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Middle East Post Box


Country Dial Codes
Bahrain +973
Cyprus +357
Egypt +20
Iran +98
Iraq +964
Jordan +962
Kuwait +965
Lebanon +961
Oman +968
Palestine +972
Qatar +974
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Turkey +90
United Arab Emirates +971
Yemen +967


The dos and don'ts of exhibiting

  • Avoid the traps!
  • Plan and prepare
  • Set realistic objectives
  • Be effective
  • Generate business
  • Get a return on their investment
  • Enjoy the event and return next year

Misconceptions

  • Exhibitions are expensive and unproductive
  • I have to be there because my competitor is
  • I have to have the biggest possible stand
  • Unless you are at the front no-one visits your stand
  • I don't need to be there, everyone knows us
  • Planning? That's the organisers' job!
  • We don't need to do any extra marketing

Why Exhibit?

  • Exhibitions provide more leads than any other medium, at lower costs!
  • The buyer comes to the seller
  • Decision-makers visit shows
  • New prospects attend shows
  • The contact is face to face
  • Visitors can see, touch and try your product

And...

  • Exhibitions reinforce your image
  • Exhibition visitors are responsive
  • Your stand becomes a stage
  • Business ambience is enhanced
  • Test marketing is meaningful
  • Exhibitions are effective in the Middle East
  • In Europe, companies spend 25 per cent of their marketing budgets on exhibitions. Why? Because they work!

Exhibitions As Part Of The Marketing Mix

  • Exhibitions should be only one part of an integrated marketing strategy
  • Define clear objectives for shows that can be measured, as with any other media
  • Plan media to coincide with the show
  • On all ads, mention your stand number
  • Capitalise on the PR value of shows to reinforce products and services

Common Traps

  • No advance planning
  • No objectives set,
  • Too small or large a stand
  • No pre-marketing
  • Products not working
  • Boring display or bored, ineffective staff
  • No training of staff or rehearsals
  • Technical staff not present

Yet More Traps

  • No prospect qualification
  • Poor lead-taking
  • No follow-up of leads
  • Poor stand management
  • Last-minute build-up
  • Poor stand layout
  • No staff rota system
  • No handouts or examples
  • No show budget

Plain In Advance

  • Set your objectives early
  • Decide on which products to promote
  • Identify and book the stand
  • Produce a budget and timetable
  • Design the stand to the products and budget
  • Appoint a stand manager for the show
  • Produce a marketing plan
  • Brief PR and ad agency for creative ideas

The Budget

  • Space rental
  • Stand design, build, signage, fittings, etc
  • Stand services
  • Transport, storage and handling of exhibits
  • Staffing costs
  • Promotion
  • Advertising

Examples Of Objectives

  • Launch a new product
  • Generate 'x' number of new prospects
  • Reinforce company image or re-launch the company image
  • Sell product
  • Locate new agents or distributors
  • Carry out market research
  • Maintain/increase market share

Choosing The Right Stand Design

  • Is it functional?
  • Produce a written brief
  • Design within the available space
  • Keep it simple
  • Choose a central product or theme
  • Stay within your budget
  • Control costs

Exhibiting Your Products

  • Are the products in good working condition?
  • Do you have the necessary technical information?
  • Do you have handouts or samples available?
  • Are the exhibits and products clearly visible?
  • Can visitors try the product or is there a demo?
  • How can you gain an extra advantage?
  • Is the lighting carefully planned?
  • Is the signage clear and easily read?
  • Are people attracted to the stand?

Running The Stand

  • Use your best people
  • They must be trained
  • Sales and technical is the best mix
  • Have a rota system
  • Keep the stand tidy
  • Have at least two staff members on the stand
  • Wear company badges
  • Provide refreshments but not too much

Prospecting From The Stand

  • Wear suitable attire
  • Hold daily sales meetings
  • Opening conversation is important
  • Qualify the visitor,
  • Take their details
  • Be professional
  • Know your product
  • Let him or her know you will follow up the visit

Finding Potential Buyers

  • Be pro-active; attract them to the stand
  • Identify prospects from the simply curious
  • How interested are they?
  • Identify what needs they have and then match with a solution
  • Don't ignore journalists
  • Look for PR opportunities
  • Look out for the spy

Advertising And PR

  • Understand the media plan for the show
  • Link your campaigns to the organisers'
  • Advertise in advance, mentioning your stand number
  • Use direct mail tickets to the organisers
  • Plan a PR campaign to build interest in advance
  • Make sure you place PR packs in the press office
  • Get your sales people to issue personal invitations
  • Place show or event posters in your office reception
  • Plan onsite demos for valued clients
  • Advertise on the website for each show

Following Up On Leads And Measuring The Response

  • If you can't measure it; don't do it
  • Follow up every lead immediately
  • Contact all the visitors as soon as possible
  • Address questions asked by visitors
  • Arrange further visits to clients
  • Have a sales meeting at the end of each day
  • Do a post-show debriefing with all staff
  • Evaluate your results against the objectives

Sponsorship Opportunities

Ask the organisers for a list of opportunities including: registration, staff uniforms, 'Agents Wanted' boards, banner sites, road-hoarding sites, shuttle buses, balloon sites, 'You are here' signs, and video walls.


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