Different business exhibitions or trade shows occur from time to time. As an online retailer, these are great opportunities for you to invest in. However, you need to learn how to maximize your return on investment (ROI) to ensure your efforts are well worth it. In fact, getting the most ROI should be your top priority when exhibiting at a trade show.
To achieve this, you need to follow a lot of well-timed and calculated steps. You cannot randomly decide on everything and immediately expect to have a higher ROI. Here are some steps to guide you.
How to Maximize ROI from Trade Shows
Be Well Prepared
Maximizing your ROI is nearly impossible without careful planning. It is important to prepare ahead of time. One of the things you need to learn during the preparation phase is how to calculate your ROI from trade shows. This can help you make informed investment decision as you go along.
Another factor to consider during this stage is your people. It is critical to employ staff who knows the ins and outs of your business and has the right characteristic for the job. Do not choose people who tend to get nervous and shy when placed in crowded places. Instead, pick individuals who are outgoing and friendly to leave a good first impression to your customers.
Pick the Right Show and Prospects
There are vast choices of trade shows where you can participate and find companies to invest in. However, it is important to consider not only the type of show you are planning to attend but also the people attending these events. You will not want to join a trade show whose participants do not match your offerings.
Be sure to do your homework before you join a trade show. Target popular trade shows whose participants are likely from huge companies, owners of enterprises, and the like. It will not make any sense to take part in a trade show where you cannot find even a sole business owner.
Control Your Emotions
Do not let your emotions get ahead of you. Stay calm yet be mindful of your surroundings. While you will want to win customers’ business, it is also important to enjoy the trade show itself. Try to create meaningful connections with potential investors or clients, but do not pressure yourself to win new clients or close huge deals from big companies. Who knows these customers can remember you not because of the products you are selling but because of the conversation you had with them.
Invite People to the Booth
When exhibiting, most booths would put in more work to attract customers. Don’t just stand around all day in your booth waiting for customers to come. To maximize your ROI, it is important to reach out and take bold risks. Approach and persuade customers to visit your booth and purchase your products. Grab every opportunity while you can because you can never know when it will happen again.
In addition, to fully maximize your ROI on tradeshows, consider leaving your booth once in a while and see how others are doing. This will give you new ideas on what to do for your next exhibit.
Raise Your Profile
It does not make any sense to attend a trade show if you want to maintain a low key profile. Trade shows are a great business booster since it can help you raise your profile, improve brand awareness and expand your networks.
One effective way of raising your company’s profile is to advertise your exhibit ahead of time. You can either post detailed announcements to your website or run eye-catching advertisements to capture your target audience’s attention prior the main event.
Be Memorable
Trade shows offer a unique opportunity for business owners to leave a trademark to their customers. That said, think of a creative giveaway that would make people remember you whenever they see that item. You will want to avoid giving key chains or refrigerator magnets as they are too common and are likely to get thrown away.
Return on investment is useful for measuring the success of your business. It shows you the profitability of your expenditure. Thus, it is important to plan ahead and take careful steps so you can be sure to maximize your ROI on trade shows and other exhibits.
