Why Exhibitions Are Essential For Your Business Growth
In the last year, we’ve seen a significant shift in how society operates. Businesses worldwide continue to suffer from the impact, but things are finally starting to calm down, and it looks like we’ll soon be back to normal. In this post, we’ll discuss whether trade shows are going out of style and why exhibitions are essential for your business growth.
There’s no doubt that businesses have had to make some drastic changes to how they do things, and social distancing restrictions mean that many events now take place in a remote setting.
But does that mean the in-person event will cease to exist? No. The fact is, trade shows and exhibitions are still vital for your business.
The Importance of Attending Exhibitions
In 2018, the UK events industry was worth £24.3 billion (Business Visits and Events Partnerships). While it’s clear that this isn’t the case in 2021, a decrease in wealth is mainly due to the pandemic, and it’s likely that when in-person events are allowed again – the industry will regrow and thrive.
Let’s take a look at the importance of trade shows and exhibitions.
You Can Make More Connections
There’s no doubt that remote exhibitions will expose your business to more people, but that doesn’t necessarily mean those people will become customers. If a lead goes nowhere, then that lead is useless.
One of the most important things to remember is that human beings are still social beings despite all of our technological advances, and you can’t replace face-to-face interaction.
There are many reasons why people prefer in-person meetings. Let’s take a look at them.
Face to Face Builds a Strong Relationship
According to HubSpot, almost 100% of people say they feel that face to face meetings are essential for business relationships. Perhaps clients think that a physical meeting shows your commitment to them, or maybe it’s because they want to see your body language to work out if you’re trustworthy.
The business world isn’t the only place where face to face meetings are essential. Online dating depends on two people planning a physical meeting. Even though they can speak on the phone and video chat, the majority won’t make any decisions about someone unless they meet in person.
It seems that a physical meeting between two people takes away the need for technology, which can sometimes be perceived as a barrier.
Forming an Emotional Connection
The pandemic means many people have to resort to video chats with their loved ones – and it’s not the same. There’s something special about meeting up with someone in a physical location, and it gives people the opportunity to form an emotional connection.
While some say business shouldn’t be personal, the impression someone forms of you will stay with them. If you don’t like a person, would you offer them your business and money? Even something as simple as a handshake can form a positive connection with a potential client, and in-person events are ideal for showing attendees who you are.
Face to Face Meetings are More Productive
When people meet online, there is often a delay in communication – especially if you’re taking part in a group meeting. It’s hard to read body language, and the process of sharing ideas is a lot slower.
Setting up an exhibition means you can directly communicate with an attendee and answer all of their questions. There’s no delay in messaging, you have the opportunity to close the deal, and if a person knows what you can do for them, they’re less likely to look elsewhere.
You Can Show Off Your Brand’s Personality
One of the best things about exhibitions is they’re the ideal place to showcase your brand and everything that makes it stand out. Imagine dozens of businesses in one place, with thousands of attendees, and you’ll understand why it’s a fantastic way to build your brand.
A well-designed exhibition stand can attract attention and make your business stand out against competitors. There’s only so much you can do with web design, but exhibition stands can be an array of colours.
Another benefit of the stands is you can use a range of integrations such as lighting, plasma TVs and plinths to display your marketing collateral. With the biggest suppliers stocking a range of exhibition display stands for hire, you can find ones to suit your company and brand identity.
Once you draw people’s attention with your exhibition, you can move in for the sale and not have to worry about endless messages and follow-ups.
You’ll Find the Right Audience
Online marketing is essential for your businesses success, but lead generation can be a frustrating process. Not only do you have to attract leads, but then you have to turn them into customers.
If people are attending a specialised event, then it’s likely they’re doing so for a reason. For example, if you own a company that specialises in selling eco-friendly products, you can find more people to connect with instead of using SEO and PPC to find quality leads.
Assess Your Competitors
Keeping your eyes and ears open at a trade show means you can gain valuable insights about your competitors. Everyone goes all out to create an incredible exhibition display stand and will want to display their top products and marketing materials to be the first thing others notice.
You can use this as a perfect opportunity to learn about your competitors and evaluate what they’re doing well. When you discover what the company is doing wrong, you can use that information to build your brand.
The Bottom Line
There are so many reasons why exhibitions are essential for your growth, but it would be impossible to cover them all in this post. They include:
- More environmentally friendly
- The chance for you to get more creative
- Being the first to know about industry developments
- Learning how to network in person with your potential clients
Hopefully, you found the post to be interesting. If the pandemic vaccination program stays on track, you could find that your next event isn’t far away.