Attending a trade fair has many benefits for your business. It not only can help you promote your product in person, but also connects you directly with potential customers.
Meet and connect with potential customers
Have you ever tried to follow up with a prospect, only to end up leaving message after message in their voice mail? Hearing your voice is the hardest part of outbound marketing, and when your business is one of many trying to win a new customer, ignored messages and lack of interest are the norm.
One of the biggest benefits of exhibiting at a trade show is that it allows you to meet potential customers in person instead of communicating with them over the phone. On the phone, you are just one voice among many - in person, you become someone they know, recognize, and want to communicate with.
Although some potential customers will buy what you sell at the exhibition, many will not. Those who don't usually commit to face-to-face deals, however, will be much more receptive to your sales efforts once they know you as a genuine person and not just a salesperson.
Strengthen your relationship with existing customers
Besides giving you the opportunity to better connect with potential customers, exhibiting at a trade fair also allows you to meet existing customers face-to-face. While most interactions today are done via email or phone, face-to-face meetings are undeniably a fantastic way to do business. The Wall Street Journal agrees; citing a study by Oxford Economics, the well-known financial publication says that face-to-face meetings are the most effective way to strengthen relationships with potential and existing customers.
Have you ever seen a customer double their monthly spend via email? Indeed, while it's rare for a client to commit to large contracts via email or phone, trade exhibitions are often an opportunity for clients to tell you about their long-term projects and large orders, which can be incredibly profitable for you as an exhibitor!
Technology has made it easy to do away with face-to-face meetings, but the data doesn't lie: this type of meeting at trade fairs is great for your company's relationship with its customers.
Meet new companies that can help your business grow
Whether you attend a vertical or horizontal trade fair, you will have the opportunity to interact with potential customers and suppliers. This makes a trade fair more than just an opportunity to expand your distribution, but a chance to expand your supply chain.
While your sales and marketing team focuses on connecting with prospects to make new sales, your purchasing manager can connect with new suppliers and contractors who can help grow your business. This makes a trade show a dual opportunity for your company: to expand your sales and to expand your supply chain.