Have you ever attended a business Trade Fair? Or for that matter any type of Trade Fair? If you have, you know that trade fairs have been part of local and regional business for some years now, and they are still an excellent way of getting more interest in your business. By attending trade fairs and being a visible presence it is possible to show that you are a relevant company with a lot to offer, and to make valuable contacts which may be beneficial to you later on. Getting a stand at any local trade fair is a good place to start your offline marketing push.
Trade fairs are pretty straightforward in what they aim to do and how they go about it. The clue is right there in the name, the idea is to get people to connect and do business. By being a visible presence you can persuade people to find out more about you, and convince them to spend some of their money with you. Walking around the room at a trade fair is one way to get more ideas on how you can connect with an audience, too.
It helps if you are prepared to let your true personality and charisma shine through. Being on top of your game will get you farther in a trade show/trade fair setting. If you don’t want to be the “front person” for whatever reason, maybe you are shy or don’t feel you have the magnetism these one on one encounters will produce, find someone within your company or organization to be that person, to be the trade show “greeter for your company.
It’s unbearably corny – and even more unbearably true – that being smiled at makes people more likely to engage in conversation and ultimately do business. I’m not talking a fake, paste on smile like a “used car salesman” of the 60’s I’m talking showing the “prospect” you genuinely care and would like to chat. Make sure when you do get his or her attention, you chat about their needs first. If and when appropriate, you can then talk about your company and what might be in it for them, the benefits. Offline marketing at trade fairs and trade shows can be very lucrative. You can get leads, you can even close deals, but you must first understand what the client/prospect wants and needs.
That’s your homework!
