Do’s & Don’ts of Exhibiting

Is it your first time exhibiting at one of our events? Perhaps you are looking to increase your sales and brand awareness this year? Australian Events have spent many years developing and perfecting our sales and marketing strategies and we would like to share some of our top do’s and don’ts when it comes to exhibiting.

Before the Event

Marketing before the event is just as important as promoting yourself while you are at the event. Once you decide to exhibit, you should let your customers, clients and followers know where you are going to be and what you are bringing. Exhibiting at an event gives you a whole bunch of angles and opportunities for social media content, as well as giving your clients another opportunity to come and see you. Social media is a simple tool to get the word out and engage with your potential clients. An easy way to advertise your involvement in the event is to use our event banners throughout your social media account. Don’t forget to tag Australian Events or the Expo in your posts so that we can share and help drive the crowds to your site.

Your Exhibition Site

Your exhibition site is what patrons will see as they walk through the event. Therefore, it is one of the most important parts to consider when you think about exhibiting. Your site should look exciting and inviting, while not being overly cluttered. Patrons should be able to walk past your site and know exactly who you are and what you do. Put some thought into your site layout and design, try not to make it too cluttered or messy. Remember that patrons need to be able to walk into your site to have a conversation so try to keep it open and inviting as possible.

Body Language and Communication

The way in which you communicate with potential customers is crucial in influencing them to feel confidence in your company and in the purchase of your product or service. Here are a few body language tips which help make it easier to sell.

• Have confidence – don’t lean on walls, slouch in your chair or cross your arms
• Be calm – don’t rush the sale, take your time. Patrons want to feel like they have your complete attention.
• Connect with the visitors at your site – find out their interests, you may be able to make a connection to influence the sale
• Be honest – if you don’t know the answer get their contact details and follow up with them.

Share Information

Patrons visit these types of events to get information. Make sure that you have plenty of pamphlets, order forms, quotes or pricing sheets on hand so that you can supply them to visitors when they ask. It’s also a good idea to include your website and/or social media pages on these pamphlets so that they can easily find you once the event is over. Exhibitors often tell us they run out of flyers because many visitors want more information, so make sure you bring plenty to spare.

Man your Site

Too often we see unmanned sites at our events. It is important that you have someone onsite and ready to answer questions as visitors approach. In most cases, unmanned sites will be overlooked because there is no-one there for the patron to engage with. It is also important that you send experienced and knowledgeable staff to these events. It’s not a good look for your business if the only person able to answer the hard questions on the day isn’t there. Customers may get annoyed and look elsewhere, so come prepared to make the most of the event.

Get off your Phone!

This seems like a very obvious tip that we shouldn’t need to talk about, but we see it all too often at our events. The long days can often lead to exhibitors sitting on their phones or computers when things get quiet. Stand up, put your phone away and you’ll demonstrate that positive body language to visitors. You are more likely to generate those additional sales and leads if you make the effort.

We hope these six tips will help you at your next event with us. We want you to succeed and therefore we are here to help. If you have any tips and tricks you would like to share with the community please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected].

In the meantime, keep a look out on our blog for more tips when it comes to exhibiting at our trade events.