In my last blog post I shared my thoughts on whether it is a good idea, when sales are lagging, to cut down on your marketing budget and skip trade fairs, or whether it might be smarter to step up a gear and go out to actively seek more sales.
Sometimes a company does decide to skip having a stand at a fair, but nonetheless deems the event so important that a full participation is replaced by a visit to hand out brochures and business cards.
Here are two reasons why exhibiting on your own stand remains the better option, anyhow:
1 – Out of sight = out of mind
Over 80% of trade show visitors plan their visit ahead. If you are not exhibiting, nobody knows you are there, and therefore they cannot plan to visit your stand or contact you to book a meeting. A fair catalogue might sound like an old-fashioned concept, but the catalogue’s list of exhibitors actually continues to be the first point of reference visitors turn to when planning their visit.
2 – A visitor only meets sales people
As a rule, companies man their trade fair stands with sales personnel. Think about who you are looking to meet – the sellers or the buyers? If the aim of your trade fair participation is to sell, then having a stand of your own is indispensable, as only that will attract potential buyers.
This post has been originally posted in Finnish 23.2.2015. Translation by Annemari Kettunen.