We support the organisers of Trade Shows and those wishing to attend them.

It’s why we posted our previous companion article where we listed our 5 top reasons to attend a Trade Show as a visitor.

And to help even further, today we are sharing our top 5 reasons why you should exhibit at a Trade Show.

1. Meet Potential New Customers.

How many times have you or your sales team tried to book meetings with potential new customers but the trail has gone cold.

Many, right?

Trade Shows provide a great opportunity to get in front of potential new customers in person.

Think of the interactions you have at your stand as being rather like those initial discovery meetings that you tried in vain to book – only this time it’s on your own turf and with your wider team around you.

2. Raise Brand Awareness or Strengthen Your Brand.

Whether you are a new entrant to your marketplace or more established, a Trade Show gives you a valuable stage on which you can raise or strengthen your brand further.

An impressive and well branded booth or stand can send out very strong positive signals about your company’s self belief, confidence and life cycle.

3. Competitor Analysis.

If you want to evaluate the competitive landscape, then what better way than doing research on your neighbours whilst you are exhibiting.

Despatch team members to interact with rivals, become much better informed about their value propositions and any weaknesses in their armour or anything that you can take away as a positive from their presence that you can implement too.

4. Market Research with Highly Qualified Candidates.

Everyone who attends a Trade Show has a deep interest in your sector and by entering have qualified themselves as a potential lead, strategic partner or new supplier.

Take the opportunity to chat with a wide range of attendees about what they think of your competitors’ solutions and ask them for candid opinions about their own perceptions of your proposition – be brave and dig deep for both good and bad feedback.

Any feedback, as long as it is an honestly held personal belief – is valuable.

5. Position Yourself as Experts and Thought Leaders.

By populating your booth with the cream of your team you can put your best foot forward and effectively position yourself as ‘The Experts.’

Organise for your brightest and strongest brand ambassadors to speak at the many seminars, panel discussions, workshops, talks and presentations.

You can establish yourselves as clear thought leaders who are out at the front of the pack with powerful insight about latest trends and where the market is heading.

Those are our top 5 reasons to exhibit.

Trade Shows enable you to circumvent the mounting digital overload and many distractions of that plague the modern workday by speaking directly with potential new targets, competitors and partners.

People who attend Trade Shows are highly engaged, focused and want to derive the most value from the time they invest there.

And that is your golden opportunity as an Exhibitor.

So go forth and Exhibit!