How to Maximize B2B Sales at Trade Shows

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According to a Points of Response survey, 80% of business respondents reported that trade shows remain one of the top 5 lead-generating activities. Trade show participation for wholesale distributors and consumer product manufacturers can be a significant expense, so be sure to follow these tips to maximize value and lead generation. Trade shows are only worthwhile if your business successfully reconnects with existing customers, gains industry insights and trends, and increases brand visibility.

Plan plan plan!

Involve cross-functional teams (sales, marketing, and customer service) to manufacturing email database list establish metrics for success, develop a well-designed and engaging booth and marketing materials for distribution, and have a concrete understanding of service and product issues so you can confidently address them.

First, research who will be there. Engage customers to find out if they plan to attend and invite them to make appointments at your booth for a specialized presentation. This is an opportunity to offer solutions to outstanding challenges, learn about organizational changes that may impact orders in the future, and introduce new team members, processes, products, and services. Make sure your team understands customers’ business needs and is prepared to offer customized solutions.

Advertise participation

Make sure your company spreads the word that your team will be participating in the show. Generate excitement by spreading the show hashtag, posting on social media, mentioning in an email marketing campaign and blog posts. Remember, your customers are planning to maximize their time there, too, so don’t surprise them. Give them the opportunity to engage with your team ahead of time. Entice them with scheduled, personalized giveaways, samples, and demonstrations.

Setting up call-to-action and success metrics

To assess the ROI of participation, your company should set up metrics to measure success. One idea is to set up a landing page on your company website to advertise a contest/raffle offer in exchange for prospective customers' email addresses. Add a calendar for presentation appointments to be set up in advance. Your team can follow up on the results of those presentations after the show.

Diversify team members at the booth

Include members from different departments who exhibit different skill sets at the booth. Customer service representatives can address any outstanding issues or concerns about processes, services, and product features with existing customers to regain or reinforce trust in your business. Marketing team members are best at communicating product attributes and distributing information about new products or services. Sales staff are there to collect leads and close the sale. Remember, the inSitu Sales app is an amazing tool for recording lead and new customer information, sharing product information with an e-catalog, and processing sales orders right at the booth.