Whether your business sells a product or service, your objective is to increase sales. The two most basic ways to generate income are to sell more to your existing customers and to find new customers. One way to get your name in front of people is through attending a trade show. No matter what line of business you are in, odds are good that there is at least one trade show held each year dedicated to your industry.
Trade shows are all about networking. In fact, you will be hard pressed to discover another networking opportunity quite as good as a trade show. While online networking is great and can most definitely lead to interesting opportunities for your business, a good old-fashioned face to face interaction with a potential customer or new business lead is difficult to replace. Remember that the majority of communication is non-verbal, thus communicating over the phone or online isn’t quite the same. A savvy businessperson will use a trade show as an opportunity to introduce oneself to others in the industry and make valuable contacts at the same time.
Keeping in mind that education is a key mission of trade shows; you will find a show is a great opportunity to see what the latest trends are in your industry. It will also afford you the opportunity to see what your competitors are up to, and what the leaders in your industry are doing. The best part is that you can see all of it in one place.
One way to increase your visibility at a trade show is to host a stand. The exhibit areas of most trade shows draw large crowds of people. Think of it as a somewhat captive audience of people who you know all have some sort of interest in your industry. By hosting a stand you can meet many people as they wander from stand to stand. If you have a creative or compelling display, you will draw more visitors. Every new visitor is a potential customer or business partner, either of which can help drive dollars to your bottom line. You should not close your eyes or mind to connecting with other companies within your industry. A competitor of today could become a partner of tomorrow, helping to sell more of your company’s products or services.
While the time and expense involved in participating in a trade show may seem high to you, keep in mind that it can be more costly to not participate. First, you will be conspicuous by your absence. Additionally, you miss out on the opportunity to make an impression on the very people who could be your ticket to greater success. The time spent and the connections made could serve you well for a long time.
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