Four Ways To Set Yourself Apart At An Exhibition

For some companies, there is no better way to market themselves than at an exhibition or conference. If you hold the same opinion, then you’ll likely be wondering how you can make your experience the best it can be. Ultimately, you’ll want to generate lots of strong leads, as well as shaking hands on a few business deals. I’ve never been to an exhibition where my company hasn’t generated a positive return on investment, and I’m pretty sure that’s down to our perseverance and creativity both on the day and leading up to the event.

I thought it might be helpful if I shared a few of my tips with you if you want to set yourself apart from your competitors; here they are:

Get An Amazing Stand Design

The first thing I’d suggest is to give your exhibition stand a makeover. Turn down the offer of a shell scheme and use space only to the best effect. You’ll find plenty of companies who can help you to create an amazing custom built stand. I’ve seen everything from built in archways, bars and gorgeous lighting; it really does grab your attention when walking past. Of course, this can cost quite a bit so it’s best to get a couple of quotes before you make your final choice; you should also check whether parts can be reused for a future exhibition.

Wow People With Technology

This type of idea can generate a lot of buzz come exhibition day, especially if you make it into a competition. It’s pretty standard to do iPad giveaways at these types of events so we’ve upped the ante a bit and give £500 worth of holiday vouchers at the end of the exhibition. The entries are done at the end of game play so people are first wowed by the technology and we get their data in return!

Give Away Good Freebies

If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to £500 vouchers then you can set your sights a little lower. Some companies give away bottle openers, and others have pens ready to hand out. Whatever you choose, just think about your brand positioning and how your product will remind people of you. A start-up might want something a little more quirky than an investment bank.

Use The Best Possible Staff

Finally, don’t forget about who will actually be representing you on the exhibition stand. Do you have a dedicated sales team who are great at talking to strangers and schmoozing with existing contacts? If you do, that’s fantastic, but don’t worry if you don’t. In this event, I’d always suggest that it is better to get a third party in to do the work for you instead of you sending other staff members that lack the confidence. A company who provide exhibition staff will give people an overview of the service as well as collecting leads for you to follow up after the event; this can be a good alternative if you don’t have the staff power yourself.