Exhibitors dos and don'ts

Dos:

• Let your contacts know about your future exhibition by adding info to your email sign (logo of the fair, pav and stand number)
• Leverage the marketing by spreading your participation before, during and after the exhibition using all the ways possible (social networks, your website, your blog, etc.)
• If available, use all the free invitations provided by the fair organizer. Give priority to important contacts but use it all. Even if your contacts will decide not to join, they’ll know you are there!
• Use any tool provided by the organizer to get closer to your potential customers (matchmaking platforms, catalogues etc.)
• If the exhibition is abroad, is a good idea to have an assistant fluent with the local language.
• Evaluate your participation, calculate the return on investment. If it’s a B2B consider also returns for the middle/long term.
• Take into consideration that only one participation might not be enough.
• Assess all your costs before the exhibition. Better to take into account also any possible inconvenient.
• A B2B exhibition is a marketing investment and not a cost.
• Make sure you have a system to handle the contacts you collect at the fair. Each business card could lead directly or indirectly to sales.
• At the fair focus on the exhibition and make sure your colleagues are ready to assist visitors and potential customers in a soft and interactive manner

Don’ts:

• Don’t be passive. Exhibitions are important to interact with potential customers and create a personal contact. Being passive will obstacle this process.
• Don’t focus on the concurrence but on your products.
• Don’t arrive late and don’t leave soon. Exhibitions are usually short and each hour is really precious to you. The good contact could visit your booth at any moment.
• Don’t fill in your booth with useless information. Focus on what is important and what could attract your potential customers.
• Don’t hide your core products. Important products should be well visible also to those who are walking fast.
• Don’t leave your booth empty. There should always be somebody ready to provide information to visitors.
• Don’t do other activities not relater to the exhibition when at your booth (i.e. reading newspapers, watching tv, watching too much the phone etc. etc.)
• Don’t go short with promotional materials, business cards etc. etc.

More dos and don’ts? Post them in the comments!