- Create your stand carefully. In an exhibiting environment you’re going to be present with all your competitors so it’s important that your stand design really makes an impact. Only 20% of banner designs feature a call to action (CTA) so you can distinguish yours by including this. Make sure you keep your messaging clear and simple, don’t clutter the design and focus on that all important CTA.
- Set your goals. In particular, focus on what it is that you’re hoping to achieve from the exhibition when it comes to ROI. Be realistic about this and be sure to factor in all the costs that have been involved, from transport to banners.
- Activate your team to achieve more on the day. Do your staff know how to convert visitors? Have you made sure they understand the dos and don’ts on the day (e.g. put your phone away)? The people that you take with you can be your biggest asset if you give them the tools to convert more.
- Make sure they have all the right knowledge. Crucially, staff should be able to answer any questions put to them about the business and also the products and services that you’re selling. Are they ready to answer questions about USP, brand history, objectives and benefits?
- Find ways to keep everyone motivated. Motivated staff want to be there and are keen to open prospects’ eyes to the benefits of your products and your brand. Setting goals for staff, offering prizes and making sure they get regular breaks can help to ensure that the people representing your brand make the right impression.
- Aim to attract attention – but avoid gimmicks. Anything that you include on your stand on the day as a way to engage visitors should also be something that your staff can use as a conversion tool. That may mean thinking in advance about the best methods to show off products in a way that will enable sales too.
- Avoid the hard sell. Not everyone will be the right match for what you’re offering and bullying people into a sale on the day could leave a sour taste in the mouth for everyone involved. Instead, ask questions and listen to comments on need or expectations – look for ways in which your offering matches up with this as opposed to just listing all the generic benefits.
- Be open and respectful to everyone. If you’re just targeting senior staff you might miss out on the opportunities that someone else could present for making sales. Treat everyone the same and be open, friendly and approachable to all. Follow up with everyone too – research shows that up to 50% of sales are won by the vendor who is first to respond after an exhibition.
- Don’t leave early. If you want to maximise the potential for sales then that means staying until close.
Our top 9 tips for increasing exhibition sales
Exhibiting can be a goldmine when it comes to sales. It’s an opportunity to get face-to-face with potential customers and put your business on the map. So, how do you ensure that you’re generating positive return on an exhibiting investment and increasing the number of sales that you make?