Exhibitions and Marketing – the post-pandemic dream team

Our recent article about experiential marketing highlighted exactly why our post-pandemic freedom has awakened the beast – that fundamental yearning in most of us to interact. And after a whole lot of digital-only hook-ups, the exhibition industry has gone from nought to 60 in its efforts to give marketing its oomph back. It’s no secret at all that getting to know customers and clients online can’t hold a candle to an in-person interaction, but how else can exhibitions enhance a marketing strategy?

Why bother with an exhibition at all?

In three words – ready-made clientele.

One of the most, if not the most important benefit of an exhibition is that the organisers have done one of the hardest jobs for you. They’ve already advertised and attracted customers who’ll be interested in your brand. This is especially useful in niche marketing. We’re all aware of how many marketing emails and doorstops of snail mail get overlooked and recycled – that time and expense gets billed to the exhibition organisers, not you.

Concentrated potential customer base

An exhibition also brings potential customers from the most far-flung corners of planet Earth into one space, where you can wow them with your stand and products. The big take-home with this is that you’ll be reaching some people who’ve missed your other marketing strategies.

Face-off!

Another important facet of in-person marketing is taking advantage of our human nature – we love to meet other people, and this is especially true when we’re doing business. The face-to-face interaction on a personal level helps to build trust, which in turn builds more business opportunities. Video meetings are a brilliant tool which have been a boon to businesses, but they simply can’t match an in-person chat. It also allows you to develop client relationships that were initiated online.

Become one of the ‘It Crowd’

That’s right – you’re mixing with the big names, whether they like it or not. If you do your homework and see how the best in the business present themselves at other exhibitions and tradeshows, you can cherry pick their most innovative ideas and build on them. This gives you the opportunity to create a stand-out stand! You’ll be rubbing shoulders with the best, so be one of the best. You’ve got a captive audience, and you have the opportunity to make your name familiar to them just by putting your brand in lights for the constant flow of traffic.

Passive marketing

This is a big one and it’s easy to forget – passers-by are also spectators. They may not be interested in your product right now, at least not enough to go and interact with it – however, word of mouth is exceptionally powerful. Who knows when (and it may be that evening at the bar) they’ll be speaking to a colleague who then mentions that they need something like your product or services? If they’ve seen a brilliantly presented stand enhanced by your inventive and interactive team, this creates future invisible sales. This knowledge will travel back to the office with them, and that could be across the other side of the world.

Fish for feedback

Cold calling is, frankly, just that – cold. Customers and potential clients are often unenthusiastic about it, especially if they’ve nothing to complain about. So, exhibitions are perfect for getting positive feedback as well as helpful hints on products and services you’re launching. Savvy businesses listen to what does and doesn’t work where marketing is concerned. At the exhibition launch stage, this feedback will allow you to fix any boo-boos super-quick.