The global competitive nature of modern business has triggered significant calls for creative approaches in marketing. Business fairs are platforms that allows businesses to exhibit and promote their brand, providing opportunities for companies small and medium enterprises to demonstrate their services and products. Such events create a business environment where businesses meet with industry partners and customers, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trend along side opportunities.
The importance of business fairs
- Promote brand awareness: The uniqueness of a company’s value can best be exhibited to proposed consumers, to create awareness of goods and services.
- Promote research: One of the salient benefits of a business fair is that it will give opportunity to companies to meet with customers, competitors and other stakeholders. Purposeful information can be gathered to help improve on service delivery and quality of products.
- Promote networking: There are boundless opportunities of meeting business owners, customers and clients. This will help enterprises freely interact face to face and see where they can do business together. If well managed, business ideology, strategy and experience can be exchanged for growth, expansion and possible partnership.
- Promote employee training: A business fair always comes with symposiums, seminars and masterclasses. Enterprises can leverage on this opportunity to attend or send employees for illuminating information that can improve their skills and services.
How to Get This Most Of the Business Fair
Most business owner or companies don’t always plan well enough. Adequate preparation will help to ensure a goal-oriented and purposeful service delivery that guarantee value for time and money spent. The following are tips that will guide your planning.
- Specify the Objectives: It is always good to have specific objectives for the business event. Objectives must be clear, measurable and attainable. They may include introducing a new brand, promoting existing brand or both.
- Train Staff Member: Never allow personnel to work for you unless they are trained. Proper orientation regarding the goods and service should be given to staff. Remember they are representing your company.
- Be intentional with Social Media: Your social media network has to be professionally planed specifically for your business. It is an important marketing strategy for small and medium scale businesses social media helps to build awareness and connect with customers.
- Prepare your promotional items: Prepare your souvenirs, Calendar, wrist band, t-shirt, face cap, key holder, card holder, diary among others. Ensure these items are branded, prepare a pocket-accommodating business card. If customers do not need your service or product immediately, a business card will always be a source of contact.
- Prepare Refreshments for your guests / customers: This will make them spend more time with you! Give your customers a memorable experience, to register your brand in their hearts.
A business fair is capital intensive, it requires deliberate and adequate planning to ensure a good return on investment. Enterprises must understand that events will always be competitive. Business booths must be well branded and brightened with attractive features. Enterprises must set attainable goals that are purposeful driven, measurable and sustainable.