{"id":19334,"date":"2021-09-27T14:30:36","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T12:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expoconsulting.eu\/?p=19334"},"modified":"2021-10-03T19:27:09","modified_gmt":"2021-10-03T17:27:09","slug":"5-keys-to-trade-success-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expoconsulting.eu\/en\/5-keys-to-trade-success-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"5 keys to trade show success this fall"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last 18 months have completely changed<\/strong> the shape of trade fairs. There has been a very strong shift towards digital<\/strong> and now a partial return to face-to-face<\/strong> events, while some of them have adopted a hybrid format<\/strong>, at least for now.<\/p>\n

Towards Q4 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many are now wondering how the market will look like<\/strong> in the next four or five months. The whole fall season is ahead: how to use the current environment to help businesses grow<\/strong>? Get the right number of high-quality prospects<\/strong> and generate a consistent and growing volume of business<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

Here are 5 tips<\/strong> for planning effectively for the coming season.<\/p>\n

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  1. Define objectives and goals<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Best practice number one: set goals and milestones<\/strong>; this is something that should be done on a quarterly basis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    If you have no idea where to start, you should experiment and then continue to refine hypothesis<\/strong>. Certainly, these objectives should then change based on what has been achieved in the first half of the year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    1. Choose events and plan ahead<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Best practice number two is to choose events carefully<\/strong> and plan your seasonal calendar<\/strong>. We are in a very dynamic situation: some events are going back to face-to-face, some virtual, some are going hybrid, and some right out of schedule.<\/p>\n

      There is always something new going on<\/strong> in the market, and everything is about defining what the current landscape is<\/strong> and how we can most efficiently generate that flow of potential customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      The results may not even look anything like previous years<\/strong>, it could be a completely different set<\/strong> of events.<\/p>\n

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      1. Effective organization<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Best practice number three: flawless planning!<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Present yourself at your best with prospects, but since the environment has become much more dynamic,<\/strong> always keep in mind that there are different techniques<\/strong> that you must use when events are virtual, others when events are hybrid, and others, again, when you are face-to-face.<\/p>\n

        What really matters to achieve these goals is how the people of your company are prepared,<\/strong> how your offer is structured<\/strong> for the event and, of course, the type of buyer that will be there<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        Do you have a relevant message<\/strong> that can attract and convert him into a client? Always make sure you understand the target of the event<\/strong> and the audience you are addressing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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        1. Measurable KPIs<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          To make the most out of new technologies, always try to have one or two metrics as key indicators<\/strong> of ROI<\/strong>. It is always necessary to know within a few weeks from the event what kind of return on investment<\/strong> you have (or have not) obtained.<\/p>\n

          It is a much more consistent and effective way to get a sense of how well our seasonal calendar goals are being (or not being) met<\/strong>. This allows us to compare not only this event with others we have attended recently, but also with the same event from the previous year<\/strong>, or the year before in a variety of different ways.<\/p>\n

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          1. Flexibility<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Last but not least, and perhaps the most difficult to pursue, is flexibility<\/strong>. That is to have an agile mentality<\/strong>, exploit the current market<\/strong>, have a careful eye on potential evolutions<\/strong> and the future: there are already planned events, and you want to be sure that there will be time and resources available when new opportunities arise.<\/strong><\/p>\n

            Bill Kenney, B2B market professional<\/strong>, in his video on how to best face the last quarter of the year:<\/p>\n