Ask An Expert: How to maximise appearing at trade shows and events

Taking your business on the road and exhibiting at an industry event can feel daunting – but it could turn out to be your most cost-effective brand awareness exercise of the year if you get it right.

We spent the week at the Farnborough International Air Show in July, representing our clients Eurofighter and BAE Systems Air as they showcased the Eurofighter Typhoon and its wide-ranging capabilities on the world stage.

The air show is usually hosted every two years and the eyes of the aerospace world fall on the Hampshire town for five days.

It hadn’t been hosted in person since 2018 as Covid cancelled the 2020 meet, so we wanted to make sure we maximised the chance to reconnect in 2022, as businesses from across the globe came together to embark on ground-breaking collaboration and partnership.

If you’ve made the decision to go ahead and take a stand (quite literally) now the world seems to be getting back to normal, we’ve collated some of our top PR tips for getting the most out of the investment and experience of a business event.

PRE-EVENT

Who’s the show boss?

Appoint a team member for all things relating to the exhibition.

If you’re lucky enough to have a PR or marketing team then great, you’ve got this covered. If not, it’s time to get organised and line somebody up to take charge of making your show experience a successful one.

Tell the world

Ask the event if they offer any branded marketing material that you can use on your website, social media, and email signatures. Start telling the world that you’re exhibiting at this show and invite your customers and prospects, especially if you are using the exhibition to launch a new product or service.

The show guide

Does the exhibition produce a ‘show guide’? Also known as the little book that you pick up at the front of the show with maps, info and lists of brands.

If so, be sure to submit the relevant information for this – don’t just expect to be included in a brand listing. Most exhibitions will ask you to write a short company bio, explaining who you are, what you do and where people can find you at the show.

Getting in the press

In the run up to an exhibition, magazines and other media outlets will be writing about what visitors to the show can expect and will more than often run a ‘show preview’ – a guide to what’s going on, which stands to visit, what is new and exciting.

Some exhibitions employ their own PR team to contact exhibitors and ask for this kind of information, others don’t, and the opportunity is there for the taking.

Contact relevant media, get the deadlines for submitting your show info and most importantly, send it in time, in the right format (hi-res JPEG photos, the correct number of words etc.) and to the right person.

Preparing your press packs

If you’re launching something new at the show, you’ll benefit from having a press release written. Some brands also like to include a company story, and don’t forget to include contact details too.

If a journalist has picked up your press pack in the press office, takes it away and then wants to learn more about it to write a feature, who should they contact at your business?

ON-SITE

The Press Office

Most exhibitions have a physical press office on site at the event. This is the place where the media will go to collect press packs, hold interviews, network, and use the space as a working office to report on the exhibition.

This is where you should take your press releases and press packs to be displayed if your exhibition offers this facility. If not, keep your press packs with you and distribute to any press who come on to your stand.

The team

Choose the right people for the job when you’re deciding on who to take to the show. There will be lots of talking so enthusiasm, product knowledge and stamina are key to an exhibition team.

Each member of the on-site team should be as knowledgeable as each other – there’s nothing worse than waiting in a queue for ‘Barry’ as he’s the only one who knows the answer to that question…

Network and engage

There are often other events around an exhibition that you can get involved in, such as drinks receptions in an evening and breakfast networking meetings before you start the day.

Find out what’s on, what’s relevant and make the effort to go along.

POST-EVENT

Keep it going

Follow up with all of the new contacts you’ve made. If you’ve promised to send a new customer information, prices or product after the show, make sure you do it! It’s easy to get lost in the post-show fatigue but this is the prime time to keep the momentum going and act upon all of your hard work over the last few days.

Evaluate the experience

Did you get everything out of the exhibition that you hoped to? Did you make new contacts, get new business leads, sell your target amount of product? Write it all down while it’s fresh in your mind. This will help with the next event you go to, if you’ve decided to do it all again…

Crisis Communications - Woman on phone and Computer

woman looking at post its ona glass board

Amy Scott
Account Manager and Events Specialist

READY TO RSVP?

If you’re looking for PR support for your next appearance at an exhibition, speak to our team of experts.

We’re an award-winning agency with tonnes of experience in this field and across all sorts of business sectors – from aerospace to fashion, double glazing to dogs (yes, really) and everything in between, so we’d love to help.