Last week our marketing team headed to The Scarlets in Llanelli for our second IntroBiz Expo.
It was great and we met some amazing people – big shout out to Jamaican Jill’s (we headed there for food with the charismatic Bernie Davies) and our team had a fantastic day.
Our hosts at the expo, Paul and Tracy Smolinski (IntroBiz), have been doing this journey for 10 years. Paul and Tracy are amazing and made us feel at home when the first year felt like a bit of a step into the unknown. We would wholeheartedly recommend the Introbiz Expo experience. If you are looking to take your startup to your first expo, whatever your business is, here are a few tips:
Show up
Expos are not something a business always considers but if you want to meet a whole load of people in a room you’ve not met before it’s an amazing opportunity. You don’t become an expo expert overnight, you need to build it into your yearly budget and commit to more than a once off. Your continued presence will pay dividends.
Stand up
Upgrading a stand from a pop up banner may require some logistical thinking but a moving picture does gather attention. Some of the new style stands look great but nothing attracts like an investment in a TV and some video / PowerPoint to give you moving images!
Level up
Make a choice to speak to people. Have people on your stand that like to engage with people.
If you have to check emails or social from time to time don’t all of you do it at same time. I noticed last week after typing email for 2 minutes we all were typing away with backs to people! Sorry!! It was only 5 minutes but you may have missed a great opportunity. Learn and level up.
We certainly have.
The people who make the effort to attend an expo do so because they are actively looking. When you highlight the positive aspects of your products you can close sales on the spot.
Follow up
Tracy at IntroBiz always says that ‘The fortune is in the follow up’. Taking time to follow up those connections you made straightaway is the key. Rather than opening with a ‘Hello, we do this and that’ rather ask how you can help them! That’s right, commit to giving and you’ll be amazed how traction begins to build.
So if you want to raise your profile this autumn, get dressed up, take a friend as back up, and step up by visiting a few expos. If you’re really brave, start the journey today!
Grow up
We have won business since we’ve done this journey but also started to build some great friendships. Relationships take time and firmer leads will come out of good relationships. Take a professional approach to the expo so that other companies take you seriously. Companies want to form partnerships with competent and reliable operations.
There are many expos out there and you don’t always have to invest thousands. IntroBiz are one such expo that gives exhibitors plenty of opportunity to launch out whatever their business is! You’ll meet a range of businesses from start ups to large corporations responsible for sponsoring some of the events associated with expo.
So if you want to raise your profile this autumn, get dressed up, take a friend as back up, and step up by visiting a few expos. If you’re really brave, start the journey today!