© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 1

MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 2

Hosting a stand at reputable expo or trade show is an excellent marketing tool for showcasing your product, yet not all marketers leverage this potentially powerful form of marketing. Today we’re going to learn ways to organise an effective exhibition that delivers tangible returns according to pre-determined desired outcomes.

WANT TO SHOW OFF YOUR PRODUCT’S PROWESS AND OPEN THE DOOR TO QUALITY CONVERSATIONS WITH NEW CUSTOMERS? IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU DISCOVERED THE BENEFITS OF AN EXHIBITION.

WHY EXHIBITIONS ARE A GREAT MARKETING METHOD:

• Youcanmakenewsalesandfill your funnel for future sales

• You can build richer customer, partner and media relationships

• You can create brand awareness

• Youcanfindoutwhatcustomersthink about your product or service

A NOTE BEFORE WE GET STARTED:

There are plenty of great online resources for topics like exhibition stand display and design you can access. In this eBook, we’re going to purely stick to the strategical side (rather than the logistical) side of exhibition planning.

MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 3

SET YOUR EXHIBITION OUTCOME GOALS

MAKE SALES

• Make outright sales

• Increase your sales to existing clients, or cross sell your other services

• Produce leads for Sales to follow up

• Grow your database to nurture for future sales opportunities

NURTURE YOUR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

• Nurture relationships with existing customers

• Re-open a conversation with ex (or dormant) customers

• Strengthen connections with potential customers face to face

• Educate customers about your product or service

• Gather feedback that can be used as testimonials

CREATE AWARENESS AND BUILD YOUR BRAND

• Generate awareness of your product and brand

• Demonstrate how the product works

• Access new markets

• Build credibility with potential investors

FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

• Market test your new product

• Conduct research for your marketing campaign

• Gain insight to market awareness and perceptions (Find out what people think of your product or service)

OPEN THE DOOR TO MEDIA AND PR OPPORTUNITIES

• Get the word out about your product in trusted publications or media outlets

• Build rapport with writersandinfluencers for future opportunities

ENHANCE YOUR SALES AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

• Meet new potential partners, suppliers, vendors or distributors

• Strengthen relationships and build trust in your organisation as a partner

THE FIRST STEP TO PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL EXHIBITION (THAT DELIVERS YOU GENUINE RETURN ON INVESTMENT) IS GOAL SETTING.

If you don’t have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve from the outset, how are you going to capitalise effectively on the opportunities it presents? Create a list of goals according to your desired results. The below list should give you plenty of ideas to work with.

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 4

Create and agree on a strategy with your sales team to determine who will be following up leads generated during the show. It’s mandatory hot leads are prioritised and followed up within

the critical window of time (i.e. days) following the exhibition. Ensure everyone is on the same page, and the sales team have any collateral they need upfront to assist with conversations.

BEFORE THE EXHIBITION

BEING CLEAR ON YOUR REASONS FOR EXHIBITING IS CRITICAL. These will be the determinants of every other decision you make.

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 5

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 6

LEVERAGE PRE-EXHIBITION MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

THE ROI OF AN EXHIBITION CAN BE SERIOUSLY AMPLIFIED BY COMPLEMENTING IT WITH ADDITIONAL MARKETING ACTIVITIES.

When a campaign of coordinated strategies is employed, marketing managers can enhance their success in the following ways:

• Create buzz to increase customer awareness of your exhibition

• Grow customer consciousness of your brand

• Build credibility

• Highlight the unique selling Points of your product or service

There is an abundance of strategies you can employ in the months and weeks leading up to the show.

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 7

SEND EMAILS OR LINKEDIN INMAIL

Target potential customers and interested parties with a personalised message to let them know about your exhibition. Be sure to entice them with a taster of the benefitstobehad,suchas the opportunity to talk to an expert, special offers and demonstrations.

POST TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Create a buzz by posting about your upcoming event and associated competitions on your social accounts.

INCLUDE THE SHOW’S DETAILS IN ADVERTISING

If running an ad campaign, you may like to add an additional call to action to encourage people to visit you at your exhibition. Make sure you provide key details of when and where it’s happening. E.g. “Find us at the Trade Show, ABC Pavilion, 31 March”

CREATE SPECIAL OFFERS OR COMPETITIONS

Brainstorm some competitions or offers you could run at your exhibition to incentivise people to visit your stand (or to sign up to your database while attending your stand).

UPDATE YOUR BLOG

Post to your blog or website to create awareness and interest in your exhibition.

THINK BEFORE YOU PRINT

Customers don’t tend to pay too much attention to flyershandedtothemduringexhibitions. Be strategic with printed brochures and keep costs to a minimum so you can preserve budget for better uses.

HUNT DOWN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Ask about the possibility of further opportunities for publicity at the show, such as a sponsored feature or submitting samples in the officialgoodybags.

