Ryan Farquharson, Co-founder & CEO of ExpoCart, puts the case for the power of tradeshows.
Entrepreneurs often disagree on whether a tradeshow stand is worth all the time, expense and effort. Their views are inevitably influenced by how much extra business their companies directly generate through attending such events.
Many entrepreneurs see a tradeshow as an opportunity to engage with a live audience and turn their stands into vibrant showcases for their products. They draw attention by using props, banners and TV screens hire to create a professional brand image but is their level of investment justified?
The importance of advertising
Every business understands the importance of bringing their products or services to the attention of related industries or the general public. Paid advertising is an essential part of a company’s expenditure. Along with leaflet campaigns, press releases and social media coverage, a tradeshow launch is another marketing strategy. Used wisely, it can make a hugely significant impact because it directly presents a company's brand and products to an audience who are already interested in its genre. Achieving a higher level of brand awareness at a tradeshow through making new contacts within a particular industry can be invaluable. But as with all forms of advertising, a tradeshow stand needs to draw the crowds to justify its investment.
Innovative advancements
Many companies use a tradeshow event to maximise publicity for their innovative products or designs. Motor shows held at worldwide venues including Geneva and Paris have a long history of launching vehicles with futuristic designs or innovative technological advancements. Robotics and computerisation tradeshows are immensely popular for bringing new ideas to a world platform.
Without such tradeshow events many products would pass by unnoticed.
By entering a tradeshow, even the smallest business can bring an innovative product to the attention of large, international companies who might be willing to make an investment. A tradeshow launch concentrates on gaining essential exposure for a brand or product.
Lost productivity?
A tradeshow can provide a valuable experience for members of staff helping them to discover their skills in bringing the company’s brand to a wide audience. Many businesses are apprehensive that the time members of staff spend at an event is at the expense of productivity at the company’s base. However, effective selling techniques at an event can increase a brand’s profile significantly leading to greater marketing opportunities and direct sales. Stands at a tradeshow don’t require a high number of employees to be effective. It’s using the most appropriate tools to highlight a brand that can more than compensate for lost productivity.
In conclusion, entrepreneurs need to use every available means such as professional banners and TV screens to highlight their products as imaginatively as possible. They will then create an attractive and memorable display with the potential to draw large crowds. Their companies and brands will ultimately be presented as innovative and dynamic. The projected increase in sales and brand awareness through a successful exhibition using minimal staff levels should more than justify the investment in having a tradeshow stand.
Ryan Farquharson is Co-founder & CEO at ExpoCart, a one-stop-shop marketplace for products and services for exhibitions and events.
