The idea of standing in a small booth or stall trying to flog your wares may seem wholly unappealing. However, trade shows are the number one way to get your company, your brand and your startup noticed. Across the globe, industry-specific trade shows, like the technologically savvy annual fair in Tokyo or the Florida RV Supershow are massively popular with people, achieving over a million visits each year. These people are your potential customers. It doesn’t matter whether you work in advertising, SEO development or you sell used cars, there will be a trade show out there for you. Take a look at how you should be prepping for your first trade show.
Pitch
The day at a trade show is long. You will want to organize your timings as soon as possible. Know when you have to set off, the journey times when you can start setting up your pitch, lunch hours, trading times and the close of play. Having these written down will help to structure your day.
Know where your pitch is going to be by sourcing a site plan at the earliest opportunity. While some pitches will be better than others, the chances are that they have the price tag to match. It doesn’t matter where your pitch is situated, you will still need to work hard to get people flocking to your stall.
Branding
Your pitch needs to be an extension of your startup and needs to have your branding all over it. Even if you have to look into van hire to transport all of your gear, this will be worthwhile when you have your banner up, your laptops set up with Powerpoints and your products ready to be demonstrated to the clientele passing your way. Ensure that you get on board with the whole freebie and gimmick thing. You’d be surprised just how many people will head your way if they know that they can pick up a free pen, mouse mat or keyring, however lame this might seem.
Be Charming
Perhaps the most crucial aspect of attracting people to your stall is you. You need to portray a sense of enthusiasm and charm that will engage people. When a crowd starts to form at your stall, others will follow to see what is going on. Get the products ready, talk about your services and establish some new business. Plan out a speech, what you’re going to say to potential new customers, and have a dry run with some pals doing some role play. It may feel a tad silly, but this could stand you in good stead come trade show day.
Remember the day is long and breaks hard to come by. Stock up on food, bring a coffee machine and sit down when you need to. Being on your feet for up to twelve hours isn’t fun and you need to be as enthusiastic at eight PM as you were at the opening of the trade show.
New startups need to exploit every avenue to gain maximum exposure and increase their presence within their chosen industry; a trade show is a perfect vehicle to do this.
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