Do you want potential clients remembering your brand long after the exhibition floors have emptied?
Industry events have evolved into one of the most valuable marketing channels used today. They place your brand directly in front of buyers ready to purchase. But there’s one little problem…
Nine times out of ten exhibitors arrive armed with a cheap stand, stockpile brochures and disappear into the crowd. That’s not going to cut it anymore.
Here’s the truth:
Your brand exhibition experience will make or break your event.
It can mean the difference between leaving with a list of hot leads buzzing off your phones … or throwing away your entire exhibition budget. Your brand exhibition experience captures attention, builds trust and converts browsers into buyers.
Want to learn how?
Below you’ll discover:
- Why Industry Events Are STILL Worth Your Time
- 5x Strategies To Build A Standout Brand Exhibition Experience
- Turning Those Leads Into Real Clients
Industry Events Are STILL Worth Your Time
Does walking around industry events ringing desperate last minute bargains remind you of…something?
Well, for some businesses that dream seems to be trade shows.
While trade shows may have been oversaturated with bargain hunters in the past, times have changed. They’re now stronger than ever.
Here are some impressive industry statistics to prove it:
- 81% of trade show visitors hold purchasing authority
- 67% of attendees are completely new prospects
- The exhibitor traffic volume will increase by 7.1% by 2024
What does this mean?
If you’re sitting behind that stand of yours wondering “who’s going to walk by”, then you better think again.
Trade shows are jam-packed with decision-makers that can walk away with “the goods”.
But here’s the kicker…
If your exhibition stand doesn’t catch their eye, it won’t matter how many decision-makers are around. You could be sitting on a gold mine of potential clients and never know it.
This is where your brand exhibition experience comes in.
Creating a custom brand experience that’s unique to your business will help you to stand out from your competitors. It will grab visitors attention and ensure they remember your business long after the event has ended.
Working with a professional exhibition stand company UK is one of the best investments you can make when exhibiting. Their expert design teams will craft a custom exhibition stand to suit your brand and budget. That way, you can focus on making an impact when the doors open.
5x Strategies To Build A Standout Brand Exhibition Experience
Enough with the background info. Let’s get into the good stuff.
Below are five amazing strategies you can start using today to build a powerful brand exhibition experience at your next event.
Strategy #1: Design An Attention Grabbing Stand
Think of your exhibition stand as your brand’s storefront.
Yes, it has to represent your business at its very best.
Industry statistics reveal that almost half of trade show exhibitors say attendees are attracted to attention grabbing displays.
Just spend some time wandering around a trade show. You’ll see the same three or four companies hogging the majority of traffic because they’ve built incredible stands.
Here’s a couple of tips when working with your exhibition designer:
- Use bold colours
- Ensure all signage is professional and easy to read
- Use lighting to make products “pop”
- Don’t be cheap.
Nothing screams “we don’t care about our brand” more than a poorly built exhibition stand with flashier competitors all around you.
You don’t want to be that brand.
Strategy #2: Build An Interactive Experience
Static displays are a thing of the past.
Nobody wants to stand looking at a board full of product specs. People crave interaction when they walk around trade shows.
Give them something to do. That’s exactly what you should be thinking. Here are some awesome ideas to get you started.
- Live product demonstrations
- Touchscreen displays with interactive elements
- Augmented reality/ virtual reality experiences
- Hands on workshops or quick presentations
Anything that gets people interacting with your brand is a win.
Why?
Simple. The longer you can keep visitors on your stand, the more likely you are to create a lead.
Strategy #3: Train Your Team To CONVERT Visitors
If you’ve read this far, you should know by now that hundreds of things could be going wrong at your exhibition stand.
But there’s one thing that 9 times out of ten exhibitors consistently get wrong…
Poorly trained event staff.
How many times have you walked into a stand and been greeted by someone that looks and feels like they’re either going to rob you or sell you?
Most of us have lost count.
Here’s what your event staff should be doing:
- Approach visitors with confidence, not desperation
- Ask qualifying questions within the first minute of conversation
- Talk less, listen more
- Get contact details
They’re the face of your brand during events. Treat them like it.
Strategy #4: Implement Technology That Makes Life Easier
Ok. Let’s geek out for a second.
Technology these days allows you to capture leads, engage visitors and follow up quicker than ever before.
Want some examples?
- Lead scanning apps that instantly capture contact details
- Digital product presentations
- Build a social media wall so visitors can share their experience in real time
Don’t over complicate things. There’s no need to hire a tech team to run your stand. However, simple technology that improves the visitor experience will send your brand above the rest.
Strategy #5: Follow Up Quickly With Leads
Okay, this next stat really should scare every single exhibitor out there…
31% of businesses wait 2+ days to follow up with leads captured at trade shows.
Can you imagine walking around an exhibition putting your heart and soul into networking, just for some salesperson to swoop in and follow up first?
Here’s the deal. Follow up FAST.
Not only should you aim to follow up within 24 hours, you need to provide some value with every follow up email.
Maybe it’s a case study that helps solves a problem they mentioned. Or maybe it’s a link to a helpful blog post you discussed.
Just something to remind them you’re real and you actually care about helping them.
Turning Event Leads Into REAL Clients
You’ve done it. You’ve worked harder than ever at an exhibition. Grabbed loads of shiny new business cards and can’t wait to get back into the office.
STOP.
Slow your roll there, cowboy.
Unless you have a process in place to turn those leads into clients, they’re about as useful as last years shopping list.
Here’s the thing…
80% of trade show leads never make it into a CRM.
That’s right. Buyers literally throw away information that could be used to create new business.
Before The Event: Decide what qualifies as a good lead for your business and how many you want to capture.
During The Event: Implement a system to tag hot, warm and cold leads (makes follow up WAY easier)
After The Event: Create a lead follow up sequence that nurtures those leads until they’re ready to buy.
Conclusion
Want your brand to be remembered long after the crowds have gone home?
Invest in a powerful brand exhibition experience.
That starts with having a stand that stands out from competition. Next, you want to engage visitors with interactive experiences. During all this you’ll have team members trained to spot and convert real prospects. Using technology that captures leads and sales staff who follow up quickly is highly recommended.
Industry events are a great opportunity to get in front of qualified buyers. The businesses who take the time to plan an amazing brand exhibition experience are the ones that capitalize on event seasons.
But don’t just show up to the next event. SHOW OUT!
Show other businesses what it means to put on a brand exhibition experience that converts.
