Most common mistakes when participating in fairs - don't make them!

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Many companies, and especially marketing departments, feel that by participating in a Trade Fair, they waste time, money and do not achieve results. However, it is still one of the main ways of marketing in the B2B sector. At Connext Marketing B2B we tell you what are the most common mistakes when participating in Trade Fairs.

But first, you need to know something. There is a more effective way to do B2B brazil email list marketing that allows you to reduce expenses and sales efforts.

It's called Inbound Marketing. Do you want to know a little more? Click here .

If you prefer, you can download our material for free with more detailed information. Here is the link to the Webinar on how to start an Inbound Marketing strategy in a B2B company and get the results you expect.

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Or, if you prefer, you can download our specialized ebook on Inbound Marketing. Click here.

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And now that you know an alternative to fairs, let us give you 7 tips to avoid making the most common mistakes.


The most common mistakes when participating in fairs


#1 Once again, you still don't have an attendee database
This is usually the most common mistake. If your main objective is to sell, how are you going to achieve it if you don't know the profile or the environment of your main potential clients?

Remember: it is very important to have a database, even if the task is tedious. It is key to avoid surprises and to have, as far as possible, “control” of the attendees and those who are potentially interesting for our company.

- Trade fair marketing: How to get the most out of industrial fairs with the Internet -



#2 There are never enough business cards
How many times have you run out of business cards in the middle of a trade show? Or worse, how many times have you forgotten them?!

Business cards are a very important element that provides key information about the company : name, contact, website, phone number... In some of the more elaborate ones, the data includes social networks. It is a point of contact between you and your potential clients that you should not underestimate.

Having visual, eye-catching business cards with the most relevant information is essential at trade fairs. The goal is to ensure that all your potential customers do not leave the fair without a card that they can use to contact you. If they do so before you leave the fair, it's a great success!



#3 Oops, you're still wasting the power of social media
If you have to be active on your social networks every day, even more so on trade fair days. Without a doubt, it is the perfect time to make our community bigger and, above all, to direct traffic to your stand.

Participating in trade shows and not using the event's hashtags is a real sin. Use them and see the results for yourself!

If you want to know more about how to increase the impact of an industrial fair through the Internet, don't miss this post .



#4 You don't have an event invitation template yet
Another of the most common mistakes. How can it be that we go to more than one fair a year and don't have an invitation template?



Showing consistency in our communications with our clients is very important, as it will provide the image of a responsible, committed company that takes care of even the smallest detail.



It is very important that the invitation template corresponds in design and tone with that established in your company, and that you send it to all your clients .

Having templates and email marketing tools like Mailchimp will make this task easier and faster. You should keep in mind that the invitation will be the first thing your customers discover about the new collection and products that the company will launch on the market , and it has always been said that the first impression is the one that counts the most, so… get to work with your fair templates!

Ah! These invitations are very interesting for fair attendees to receive as well, especially those who are likely to become new customers.



#5 Get them to notice your stand
Your stand should be eye-catching, but not too much. Play with lights and colours, it's a way of attracting visitors' attention. The mistake you should avoid is not attracting attention. You're investing time and money in the fair, make them remember you.

Renewing the image of the stand is essential, but it should never harm or contradict the corporate image that we are offering as a company.

Another aspect of sensory marketing that is becoming more and more popular is the use of corporate fragrances . This is certainly another element that can help attract customers, as well as help retain our company in the minds of attendees. But above all, it is important that the design of the stand is appropriate to the type of client you are interested in, remember that!



Don't leave without downloading the essential industrial marketing training kit ! 10 resources that every industrial marketing director should have...



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#6 Do salespeople and other staff interact with visitors as they should?
No matter how well we've done our pre-show homework, or how king our booth is, what good is it if our staff aren't engaging with our potential customers?

Please, before attending any fair, it is essential to meet with the team that will participate in the event. This way, everyone will be equally informed, they will know all the details of the types of clients that will visit us, how they should be treated (taking into account, for example, their place of origin) and they will be able to offer the best attention and company image.



#7 The talks and conferences at the fair must be on your agenda
You may not be very excited or “enjoyable” about speaking in front of so many people, but participating in the activities that take place at the fair is just as important as having your own stand.

It is at these events, where in addition to providing more information about your activity, you have the perfect opportunity to show the more human side of the company. In addition, these talks usually have a great media impact , and this is always a good thing.