If you are exhibiting at an automotive trade show this year, it’s probably fair to assume that you know the costs (including the hidden ones!) and are looking for a decent return on your investment.
So, what’s your plan? Well, you may be surprised to learn that many clients we’ve spoken to who are exhibiting at a trade show admit that they feel attendance alone is a good enough objective. If you fall into this camp then you may be setting the bar way too low, so we’ve put together some exhibitor pro tips that we hope will help make your show a better commercial success for you and your team:
Planning
Do a little homework and study the exhibitor’s list before going to the show. All the exhibitors are categorised according to product groups and industries. Create a ‘hit list’ of any you would like to meet, reach out and diarise firm appointments with the most important ones. If you leave it to chance then don’t be surprised if they are occupied when you drop by the stand.
If you are exhibiting it’s probably more likely that the people you want to meet are attendees, but again, diarise firm appointments where you can. Make sure you broadcast your planned presence in advance, identify those you’d like to meet, start contacting them and fill up your calendar with appointments. LinkedIn can particularly help here.
If you are attending with staff, it’s a good idea to have a team plan and briefing. You will want to determine who is responsible for which parts of your show strategy, as well as logistics such as timings for breaks etc. If you are employing the services of outsourced staff, then it is of particular importance to set some boundaries and brief them very carefully on your product, service and brand – as they will be representing these things to your audience.
Goals & Objectives
Set yourself goals and objectives to get the most out of the show. These could include:
Gathering Leads and Opportunities – Obvious, but put a strategy and some tangibility around this task (even if it’s something very basic like a target number of leads to hit per day). Scan business cards straight into your notes, rather than still finding the odd one at the bottom of your desk drawer 6 months later!
Building Hype Before, During and After – Whilst your time at the show is finite, you can seriously amplify your attendance and relevance amongst your audience by creating a complete marketing campaign surrounding your involvement – before, during and after the show itself. There will already be a media buzz so make sure to tap into it!
Business Development – Develop business with attending existing clients and prospects – build relationships, and close some sales if possible.
Measure the Pulse of the Industry – Set yourself the task of creating a summary report detailing any new competitors and the trends you observe developing, it will help shape your marketing strategy. This can be particularly useful for helping you effectively differentiate and position your brand against your competitors.
Customer Feedback – Use the show as an opportunity to listen to your customers, get input, feedback and test ideas.
Team-building Activities – If you are attending the show with your team, use the opportunity to generate some goodwill and positivity. This doesn’t need to be a detailed strategy, but a simple consideration of what you could do. Ideas could be to put staff forward for press or speaking opportunities, allow them to be involved in any fun show activities, and if nothing else, treat them to a nice team lunch or dinner.
#Content
Capitalise on all the hype and media attention by making sure you put out some social content to promote your attendance and broadcast your activities. Ideally, put content out during the show to attract further interest and notify other people who are attending. If you don’t have time to put content out during show hours, then bank it for later. Send your videos, photos, and notes to your media agency on your breaks or when you get back to the hotel, or if you handle your own content marketing, put some drafts together for posting later.
Learn
Most automotive trade shows feature comprehensive free skills training, live demonstrations, technical talks, topical discussions on current industry issues and inspiring new technology, and much more – take advantage of what’s available!
On-stand Engagement
WDA has helped clients deliver many shows over the years, and we’ve attended even more. From a marketing perspective, there are a few critical (and easy to action) pieces of help and advice we can give:
Do something different and original – Try and create an on-stand activity that differentiates you and makes you stand out from what your competitors are doing – this is important to generate interest at the show itself but also helps people remember you afterwards. If you’re stuck for ideas then a creative automotive agency like WDA can help you. It doesn’t need to be gimmicky and it doesn’t have to cost the earth.
Don’t huddle – This is a big one, it’s amazing how many brands (big and small) will have the stand staffed with multiple members of the team, all looking smartly dressed in matching corporate wear, yet they are all huddled around the desk area, heads down, talking amongst themselves and looking at their phones. Not only does this look terrible, and not only are you going to miss people trying to catch your attention, but worse – it puts people off even approaching the stand in the first place. It feels almost like you’d be gatecrashing a private members’ function! Don’t do it!
Do talk to people – including people who might not be an immediate sales prospect. Pure networking has value, and in any case, people move jobs – maybe you could do business at some point in the future. Remember that you’re not Dan Peña – don’t be too ruthless, if a wannabe supplier or automotive student wanders over to your stand, give them a little bit of your time!
Market Intelligence
Across just a few days, automotive trade shows bring together hundreds of exhibitors from the aftermarket supply chain, attracting thousands of visitors. These attendees typically include aftermarket professionals, parts distributors and motor factors, along with dealers, retailers, and franchisees.
Exhibiting at a trade show is a valuable opportunity to showcase your brand and products. However, the automotive industry is highly interconnected, and developments from other sectors can directly influence and create opportunities in your area. It’s important to stay connected to the entire industry landscape.
While keeping an eye on your direct competitors is essential, consider casting a wider net to see what others are doing. Observing innovations and trends across these categories can spark ideas and reveal potential strategies you might adapt for your brand and market.
Comfort
We’ve left this one until near the end, but it may be more important than you think – and definitely will be if you’ve not exhibited at a show before.
If you’re carting kit around, go for a rolling case, and pack some layers as the halls can sometimes be too hot, or sometimes too cold. Either way, as you move around the wider venue (and outside potentially) you’ll want to have the appropriate clothing options with you.
Comfy shoes are essential as you can easily clock up many miles each day. Strangely, even harder on the feet than a brisk walk is the slow, ponderous ‘show amble’ (as we call it), as you take everything in – and being stood still on the stand for hours can also be a killer!
Yes, we know you’re a badass business person who can take the pain, but seriously, you’ll be at your sharpest if you’re feeling fresh! The same goes for hitting the bar at the end of the day – so tempting, but you’ll pay for it, and so will your show game.
Follow up!
We always recommend drafting follow-ups during downtime at the show itself. This is because it will be fresh in your mind. Pencil emails and save them to check and send the following week, although bear in mind that lots of show-goers (particularly exhibitors) often take a few days off after shows or are especially busy catching up on work when they’re back in the office, so it’s sometimes better to hold off a few days.
If you would like further advice or marketing support to help you maximise your trade shows and return on investment, get in touch with WDA Automotive via our online contact form here or give us a call at 01332 372728.
