Businesses within an industry all fight for similar clients. Pharmaceutical companies all battle to attract the attention of the potential customers that they need. Many use advertisements, and some make use of business conferences. While this is effective, many need to remember the service of trade shows.

Are trade shows worth it? This is a question that many will ask. A trade show is a great way to obtain new clients and customers by displaying their desired products or service. The trade show will offer the company a platform to entice them to advertise and market directly to the customer. The sales team will have no boundaries and can talk straight to the potential customers.

The answer is more than a simple yes or no in how the company uses trade shows. These shows will, for a variety of reasons, significantly benefit the company if the business capitalizes and use these shows to grow and increase sales opportunities.

Why a Trade Show Is Worth It

There are many benefits accompanied by using a booth at a trade show. The team can use these benefits to grow the business, drive sales, display their products, or identify what the competitors are up to. These benefits allow the team to develop and build on the company and its strategies.

Exposure and Publicity

Trade show events will allow the team to gain exposure and publicity. The team can earn sales experience by selling products or gaining leads from the event. Potential customers will be around the sales team, giving them the publicity to work on their sales pitch and customer service.

Introduce Your Product or Service in an Eye-Catching Way

The opening line of any sales pitch will set the tone of the meeting. A trade show will allow the team various opportunities to create or adjust their opening sentence. The team will have the time to introduce the products and services in a catching way to build customer curiosity.

Showcase Your Products

An event will give companies golden opportunities at trade shows to display and advertise their products to the consumer. No barriers or excuses can stand in the way of the consumer evaluating and experiencing the product. The key here is a display showcasing the product being used.

The booth setup must benefit the products, and consumers must be able to touch or use the products from the show. These product demos must, however, be included in the marketing budget to ensure that the company can account for the loss of product or breakage from the trade show attendees. 

Check What Your Competitors Are Doing

A trade show will be industry-based, meaning that companies within the industry will all have the same valuable opportunities to advertise and present their products. This, however, allows the team to witness what the respected competitors have. The trade show requires a display of products and services, allowing the company to scout and identify other companies’ essential products and services.

Connect At Networking Events

Connecting and networking are essential parts of a trade show booth. The company will be able to meet new companies and individuals. The newly gained connections can be used at a later stage. These connections will significantly benefit and can bring new customers to the table in the future.

Check Out How Do You Meet a Stranger at a Trade Show:

Gain Industry Knowledge And Education

A trade show provides customers with knowledge of every company and business within the industry. The team, however, can use this excellent opportunity to build their knowledge on specific skills, problems, or education. The trade show will provide the perfect platform for attendees to learn as much as possible through the event, and the team itself can use this opportunity.

Directly Engage Your Audience

At a trade show, customers will spend time experiencing multiple booths. These individuals will take the time to see the industry leaders, the companies they love, and magnetic products or services. The company thus has the opportunity to engage directly with the ideal visitor. The sales team can turn an attendee into a lead or, better yet, a customer through visual equipment in the trade show display.

How to Decide Whether a Trade Show Is Right for You

There are multiple meetings in the form of trade shows across the U.S., and finding the perfect show to use is a difficult task. Every trade show has a meeting planner and trade show host. The company can start by asking for assistance and guidance from the event coordinator to identify whether they will benefit from the trade show.

The Shows Target Audience

Suppose the trade show planner can not provide the marketing and trade show teams with a clear answer. In that case, these teams can start by identifying the target audience of the trade show. Will the products and services of the company be suitable for these individuals? The company must determine if the two target audiences align.

Industry

Every industry has its trade show. The company can find trade show meetings that aim to grow the same industry that they are in. These trade shows will be best suited for the company. Industry trade shows can be found online or through past event planners. These event planners will either plan the next trade show or have information on any future show within the industry.

What Occurs During Trade Shows?

There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when planning a successful trade show. The trade show planner will be able to see if all booths are equipped and running smoothly. The sales team will communicate with the target customer during a trade show.

The sales team will meet all the attendee’s requirements by simply answering questions, displaying the products, and having a demonstration. The team will aim to generate as many leads as possible, which will be used later to turn them into customers.

FAQs

What Are The Drawbacks Of Trade Shows?

Without a massive following, trade shows can turn into ghost shows. With a lack of potential customers, the shows are not worth it. Arranging and creating the perfect booth can be another drawback.

If it is a new trade show team with little experience, some big mistakes might occur. Lastly, not preparing and educating the sales team can prevent the company from losing leads and potential customers. All sales members must have the same script and information.

How Much Should You Budget For A Trade Show?

Budgeting for a trade show depends on the booth size and the type of booth the company wants to build. The team can use the trade show booth rental space as a starting point and add booth material and other equipment to the budget. The trade show display might have the most significant impact on the finances of the trade show. 

Why Are Trade Exhibitions Becoming Extinct?

The trade show industry has yet to find a sustainable way to host these trade shows virtually. After the pandemic, many trade shows were put on hold and have yet to resume. These shows are, however, still alive, just under construction in finding a sustainable and virtual method to host these shows.

How to Get the Most Customers at Trade Shows?

The booth will draw many customers. Thus, creating a booth that draws the attendee’s attention with lights, products, and audio will lead to higher attendance. The team can use advertisements and signage to ensure potential customers know where to find the booth. And lastly, giveaways and prizes will draw customers into the trade show.

Final Thoughts

Trade shows can be of great benefit to a business. These events will allow the company to advertise directly to the target market. The team will have the chance to have direct access to potential clients. This platform can grow the company in various disciplines and areas through a trade show. The key, however, is whether the business takes the leap and invests time, money, and energy to create the perfect trade show booth.

Sabine Ghali

Kelly Murphy

PRESIDENT & FOUNDER

Certified Meeting planner with 20+ years of event management experience, founder of ConferenceSource, expert in meeting facility sourcing & contracting in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. Kelly will manage your budget as if they were her own, negotiating the best possible rate and hotel contract to benefit and protect every client and exceed all expectations for all planning aspects for sales meetings, educational meetings, product launches, incentive trips down to a small board of directors meeting. We make meetings easy understanding your meeting objectives and delivering meeting matched components.