tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75111370934745405312024-02-20T16:19:03.395-08:00Inspiration LimitedInspiration Limitedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05797849578728755592noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511137093474540531.post-14056773922692251322011-08-04T07:44:00.000-07:002011-08-04T07:44:33.919-07:00Pre Exhibition Tips<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; tab-stops: 81.3pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Exhibiting at a trade show is an excellent way to touch potential customers, strengthen relationships with your current customer base, visually position yourselves within the market place and above all it is an economic way of gaining sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in order to maximise on the success of the show there is some important work which needs to be done prior to and post the event itself.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 9.3pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">You'll improve your trade show experience by planning ahead. The most important things at any trade show are the exhibitors and the attendees yet a</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ccording to a study conducted by the Centre for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) 85 percent of attendees had not been contacted by a salesperson before the show and then consider that 86 of these attendees are the decision maker or influence the buying decision.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 9.3pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Exhibitors without attendees aren't of much worth. High-quality attendees are the lifeblood of any successful trade show. Keep in mind that sheer number of attendees is not the only issue. A show that attracts a relatively small number of attendees who happen to be exactly the type of people you are looking for might easily be more successful at helping you grow than a bigger show with a broader group of attendees.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 9.3pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, how do you get the right people there? Firstly, you sell the show and not yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As good as your company are the customer is going to need more of a pull to dedicate the time to attend the event than just your service offering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Send personal invitations, letters or emails informing people of what the show is about, who is exhibiting (not just yourself), are there any demonstrations, competitions, seminars or networking opportunities? This has to be a structured process of telling them that you’re going to tell them, tell them and then tell them that you’ve told them! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5.55pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you decided what your show objective is? Are you exhibiting to generate sales leads? Is this an opportunity to road test or introduce a new product? Is this your opportunity to obtain customer feedback? Have you considered studying the competition? And don't forget the opportunity to recruit new employees, distributors or dealers from your industry.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5.55pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, you know why you’re doing it and you’ve got them there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">ake sure you get the most from your stand or your interactions with the footfall. You may go so far as to write a script for people staffing your stand to present to visitors. Qualifying is an important part of speaking to people at trade shows. You can spend a lot of time talking to the wrong people. So make sure you know who you want to talk to, whether it's a potential customer, supplier, dealer or other contact, and make sure you spend as much time as possible interacting with the target people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider a method of data capture, this could be a competition – place your business card in this bowl for the chance to win...., this is critical for your post exhibition follow up.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 9.3pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, collateral. You’re one stand of many.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you going to ensure that you stand out from the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the time to review the floor plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider floor walkers, promotional staff with t shirts branded with your company name and stand number walking around the show offering a hand out – coffee voucher, cotton shopper bag to act as a show carry case, information about the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are the staff on the stand carrying your corporate identity? Do they have name badges so attendees know who they are speaking with? Do they have lots of business cards and brochures to give away and have you considered promotional gifts? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, have you considered the nature of the gifts? These are going to be a permanent reminder from the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they relative to your market? There’s no point giving a branded condom to a religious group however they are the perfect give away for the I.T. industry who sell anti virus software.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 9.3pt; mso-line-height-alt: 8.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Planning is the key to a successful exhibition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not make the mistake of just booking a stand, ensure you maximise on the opportunities being presented to you. </span></span></div>Inspiration Limitedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05797849578728755592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511137093474540531.post-46447645927521182652011-07-28T07:27:00.000-07:002011-07-28T07:27:58.519-07:00Stand out from the crowd<div style="background: white; line-height: 10.2pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;">MARKETING ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE, ITS COMMON SENSE!</span></b><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The `magic’ key is to apply your behaviour to your marketing strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you buy certain brands over others? Why you shop where you do? Is it price, habit or clever marketers? Look at your purchasing trends and apply this to your business and product. Many businesses have attempted to reinvent products, from cupcakes to pizza to coffee, which are considered commodities. Some have met with astonishing success -- Starbucks being a notable example -- while others have fallen flat. So what are the important ingredients in a successful reinvention?</span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 10.2pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: center 225.65pt left 302.85pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;">Tell the story behind your product </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">– There is always a need to endear the consumer to your brand, to ensure that at the point of purchase their decision is already made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A classic example of this is washing up liquid, the market leaders Fairy have always used a mother and daughter as part of their advertising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The message being conveyed was hwands that do dishes will feel soft as your face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The subliminal, intended message was that Fairy is the best for the family, mum trusts it enough with her daughters delicate hands and research has shown that our decision making process when buying washing up liquid is based primarily on `what mum uses’! So, tell the story. How and why you started brewing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you organic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it a family business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How have you gown or why you intend to stay at the size you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring them in, let them take you to their hearts and then let the product sell itself.</span></strong></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 10.2pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span></b><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;">Introduce the product to industry influencers – </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Pubs! Get out there and get landlords introduced to your beers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes this can include the use of promotional merchandise such as branded glassware, beer mats, poloshirts etc but it can also be a sales promotion by way of an introductory barrel price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s coming off your bottom line rather than theirs they’re interest will be greater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look upon it as an investment and your confidence in your beer that will ensure repeat orders and at your standard price</span></strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 10.2pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span></b><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;">Create a shared experience around the product </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">– You’re in the pub, you’ve endeared them to your brand so now its time for the final push.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sponsor the pub football team, a quiz night or most successfully a loyalty reward scheme, ie receive a token for every pint purchased, the tokens are redeemed for either more beer or branded gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To maximise on the success of such a promotion run the scheme alongside a national event which drives traffic to pubs such as the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"></span></div>Inspiration Limitedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05797849578728755592noreply@blogger.com0