Should You Attend Trade Shows?

Regardless of what product you produce, from soup to screws, there’s certain to be at least one annual trade show for your industry. Unfortunately, if you’re a smaller manufacturer, you may believe you can’t afford to attend.

But are you sure you can afford not to attend? Trade shows offer excellent opportunities to examine the competition, reach new customers (as well as revisiting existing clients) and promote your business. You may not have the largest booth, but you can make yourself and your products visible and memorable.

In deciding whether to attend a trade show, look first at the event’s location. If it’s close to some of your customers, you can schedule meetings or site visits while you’re in their town.

Also consider who else will be participating. If the number of exhibitors is large, you may have fewer opportunities to meet casually with attendees but have more chances to identify potential business partners or customers. At smaller shows, you may not have the same networking and educational opportunities.

If you decide to attend, consider how to stand out from the crowd. Smaller manufacturers can’t compete with “the big guys” for eye-popping booths, but you can alert customers and prospects that you’ll be there. Send a card or e-mail giving them your booth number well in advance.

When they come to your booth, give them a reason to stay. One way to generate buzz and traffic is to launch a new product or service at the show. Not only will visitors be more interested in your booth, but you may also be able to parlay the launch into media coverage that will put your name out to a much wider audience.

Product demonstrations and giveaways generate interest, too. Vacuum cleaner manufacturers can prove their newest model picks up lint; blender manufacturers can give away freshly made smoothies.

Recognize, too, that not all trade show sales take place at the show. You’ll be putting in long hours, and you won’t have much time with each prospect. Be sure everyone in the booth stays upbeat and gather as much information as possible.

Finally, after the show ends, evaluate your experience. Identify what went right, where you missed opportunities and what you might improve on next time. Attending a trade show is a business investment. Reviewing your performance can help ensure you get the maximum return on that investment.

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