Page 11 - EXHIBITION BOOK - BOOK 1 Before!_Neat

as more companies are seeing the real benefit of meeting clients face to face. As the number of shows
increases yearly it’s important you do the one, that is closest allied to your industry and if your competitors
are continuing to do these shows it’s because they work. I meet with many companies in the B2B sector
who fear doing an Exhibition because of the cost and I get this but in the introduction to this book we
looked at the many benefits outside of direct sales that shows can offer and whilst they apply to all shows,
the B2B shows are where these advantages really come to the fore. Again, let’s look at some advantages
and disadvantages to see where we fit in all of this…

Trade Show – Advantages

• Targeted specifically at your sector
• Visitors tend to have very specific reason for coming
• Leads tend to be better qualified
• Less time wasters
• It’s not all about stand size

Trade Show – Disadvantages

• Numbers of visitors tend to be lower
• Sales tend to come slower
• Lead quantity lower than consumer shows
• Need for more technically focused people on the stand

The key questions to ask in relation to the event are about the target audience for the show. Obviously, the
key driver for exhibiting is to meet the right clients and this may be trade focused or consumer centric, so
the ultimate decision is about who you want to meet. Both offer great opportunities for doing business
given you have your objectives clearly in place.

A lot of companies place a strong emphasis or concern on who is exhibiting, and this makes sense,
however I wouldn’t necessarily use it as the key indicator of whether you should exhibit or not, but it can
give a clear idea if it’s the industry show, and this is worth considering. A lot of companies enter the
Exhibition space thinking it’s a license to print money…I wish! It’s not and the companies who develop the
best industry shows tend to be the ones who have a background in that specific sector through trade
magazines or industry affiliation. As a potential exhibitor at a trade show, I would always ask and find out
what industry bodies are affiliated to the show. Industry bodies carry weight and also bring visitors. My
own personal word of warning is that a new show with no industry support is going to struggle to really
make its mark and deliver on the visitors which are your real value.

Exhibitions can be expensive but also offer great opportunities but just make sure you do your research
and do the right one.

What Exhibition is the key industry leader in your market sector?