How to Succeed at Your Retail Trade Show
If you are the owner of a hair product company, the idea of diving into the world of trade shows has undoubtedly been on your mind. Trade shows are a great opportunity to reach a mass amount of retailers in a small amount of time, and the networking opportunities can be priceless. Not to say all of this doesn't come at a steep price. Having a booth at even a small trade show can be costly, and not to mention you'll be investing a lot of time preparing, working the show, and then following up on all of your leads thereafter. You'll have to weigh out the benefits on your own. Some companies just aren't ready to invest that much money, and there's no guarantee that your product will catch the attention of retailers. That being said, if you have the cash, this is one investment that can really pay off.
So let's say you are ready to take the plunge into the world of trade shows....you want to spend that money wisely, right? This means you'll need to come prepared. That's why I've compiled a list that can help you succeed at this exciting opportunity.
One of the biggest issues with trade shows is that it's easy to get lost amongst the crowd. But if your leads or desired retailers know that you'll be there, they'll be seeking you out instead of the other way around. Send out emails to your prospective retailers along with some marketing materials about your product. This will not only pique their interest, but if they have some info upfront, you may not have to spend as much of your precious trade show time with them having to explain how your product works. The more people you can talk to and network with at a trade show, the better.
After a trade show, retailers will be flooded with follow up emails. So how do you separate yourself from the pack? Taking notes of conversations as you go throughout the day is great way to do this. This will jog the memory of the person you're trying to reach and they'll be impressed with your effort to personalize the interaction.
You may also want to wait a few days after the trade show to send out follow up emails. They'll be receiving so many immediately after the show that you may have a better chance at them paying closer attention when they don't have a million emails to go through.
Have a clear idea of which follow ups are most important to your brand. Yes it's great to connect with a lot of different people, but sometimes effort is better spent doing a more thorough pitch to your most important clients.
Another great idea is to do some research about your desired retailers before the trade show. That way when they come by your booth they'll be impressed with your knowledge and understanding of their company, making the experience more personal, and more likely for you to stand out from the crowd.
For the lucky ones, some purchase orders will be placed at the show. But keep in mind that the stats aren't exactly in your favor on this one. On average, only 5-15% percent of sales are made at trade shows, with the rest of the POs coming in after the show.
That being said, you'll want to have all of your materials to make these sales should the opportunity be there. Don't just expect this to be an informational and networking opportunity.
Further Reading
How to Start Your Own Brand of Beauty Products
Learn How to Become a Beauty Supply Distributor
5 Tips for Successful Salon Management
So let's say you are ready to take the plunge into the world of trade shows....you want to spend that money wisely, right? This means you'll need to come prepared. That's why I've compiled a list that can help you succeed at this exciting opportunity.
1. Reach Out Before the Show
One of the biggest issues with trade shows is that it's easy to get lost amongst the crowd. But if your leads or desired retailers know that you'll be there, they'll be seeking you out instead of the other way around. Send out emails to your prospective retailers along with some marketing materials about your product. This will not only pique their interest, but if they have some info upfront, you may not have to spend as much of your precious trade show time with them having to explain how your product works. The more people you can talk to and network with at a trade show, the better.
2. Gather Targeted Information for Followups
After a trade show, retailers will be flooded with follow up emails. So how do you separate yourself from the pack? Taking notes of conversations as you go throughout the day is great way to do this. This will jog the memory of the person you're trying to reach and they'll be impressed with your effort to personalize the interaction.
You may also want to wait a few days after the trade show to send out follow up emails. They'll be receiving so many immediately after the show that you may have a better chance at them paying closer attention when they don't have a million emails to go through.
3. Do Your Research
Have a clear idea of which follow ups are most important to your brand. Yes it's great to connect with a lot of different people, but sometimes effort is better spent doing a more thorough pitch to your most important clients.
Another great idea is to do some research about your desired retailers before the trade show. That way when they come by your booth they'll be impressed with your knowledge and understanding of their company, making the experience more personal, and more likely for you to stand out from the crowd.
4. Be Prepared to Sell
For the lucky ones, some purchase orders will be placed at the show. But keep in mind that the stats aren't exactly in your favor on this one. On average, only 5-15% percent of sales are made at trade shows, with the rest of the POs coming in after the show.
That being said, you'll want to have all of your materials to make these sales should the opportunity be there. Don't just expect this to be an informational and networking opportunity.
Further Reading
How to Start Your Own Brand of Beauty Products
Learn How to Become a Beauty Supply Distributor
5 Tips for Successful Salon Management