Taking part in an aviation trade show can result in either of two things: Get your brand known to potential customers or lose everything you invest on it – your time, money and effort due to poor planning or execution.
Exhibiting in a trade show is no easy walk in the park. It requires a significant amount of money, time and manpower to get things done properly. But before you decide to join one, you must first know what’s in it that can benefit your business. This will serve as your goal and justification for the time, money and effort you are about to invest in it. Here are some of the salient benefits of attending an aviation trade show:
- It can give you an opportunity to personally meet vendors, customers, and associates
- It can give you the opportunity to generate lots of leads, sales and contacts in just a matter of days
- It gives you the opportunity to showcase your brand to your target market
- It gives you the chance to “spy” on your customers and learn how they market their products
There are really a lot of good reasons why you should invest in an aviation trade show. If you want to take part in it, you should divide your participation into four stages. This can help you to organize yourself strategically and make the most of it.
Devise a Plan
- Identify the trade shows that are the best fit for your aviation business.
- Determine at least three strategies that can make you generate quality leads.
- Devise at least three strategies that enable you to convert leads into sales.
Once you have identified the trade shows you want to take part in, you need to master your planned strategies. This will help you to ensure flawless execution and get the best possible return on your investment.
Set Goals
Before entering the trade show, do these things:
- Set Goals – Determine the number of meetings, and sales you need to make to consider your participation a success.
- Promote Your Participation – Be sure to feature your trade show participation on your website and social media pages. Use all means like sending emails to customers and distributing press releases to let your customers know that you are showcasing your products in an aviation trade show. Seek the help of professionals to highlight your participation in airline trade show services on your website.
- Schedule Advance Appointments – Reach out to your business contacts including customers and vendors who are attending the show and set appointments with them in advance.
Attract Visitors
Do these things during the show:
- Attract Attention – Make people notice you and draw them to your booth. Make a live demo or multimedia presentation to engage visitors. Making a special offer or hiring an entertainer can also serve to attract people’s attention. Just make sure that all your presentations are relevant to your business.
- Assign Knowledgeable Staff to Your Booth – During the show, your booth can become a place where customers and potential clients will ask questions pertaining to your products or business. That said, it is imperative that you should assign someone who can answer questions.
- Capture Contact Information – You should keep track of people who visit your booth during the trade show. They are potential customers who can engage with your business now or in the coming days.
- Explore – Take time to explore your surroundings and take note of what’s new or interesting. There’s a lot to learn during an aviation trade show – even from your own competitors.
Track Leads
Do these after the show.
- Follow-Up on Leads – Making follow-up on leads when the show ends should be a part of your aviation trade show marketing You should have these ready for sending before the end of the show. Time is of the essence in events like this, as potential sales can get lost when you allow time to pass before sending follow-up materials.
- Make an Assessment of the Event – Once the trade show is finished, do an assessment of the important aspects of the event, and solicit feedback from your staff and if possible, people who attended the event. This will give you an idea which strategies had the most impact. Use this information as a basis for your strategic plans for upcoming shows.
- Track Leads – Track leads to determine how many of your leads became customers and to know the volume of trade show generated sales. Compare your sales against your total trade show costs to see if the trade show is providing value to your business.
Make your presence felt in the digital world. Promote your participation in aviation trade shows with help from Aerospace Marketing. We’re one of the best marketers of airline trade show services today.
Call us at (561) 279-4660
