If you’ve invested time and money into an expo stand, here are some tips for making the most of it and ensuring a good return on your investment:
1. Put your best foot forward
Put your happiest face on at your stand. Be warm, friendly and genuine. If you have multiple staff members in your business, choose the people who you trust to show off your brand at the expo. Give them enough breaks so that they are alert and energised, and ensure that they don’t eat at the stand. If they look busy, people won’t try to engage with them! If you’re on your own, ask a friend to cover your lunch break.
2. Have some swag to give away
People love free stuff. Bonus points if it is actually useful or shows your particular skill. Some of the best ideas are the simplest, for example, pre-packaged cookies baked with love from a wedding cake and cookie supplier or a USB/CD with music for a band. For example, we have rose gold pens and printed to do list booklets for couples at the expos we are attending. They’re helpful to couples, and they also promote our brand and what we can offer couples planning their wedding. Win win!
3. Stay off the phone
Nothing is less appealing to an excited bride or groom to be than an unexcited wedding professional slumped behind their stand, on their phone, browsing Facebook. It’s likely you paid a lot of money to be part of this expo, so make the most of it.
4. Use this opportunity to network
Try to meet some fellow wedding professionals while you’re at the expo (set up time is ideal). Expo’s are great for meeting new potential clients, but make friends with people earlier in the buying cycle than you are (venues, photographers, and dresses are all early on) and use this connection to your advantage. It’s also a great way to find yourself a similar professional that you can refer when you are already booked on a certain date, and that can do the same for you in return.
5. Spread the word
Be sure to let your email database or social media fans know that you will be at an expo. This could be the push that they need to book you- meeting you face to face is your best chance at selling them your service.
6. Get that list
If the organiser is willing to share the attendee list with you, use that to your advantage. Also, follow any relevant hashtags for the event and start engaging with content before and during the event. One better is to get emails on your own list of people who are interested in your business. You can run a small competition to get these, a free product or upgrade is ideal.
7. Get that stand up to scratch
Businesses are putting a huge amount of effort into their stands these days! If your stand doesn’t look appealing, then why would a couple wanting the perfect day hire you? Use your industry knowledge and get a stylist/florist on board if you feel you can’t give that WOW factor.
