Exhibiting on a shoestring

There are many reasons why companies go to exhibitions. Some go to sell, to launch new products, to promote the brand or some or all of these reasons.  One thing for certain, is that exhibiting is an expensive undertaking. As a company you want to see best value for money.

There are good reasons for going to exhibitions.  Despite the so called benefits of the internet, the fact is people like to do business face to face and like to meet people at exhibitions.  In fact most people who go to exhibitions go with one thing in mind and that is to purchase something and you have a much better chance of seeing a new contact on an exhibition stand rather than trying to book an appointment at an office.

Doing things on a shoestring should not mean cutting down on costs at the expense of quality.  If you do things on the cheap then you will probably going to end up with problems in terms of poor quality stand build which will reflect badly on your brand.  Here though are just a few ideas I have picked up which will make your budget go that little bit further.

- Research the shows in your sector.
Make sure you are going to the right show. This might not be as obvious as you think. If you don't do your research, you could waste a lot of time and money.

- Choose your space wisely.
Some areas of an exhibition may charge a premium for stand space, This space may not always be appropriate for you...and neither is choosing the cheapest space that no one will ever visit. Write an exhibition plan and stick to it.  Make sure your staff are briefed in terms of targets and expected behavior.  This groundwork will make you that much more effective.

- Don't leave filling in the exhibition manual till the last minute.
If you do, you will normally have to pay more, about 25% more on electricity than if you had met the deadline in the first place.

- Hotels.
Don't leave booking hotel rooms to the last minute.  Hotels fill up nearer show time and start charging a premium rate. If you definitely know that you are going to do the show next year, do a deal with the hotel straight away after the show.

- Work with the show organisers.
It is in the interest of the organisers to get more people through the door. Offer them a competition prize, let their agency know about the new products you are launching, make sure that all this information is in the show guide and in the media centre. Don't forget to let your customers know about your attendance at the show on your website. Put a flyer in with your invoices, it won't cost you anything extra except the paper. 

- Look after your exhibition equipment...it is an investment.
Make use of your stand from previous years. This reduces exhibition expenditure tremendously. If you do smaller exhibitions, consider investing in a modular stand from companies such at Nimlok or Nomadic Display .  These are highly portable, easy to set up and can make any shell scheme or exhibition space become part of your showroom. 

- Dont take any literature.
First of all literature clutters up your stand. Secondly, customers are so overwhelmed with marketing material at a show that it usually ends up in a bin. Take their details and promise to send the literature in the post with a follow up call. They will think more of this. 

- Don't take giveaways.
Think about this, will a balloon or a pen make a difference to you getting that sale? 

- Take a fridge. 
Stock it up with drinks and buy sandwiches from the local supermarket daily. It will save you a fortune as catering at these shows is very expensive. 

- Avoid costly incidentals such as Internet access and lead referrals machine.
Are they really needed?

Most of all, remember to follow up on your show leads.  It is estimated that 70% of exhibition leads don't get followed up on which is bizarre especially if you have tired to run an exhibition on a shoestring.

For more tips, click on gaining the most out of your exhibitions.

Ian Lockyer
www.easimarketing.com