the laptop but place it so that it doesn’t block access but becomes a circulation point.
Don’t place wide open expanses between you and the clients- believe to or not they are not sales people and can be very self conscious – make it easy for them to approach you.
Open stand, lots of customers !
Events2 provide this kind of practical advice and experience to our clients. We try to generate a holistic approach which maximises the investment you make. We don’t just deliver the project but take ownership of the ultimate objective.
Talk to us to find out how we can make your event become better value for money
