In less than four months, thousands of UK food and drink retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, service providers and more will flock to NEC Birmingham. Your stand plans should be well underway, but we wanted to make sure you have all that you need to make the most of your time exhibiting at the UK Food & Drink Shows, so we have compiled a list of our top tips:
1. Generate excitement ahead of the show
Use social media, email marketing, PR and more to tell everyone that you are exhibiting at the show. Build excitement by sharing teasers on what visitors can expect from your stand at the show and don’t forget, tell them which stand number you are!
2. Stand out from the crowd
The UK Food & Drink Shows bring together hundreds of businesses to one place, making it the shows that unite the food and drink industry. Make sure you stand out from the crowd! Use bold and bright colours to attract the attention (if they fit your brand guidelines) and invest in lighting to make your stand shine bright. Don’t overcrowd your stand, keep it simple and focus on your key objectives. Put your products in the spotlight.
3. Be prepared
This may sound obvious but be prepared for questions. Learn your product and company spiel and practice it, so it sticks. You often only get one shot to engage and excite a prospective buyer and you don’t want to miss it!
4. Content is king
You don’t have to have a huge marketing budget to excel at exhibitions. Channel your budget in the correct way for your objectives and you’ll reap the benefits. Infographics are great, cost-effective ways of engaging an audience and having something for them to take away. Or you could look at longer form content, such as whitepapers, that can position your business as thought leaders in your field.
5. Samples
If possible, let visitors get hands on with your product. If you believe in your product, then let it do the work for you. Using multiple senses will help drive interaction amongst visitors, which can lead to an increase in positive conversations around your brand. Give samples away, let visitors touch, taste and smell – you believe in the product, now get them to.
6. Engage with visitors
Samples are a great way to engage, but they don’t work for everyone. Find a way of engaging visitors that work for you, such as having a mascot for your brand, running a competition or giveaway and interactive demonstrations.
7. Tech to impress
Tech can be expensive, but it could pay for itself if it increases lead generation and engagement around your brand. Use screens to display content and videos, so you can change the messaging and showcase more information. You might want to consider elements of fun, such as gamification. Include a digital game that helps generate leads for your brand, but also brings out the competitive side amongst visitors.
These are all suggestions, some simple and some more complex, of ways you can maximise your business performance at the shows and achieve your objectives.
We look forward to welcoming you in April.
