Page 4 - KZN Business Sense 8.5
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LEVERAGING LINKAGES AT TRADE SHOWS



                    Monique Labat,    ■   Land a big customer       stay up-to-date on the latest   checklist to have a successful      labels, packaging
                     Monique Labat    ■   Launch a new product      trends in their industry.     trade show:                   8.  Personal items: refillable water
                      Consulting (Pty) Ltd   ■   Develop a mailing list of                        1.  Exhibition materials: ensure       bottle, dry snacks, mints
                                        hot leads                   Sales Process at Trade Shows     you submit all necessary    9.  Pre-Trade Show to boost
                         f you                                       Having a well-defined sales      exhibition stand requirement
                         manufacture   ■   Find a key strategic partner to    process in place requires sales      to the organisers before the       attendance: send invitations
                      Iautomotive       reach a larger market       representatives to be knowledgeable                            to your current clients and
                      accessories,    ■   Enhance relationships with    about what your company offers   deadline                  customers and ask them
                        fast moving     your existing customers     and how it can benefit potential   2.  Exhibition requirements:       to share your pre-trade show
                          consumer     Work with the organisers to   customers. Sales reps should also      banners, signage, product    promotion
                          goods,      ensure that the trade show has   be prepared for questions about      display holders, lighting,    10.  Make appointments ahead
                          furniture,   a history of inviting buyers   pricing and delivery timelines.      illustrations and graphic       of time: invite potential clients
                          or steel    interested in your products or   Additionally, it’s important to have      images, security for your laptop     or customers for coffee at your
        tanks then trade shows could be   services. To find the right trade   a strong branding presence at trade   3.  Marketing material: electronic       exhibition stand or at the
        an excellent opportunity to grow   show for your business, you need   shows so that potential customers      catalogues, digital order       trade show coffee shop
        your customer base. Business to   to know:                  will remember your company after      forms, e-brochures, sales    Finally, always follow up with
        Business (B2B) specialist firm                              the event is over.               sheets, e-business cards and    potential customers after a trade
        Monique Labat Consulting has   ■   The different types of trade                              giveaways                  show has ended in order to
        worked with these industry      shows                       Attracting Buyers to your Trade   4.  Product samples and products:    solidify any relationships that
        sectors and many others including   ■   What your company goals are  Show Stand              plan how you can best display
        agro-processing, clothing/textiles,   ■   Who your target market is  Another way to leverage B2B      your products and/or services    were formed during the event. 
        creative industries, renewable   ■   Foot traffic numbers and reports    linkages is by offering unique      to gain maximum visitors to    Keen to know more about participating in
        energy and training/education     from previous trade shows                                  your exhibition stand      trade shows locally and internationally to
        sectors.                                                    products or services that are not   5.  Share your exhibition stand    secure new markets, new suppliers or new
                                       Trade shows allow companies   available from other companies                             clients contact Monique Labat Consulting
         Trade shows reach a large    to learn about the latest     attending the show. This can      number and location pin    (Pty) Ltd
        number of industry contacts,   products and services        help you stand out from the      widely with your clients,    E: monique@moniquelabat.com or
        potential suppliers and most   that are available in their   competition and potentially win      potential buyers and on social    M: 0027 (0) 82 924 6349
        importantly buyers in a few short   industry. Secondly companies   new business contracts.      media platforms
        days. Trade shows provide a   participating in trade shows                                6.  Exhibition stand supplies:
        venue for companies to showcase   meet new suppliers and    Checklist for Trade Show         e-lead forms on tablet,
        their products and services, and   partners, which can help them   Participation             a customer relationship
        they also offer opportunities for   expand their business reach.   Optimising your company’s      management system to     SCAN
        networking and B2B linkages.  Additionally, trade shows     participation at a trade show or      capture all visitors/potential    QR CODE
                                      offer opportunities to build   exhibition takes preparation and      buyers’ details
        Benefits of Trade Shows and   relationships with potential   proper planning and ensures you   7.  Exhibition stand supplies:    TO SEE
        Exhibitions
                                      customers. Finally, attending   leverage your time and financial      stationery, including adhesive    VIDEO
        At the right trade show you can:  trade shows can help businesses   investment fully. Here is a quick      tape, packing tape, shipping



        DRAMA CLASSROOM HANDOVER ON MANDELA DAY



              he staff of Cox Yeats   interested in pursuing a career   assisted in setting up.
              Attorneys celebrated    in dramatic arts.
                                                                     The Cox Yeats interventions at
        TMandela Day by attending      The renovation involved the   the school include the provision
        the handover of a fully re-   removal and replacement of    of a library together with the
        furbished drama classroom at   the entire classroom floor, the   donation of  books for the library.
        Amaoti No 3 Secondary School to   construction of a spring form   The firm has provided seating
        the school educators.
                                      stage along with the removal   at tables for the learners so they
          Cox Yeats Attorneys’        and replacement of roofing, the   have somewhere to sit during
        corporate social responsibility   walls were skimmed and painted,   break time or study periods. In
        programme places a huge focus   curtains were hung, and lighting   addition, the following items have
        on education, and encouraging   and décor installed.        been provided over the years:
        learning and excellence.   As   The drama room project      ■   Jerseys for the learners
        it is a disadvantaged school in   ensures that the classroom is fit   ■   Mattresses for the matric
        their community, Amaoti No    for purpose and adds enormous     learners who sleep over during
        3 Secondary School, located   value to bringing out the best     exam time
        in Amaoti, Phoenix, Durban
        has been supported by the firm   in the learners. It provides an   ■   Blankets for the learners
        for a number of years. Staff at   ideal teaching environment for   ■   Scientific calculators for the
        Cox Yeats personally visit the   passionate educators to find     grade 10/11/12 learners
        school often and have identified   creative solutions to encourage   ■   Laptops and computers to the
        many areas where they could   learning as well as promoting a     school
        add value to the teaching and   sense of ownership and pride.
        learning outcomes at the school.   During the handover on   ■   The provision of year end gifts
        Learners should be given every   Mandela Day the Cox Yeats staff     to the matric top achievers at
        opportunity to dream and Cox   were treated to drama, dance     the award’s ceremony each year
        Yeats strives to make sure that   and song performances by the   ■   The provision of sandwiches to
        these dreams materialise.     learners. The firm also provided     the matric learners – so they
                                      meals for all the educators.    have an afternoon meal each day
          One such project is the drama
        classroom project, which has   Over the years, Cox Yeats has   Cox Yeats firmly believes
        been driven by a passion to   seen how its efforts at the school   that it is an enormous privilege
        expand the range of learning   have paid off. This positive effect   to participate in projects
        opportunities available to the   is apparent in the increase in   such as these that  assist in
        learners at the school. As many   pass rates at the school, in the   enabling learners to reach
        of the young teens at Amaoti No  development and enhancement   their potential. 
        3 Secondary School have gifts   of the teaching of the English
        in dance, music, poetry and art,   language as well as in the new
        the school can now offer the   and improved syllabuses and
        drama course to any learners   courses which Cox Yeats has




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