IF YOU’RE AT A TRADE SHOW

Consider speaking to a seminar, sponsoring

an event, and attending networking

opportunities.

HOW TO CREATE AWARENESS AND BUZZ FOR YOUR UPCOMING EXHIBITION

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 8

MEASURING SUCCESS: HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF YOUR EXHIBITION WAS SUCCESSFUL?

REVISITING THE GOALS YOU SET EARLIER, IT’S NOW TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WILL MEASURE YOUR EXHIBITION’S PERFORMANCE.

The column on the right contains suggestions to assist you determine how well you achieved your goals.

EXHIBITION GOAL HOW TO MEASURE

MAKE SALES

• Make outright sales

• Increase your sales to existing clients, or cross sell your other services

• Produce leads for Sales to follow up

• Grow your database to nurture for future sales opportunities

• Record the number of sales made, revenue generated and lead acquired. Also record the number of new customers added to your database.

• Qualify your leads according to a ranking system. Remember even unqualifiedleadscanbenurtured for conversion at a (potentially much) later date.

NURTURE YOUR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

• Nurture relationships with existing customers

• Re-open a conversation with ex (or dormant) customers

• Strengthen connections with potential customers face to face

• Educate customers about your product or service

• Gather feedback that can be used as testimonials

• How many conversations did you have with old and new customers?

• Note the number and quality of all interactions.

• Were any relationships revived?

• Record any testimonials.

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 9

EXHIBITION GOAL HOW TO MEASURE

CREATE AWARENESS AND BUILD YOUR BRAND

• Demonstrate how the product works

• Generate awareness of your product and brand

• Champion your brand

• Build credibility with potential investors

• How many people witnessed/participated in a demonstration?

• Record (estimating as near as you can) the number of number people that witnessed/participated in your exhibition/saw your branding.

• Did you receive any coverage infinancialpublications?

FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

• Market test your new product

• Conduct research for your marketing campaign

• Gain insight to market awareness and perceptions – what do people think of your product or service?

• Create a feedback form to gauge customer awareness/attitudes – or simply record any customer comments made to you or overheard.

• Gauge interest levels in different types of offers by testing separately day to day.

• Record the number and content of any feedback related conversations.

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 10

EXHIBITION GOAL HOW TO MEASURE

OPEN THE DOOR TO MEDIA AND PR OPPORTUNITIES

• Get the word out about your product

• Buildrapportwithwritersandinfluencersfor future opportunities

• Note any media coverage, and the quality/estimated monetary value of any such publicity.

• Record number of contacts met.

• Note any conversations that may lead to doors opening in future/strengthening partnerships.

ENHANCE YOUR SALES AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

• Meet new potential partners, suppliers, vendors or distributors

• Strengthen relationships and build trust in your organisation as a partner

• How many potential partners, suppliers, vendors or distributors did you make contact with?

• Note any conversations that may lead to doors opening in future/strengthening partnerships.

You may want to create a table for yourself that you can make notes in during the exhibition to capture worthwhile interactions, feedback or ideas as they occur.

CHOOSE YOUR STAND REPRESENTATIVES WISELY

Your on-the-ground sales or marketing personnel that run the stand should be enthusiastic, knowledgeable and outgoing. Brief them upfront on their

objectives for the exhibition (according to the goals you set). Motivate them

with the chance of a bonus if they hit a certain target, or a reward for whoever

brings in the most leads.

© CLIFTONS VENUES 2018 – MARKETING MANAGERS: HOW TO PLAN AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBITION THAT BOOSTS SALES 11

WITH THE SHOW WRAPPED UP, YOUR JOB ISN’T OVER. THIS IS THE CRITICAL TIME TO FOLLOW UP ANY LEADS OR DETERMINE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT NEED TO BE FURTHER DEVELOPED ALONG THE FUNNEL.

POST-EXHIBITION MUSTS

Remember, exhibitions are not purely about instantaneous results. It’s also about getting a foot in the door to future sales opportunities. Some of the contacts you make during your exhibition may require nurturing for months or even a year before they are ready to purchase.

Block out the week or two following the exhibition and cover these bases:

• Get your sales team on the phones – every single lead needs to be followed up within the week

• Rate your leads according to how close the customer is to buying, and how much they are looking to spend. Prioritise the hottest leadsandhaveSalescallthemfirst

• Ensure good process is followed. All customer details should be captured or updated, with status notes recorded in your CRM

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

At some point during the week after the exhibition, sit down with your team and de-brief.

Ask yourselves the following questions:

• Complete and examine your goal metrics. How did you fare?

• What elements of the exhibition were successful?

• What could you have done better?

• What would you do differently next time (if anything)?

• Are there any ideas the exhibition has generated for future marketing campaigns?

ARE YOU ARE LOOKING TO RUN AN EXHIBITION OR EVENT?

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