Trade shows are a great place for companies of all sizes to show off new products, mingle with business leaders from around the country and to gain some buzz for their brand. If you are not attending trade shows, you could be missing a great opportunity to advocate for your brand or help your company become stronger and more viable.
1) Meet Other Corporate Leaders
The best part about going to trade shows is the ability to meet other corporate leaders. Trade shows are a great place to develop relationships with other business owners and bounce ideas off of them that could help your own company become more profitable.
2) Get Your Name and Face in the Media
There is nothing better than having your picture plastered all over the most influential websites and trade magazines in your industry. As more and more people learn who you are and what you do, you can use your newfound fame to negotiate new or more favorable contracts for your company.
3) Create Buzz for Your Brand
Posting pictures of people using your products, putting testimonials from new users of your products on Facebook and holding contests for your social media followers are great ways to build buzz for your brand. Whether your company is big or small, it can always benefit from people talking about it.
4) See What the Competition Is Putting Out
You will be able to see the type of products and services that the competition has been working on for the past few months or years at large trade shows. If a competitor adds a new graphics chip to their new laptop that your laptop doesn’t have, it could render months of focus group testing and market research worthless. Knowing what the competition is doing could spur innovation within your own company.
5) Earn Contracts for Your Company
If you get some good press while at the show, it could translate into a large purchase order or a lucrative new partnership. For small companies that are looking to break out, a trade show could provide the perfect venue for that to occur.
While trade shows may be perceived as not worth going to or a waste of time, that couldn’t be further from the truth. A trade show is the place to be if you are looking to get yourself or your brand noticed. In some cases, it could be where you get an idea for the next big product or land a contract that puts your company on the map.
