If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why are we exhibiting at trade shows and conferences?” you’ve probably answered the question from the viewpoint of how they help your marketplace and your company. The good news it that it’s not that simple. Exhibitions offer benefits at multiple levels of your professional life.
Exhibitions are good for you: However you’re spending your time at an exhibition: working at your exhibition stand, meeting people in the aisles or attending keynote sessions, trade show are a great place for advancing your career. You can gain insights into your clients, prospects, industry and competitions, things you could never do sitting at your desk. You can widen your network or even meet the person who will give you your next job.
Exhibitions are good for your department: If you are in the sales department, you get a stack of leads, you can talk to clients, work on relationships and speak face to face with the same people you’ve been trying to corner for months (even years). In the marketing department? You can enhance your brand and your products get seen by a broader audience. If you’re in the engineering department, you can get firsthand feedback on your products. Lastly, if you’re in management, you can see how your company stacks up against your competitors in the marketplace and take the opportunity to improve its standing.
Exhibitions are good for your Company: Exhibitions are an efficient way to reach your audience, prospects, clients, business partners and even potential employees. They help you achieve your marketing and sales objectives and essentially make you a force to be reckoned with in your market.
Exhibitions are good for your Industry: Your industry benefits when it gathers at trade shows because it fosters and accelerates innovation. The direction of your industry gains consensus. Trends, issues and concerns are highlighted. It gives a forum to voice issues and challenges, offers an exciting marketplace of ideas, products and services as well as a stage to celebrate successes. Industry members can use exhibitions to strengthen personal and professional bonds. Large industry shows in particular can create an impact that breaks through the collective clutter and can give your industry national, and sometimes international attention.
Exhibitions provide value on so many levels that next time you ask yourself “Why you are exhibiting?”, you can remember how it provides benefits on multi dimensional levels to not only you, but your section, company and industry.