| In a competitive business environment Trade shows | | | | over, follow up the contacts you made. |
| and exhibitions have become very essential world | | | | Based on your goals evaluate what you got out of |
| over. These are specialist market places that allow | | | | the trade show so that you can build on your |
| exhibitors to promote their products and services, | | | | experience for next time. |
| reach new customers and generate new sales while | | | | Essentially, you have to find the right trade fair. If |
| giving the visitors the opportunity to find out about | | | | the area of interest it covers is too specialist or too |
| the products and services on display. | | | | broad, it is unlikely to attract visitors who want to |
| Trade shows and exhibitions can also provide | | | | buy what you have to sell or exhibitors offering the |
| business people with the opportunity to network and | | | | products and services you are looking to source. |
| make useful contacts with other people working in | | | | If you are exhibiting some products, start by making |
| their industry. Trade shows are an important | | | | a profile of the customers you want to reach. |
| promotional tool for your business. These can be | | | | Identify their special interests and where they are |
| helpful on the following ways to get generate new | | | | located. Then take a look at the most likely trade |
| business; | | | | fairs for your industry sector, and try to match them |
| 1) Trade Shows and Exhibitions are a chance for you | | | | with these customers. |
| to demonstrate your product or service to | | | | Most established exhibitions will be able to provide a |
| customers face-to-face interacting with them and | | | | detailed breakdown of the number and type of |
| get the response and feed back of your product on | | | | visitors from previous years. This will give a good |
| the spot. | | | | indication of whether the types of customers you |
| 2) This is a direct way to test new markets or | | | | are targeting are likely to be there. |
| launch new products and services | | | | When you attend a Trade Fair as a customer, work |
| 3) With this you get a chance to find out directly | | | | out what you want to achieve before you go as to |
| from the customers about their exact requirement | | | | what kinds of product or service you want to find |
| 4) Trade shows are very good opportunities for | | | | out about or who do you want to meet. Match your |
| networking | | | | requirements against what the most likely trade |
| 5) In Trade Shows and Exhibitions many potential | | | | shows have to offer. You should be able to get a list |
| customers are concentrated in one place | | | | of the companies planning to exhibit before you |
| 6) Many potential suppliers are also concentrated in | | | | attend. This will help you avoid a wasted journey. |
| one place in Trade Shows | | | | There are even many web sites which provide the |
| Other than the buyers and sellers, trade shows can | | | | list of products and their trade fairs and exhibitions. |
| also attract journalists, media, politicians and other | | | | You can also contact specific venues, ask a relevant |
| "movers and shakers" in particular fields. It can be a | | | | trade association or contact your local Chamber of |
| good idea to invite your existing customers to visit | | | | Commerce to find out what's on in your area. |
| your stand too, as face-to-face contact can revitalise | | | | Before booking, find out more about the |
| relationships that exist mostly through on | | | | characteristics of any fairs that look promising - for |
| correspondences, email or on the phone. | | | | example, who goes, their spending power, who |
| At their least effective, unless you know exactly | | | | exhibits, any data from past events. The organizers |
| what you want to achieve, trade fairs can be an | | | | of a good trade show should be able to supply this |
| expensive waste of time. So you must be sure of | | | | kind of information. |
| what you want to achieve and make the goals | | | | If you are arranging your own exhibition, you need to |
| specific and measurable. Choose your fair carefully | | | | think through your strategy and aims and plan |
| and give yourself plenty of time to plan. When it's | | | | carefully how you will manage your exhibit. |