The digital arena may be where most of the action takes place these days, but face-to-face contact with potential customers still rules the roost. They present an opportunity to put your brand’s best food forward, help you get to know your target demographic better, and ultimately boost sales. In a world with so much noise, exhibiting at an event provides an opportunity to get your customers’ undivided attention.
So yes, it’s powerful — or rather, it can be. A business event can generate a mountain of qualified leads…or it can be a waste of everyone’s time and energy. In this post, we’ll run through a few smart strategies that should ensure your business event strikes all the right notes — and makes a positive lasting impression on your potential (and soon-to-be current) customers.
Build Your A-Team
An energetic, enthusiastic, knowledgeable team of employees can make all the difference to the outcome of the event. When putting together your team to work at the event, focus on the naturally outgoing members — they’ll have exactly the right energy that your booth visitors will respond to. With that said, it’s best not to rely completely on their natural charm. A little bit of event-booth training can go a long way.
Get an Attention-Grabbing Look
You can’t make a positive impression on your potential customers if they’re all walking by your stall without a second glance. Whether you’re in the street or at a full industry event, you’ll have a lot of competition for a visitor’s attention. Working to create an attention-grabbing aesthetic can ensure that your booth appears on their radar. Employee uniforms, banners, and branded gazebos can be the difference between a visitor walking on by and stopping to learn more. You’ll need to have substance to match the style to make a lasting impression, but make no mistake, the style counts for a lot.
Give People a Reason to Pause
Now that you’ve got people’s attention, what are you going to do with it? They’ve come over to have a look — it’s what you do then that’ll determine whether they continue learning about your brand and potentially become a customer. Creating an engaging visitor experience is essential, especially in an age when we have the technology, tools, and knowledge to deliver on that front. Whether it’s giving away samples or providing a live demo, it’s your and your team’s mission to ensure your visitors don’t regret stopping by your booth.
Go Big With Social Media
Done correctly, social media can turn even a minorly successful business event into a much bigger success. Exhibiting at an event offers a gold mine for social media content, both during and after the event. On the day itself, utilise live streams, post updates of your visitors positively interacting with your brand, and encourage visitors to share their own content on their profiles. Not only will this approach help to reach potential customers who can’t be there in person, but it can also strengthen your relationship with the ones who do visit your booth.