Business
Trade Show Secrets That Will Turn Your Startup Into an Overnight Success
Business is unfair. Usually, it’s the ones who have money that will succeed and the little guys are forced to fight over the scraps. However, now and then there will be companies that manage to break the mould and become the large business they always wanted to become. It’s a long and hard road, but it’s not impossible.
One of the most even playing fields in business is the trade show floor. Whether it’s an exhibition or a local convention, small names have a chance to shine when they’re put in the same room as the heavy-hitters such as Microsoft, Apple and Samsung. These chances don’t come often. In fact, it can cost a lot of money to get yourself a spot at these events, but if you’re willing to claw your way up the industry and fight for a spot among the stars, then you need to take a risk.
Unfortunately, not every business has a Cinderella story to tell. Many companies fail miserably in their first quarter or make a fool of themselves during their first public appearance and thus, completely crumble under the weight of their failure. Mastering the art of trade shows is difficult but not impossible. You need to adjust your business and your strategies to fit current trends and this is where startups have an advantage. As a business with less investment than the bigger companies, you’re able to fit yourself into the industry and slot yourself where demand is needed. Startups are far more flexible and you can take risks in order to create a better product or customer experience. This is why startups are so troublesome for the big corporations; because they’re willing to go where no investors dare.
If you want to make your first trade show a triumph that will turn your business into an overnight success, then here are a couple of secrets that you’ll want to learn.
Interaction Is the Key
Make sure you’re not sitting in your booth waiting for people to come. If you’re going to make a name for yourself then you need to interact with people that come along and visit you. Even if they walk past, try and convince them to take a look at your booth and welcome them with open arms. It’s important that you are hospitable so that more people are willing to come and look at your booth. Interact with visitors, demonstrate your products and try to make them pay attention to your products. If you don’t interact with people at trade shows, then you’re failing to network and you won’t be able to create new leads or meet new
Make Yourself Memorable
Give your visitors something to remember you by. Whether it’s a business card, promotional merchandise or even just a sample of your products, make sure they’ve got something to remember you by. It doesn’t make much sense to let your audience leave empty handed, to prepare something meaningful to give them. However, there are times when making yourself memorable doesn’t need to be because of a gift you gave. You can be memorable if you rocked the entire trade show with a revolutionary product, or perhaps you aligned yourself with consumer interests by being hospitable and you stood out among all the businesses that attended. In short, focus on making yourself memorable.
Bring Your A-Team
Bring your best tech gurus to explain the product to the media, bring your best PR employee so you can build leads in your company, and ensure that you’ve got plenty of people who are capable of holding conversations and being friendly so that your booth is more attractive. You want an A-team of employees to accompany you to the trade show so that you have all the assistance you could ask for when you’re trying to sell your products and convince investors. Without a team behind you, your trade show appearance is going to crumble. If you don’t bring out the big guns, then you won’t have the success you’re looking for.
Utilise Social Media
People often suggest using social media to promote your appearance at a trade show. While it’s a perfect way to get people excited, they often don’t mention using social media while you’re actually at the event. By using hashtags related to the event, you can constantly stay relevant on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter while you’re at the trade show. Make sure you continue to post pictures of your products, you walking around the show and checking out other companies, or perhaps even selfies with industry figureheads to grow your brand and reach.
Follow Up Quickly
Once the event is over, make sure you follow up quickly. Get your PR department on the job as soon as possible by calling any numbers you received, speaking to investors that you got in touch with and sending out emails thanking everyone that attended your booth. Follow-up on any requests that people have made to you and make sure you stay on social media to judge how successful your first appearance was. It’s no good if you generate all those leads and network with people but never follow up on it.
Final Words
As you can see, trade shows are perfect battlegrounds for lesser-known companies to rival even the biggest corporations. People that pass by could get hooked on your products or they might see you as a revolutionary company that is trying something new. However, it’s important to remember that you are still the little fish in a big pond. If larger corporations catch on, they’ll start throwing deals at you to purchase your ideas or even your company. Some may even copy your products and start working on their own spin-offs. Unless you’re able to follow-up on your overnight success, you’ll sink back into being an obscure business that missed its chance in the limelight, and that’s a fate that no entrepreneur wants to live with. Follow these secrets, maintain your success and you’ll find that attending trade shows is the best way to grow your brand and expose your business.
