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Courtesy of Simon Howden

I love trade shows.

Honestly, all those potential customers in one place at the same time – I’m like a fox in a hen-house! That analogy provokes a few thoughts, really. Reputedly, a fox in a hen-house is a predatory animal that is prone to lose its head. In more ‘natural circumstances, a fox might hope to pick off one bird from a flock and the rest will make their escape. In a hen-house, the poor birds have nowhere to go, and the fox will pick them off one after another. Great fun for the fox, probably not the wisest strategy for an exporter, I wouldn’t have thought.

I’ve developed a few rules of thumb for exhibitions over the years, as I learned to my cost that I can waste an awful lot of time to little benefit if I’m not careful.

1. Be Selective

There are only so many days in a year and my budget has a limit, too. I try to select the exhibitions that we will attend according to what I can realistically achieve. Shows that address the regional and sectoral markets that directly interest me are usually the most worthwhile. In my sector, there are a number of very big ‘general’ exhibitions, that take place in a dozen or more halls in one of the world’s leading venues. For my particular business, I have tended to find that these are pretty disappointing, really. My products are for a specific market niche, and for 95% of the visitors at those ‘mega-shows’ I’m a complete irrelevance.

Broadly speaking, I know the sector I’m aiming at, even if it isn’t always defined in the same way in every country.

2. Don’t believe the hype!

It’s the job of every exhibition organiser to try and drag punters in. So naturally, they are going to ‘big up their gig’. It’s worth asking any local contacts I have what they think about a particular event. Also, any event worth its salt will have a list of exhibitors for the current or the previous show on-line. In the age of the internet, this is great information in itself. I’ve found a lot of new contacts just from perusing the websites of trade shows. If an event doesn’t carry reliable factual information about exhibitors and visitor numbers on its website, I’ll usually give it a wide berth.

3. Show or no-show?

Contrary to what some exporters think, it isn’t always necessary to take a stand at an exhibition in order to sell. Turning up as a visitor is often a very time-effective way of assessing an event and can also help to make those important personal contacts. That way, I’m not obliged to be there during the interminable ‘graveyard’ hours that so many shows seem to have, when everyone else has gone home. Of course, tact is called for when approaching exhibitors with the intention of making a sales pitch. The exhibitor has gone to great trouble and expense to be there, and was really looking to sell their present product range, not spend their time talking to suppliers. Nevertheless, polite enquiries are usually met with a friendly welcome in my experience. I certainly avoid making an approach while the stand is busy, and in all cases I avoid anything that sounds like a hard sell. Very often, an exhibitor only has sales people at the event, but I can usually get the contact details of their buyers and leave some literature and samples.

Unlike when cold calling, I have the luxury of assessing my contact’s body language, and need to be sensitive to any signs that I am less than welcome. Even if the words are friendly, I have sometimes picked up on this and volunteered some like “Well I don’t want to keep you from talking to customers. Let me just leave you my card and a sample pack. Can I have your buyer’s name and I’ll give them a call next week?”

Visiting a show is often an effective first time activity. I have turned up at one or two that spectacularly failed to live up to expectations, and was glad I hadn’t wasted time and money exhibiting. If a first visit proves useful, it’s much easier to assess whether it justifies taking a stand the next time.

4. What will I need?

Even the Accidental Exporter puts some effort into proper planning for exhibitions. As in all things, I can’t prepare for every eventuality, but I can anticipate the routine. Literature, samples, prices are all a given. Do I need literature in local languages? What about an interpreter? For the latter, I’ve found that a local person with business experience and a decent knowledge of English is usually much more effective than a professional interpreter, and often cheaper as well.

5. Meet and greet

Exhibitions are good because they allow personal contact. I always try to make the most of that. Whether exhibiting or visiting, we need to make a good first impression. I will never assume that someone is happy to speak to me in anything other than their mother tongue. Once a choice of language is agreed, the emphasis is on friendly and non-threatening. If I have approached them I make a brief introduction to explain our company and products. If they approached me, I’m all ears. I listen, consider and make suggestions. If I have refreshments, I offer them. I demonstrate the products, explain the features and answer questions. All the time, I am gently digging for information about them, what they need, any problems they might have encountered that we might be able to solve, and link the product features with real benefits for them. It’s impossible to talk about benefits in any meaningful way until I understand what the customer needs.

In my business, I rarely try to conclude a sale at an exhibition. But all markets are different, and also people have different styles. I like to develop a trust with the customer, and offer as much support, within reason, as I can prior to any sale. Offering free samples to try demonstrates a confidence in my products and perhaps more importantly, a supplier who is eager to please.

I try to avoid hurrying any visitor who comes to my stand. If discussions are getting long-winded but the potential is good, I may invite them to join me for a drink, for lunch or dinner later in the day. That wins me some time to prepare for more detailed discussions.

I end every discussion with a quick summary. I tell them what I plan to do for them, perhaps send some samples, a quotation or alternatively contact them at a specific date.

6. Follow-up

This one’s easy, but I mustn’t overlook it. As soon as the meeting is over, I make sure I have a proper note of what was agreed. Later that day, I’ll review everything, put what I can in motion, send the contact an email and confirm what I’m going to do. If a show is a good one, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with follow-up actions. I constantly remind myself to keep my promises realistic. If I already have a lot of requests, I will tell the contact that there could be a slight delay. Being in demand is no bad thing.

Crucially, I work to retain the contact. A lot of effort and expense goes into finding them. If business doesn’t develop immediately, I find an excuse to keep in touch. For me, successful exporting is primarily about building relationships. The first meeting is crucial, but it’s only the start.