Small businesses can enjoy great mileage from trade shows. They offer great exposure for your products, as well as providing a fantastic avenue for business owners to network. In addition, they’re great ways to keep your ear to the ground about industry trends.
However, deciding on which trade shows to attend can be a tough choice, and making the wrong choices provides no benefit for your business. Thankfully, we have put together a list of four things you should consider when formulating your 2011 trade show strategy.
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Do Not Exhibit at a New Trade Show
A newly formed trade show is an unproven venue. Even if a new trade show has all the right marketing tactics and sounds like a great place to try to sell your wares, we strongly suggest you consider only attending the show. That way, you can better determine whether it may be a good place to exhibit next year.
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Attend as a Panel Expert or Featured Speaker
You don’t have to attend every trade show as an exhibitor. Use your contacts to get a place as a featured speaker, presenter, or panel expert. This raises your profile among your peers and helps you become more of an expert in your field.
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Launch a New Product
A national trade show is an excellent venue to introduce a new product you’ve been developing. Give out samples, ask for feedback, and send out press releases about your product to local media. Trade shows can help you create the buzz you need to get your new product on the market.
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Consider an Off-Beat Trade Show
You don’t have to exhibit at a trade show specifically aimed at your industry. Consider exhibiting at a show that is non-related, as you’ll stand out among the other exhibitors. For instance, a cooking industry trade show has plenty of new food items, cookware, and spices. However, but your T-shirt business can be a great way for food product manufacturers to order custom-designed shirts with their logo or product on it.
Trade shows can generate significant leads for your business, as long as you use the right strategies!
