When you decide which trade shows to exhibit at in Sydney, you should start building relationships with other key trade show vendors. Many exhibitors forget the value of networking with other exhibitors, but you can set up referral systems that can increase your effective marketing within the exhibition centre. When you are planning your exhibition stand and associated marketing strategy, do not forget to plan your networking strategy with the other vendors in Sydney.
Building relationships with other exhibitors that have complementary products to your own can increase lead generation at the trade show. Set up a complementary system where those who visit one exhibition stand will receive a discount or bonus if visiting the other one too. Even without offering a discount, encouraging the staff to mention the other exhibition stand to potential customers can help generate leads.
Finding the Other Vendors BEFORE the Trade Show
Networking with the other vendors at the Sydney trade show can start weeks before the show. Building strong relationships with business partners, who will also be exhibiting and offer complementary products to your company, is not difficult and is well worth the effort. These relationships could even build referral systems that are mutually beneficial in the long term, aside from the benefits from one trade show.
Although the trade show organisers may give you a list of exhibitors close to the day of the trade show opening, you may be able to find your networking targets sooner. Use your networking skills within the industry to discover if other companies you know of in the industry also plan to attend the trade show in Sydney. Ask your exhibition booth designer and exhibition furniture hire company who else is building exhibition stands for that trade show.
You can start building the relationships with other exhibitors in the weeks before the trade show. Since complementary products often cater to the same customer base, you may even ask your current customers if they know of other companies who are also attending the upcoming trade show in Sydney. Simply by showing the logo of the trade show on your front counter could generate some conversations about the upcoming exhibition and can give you the networking leads you are looking for. It also lets your customers know about the trade show, as they may attend and bring new customers to the show too.
When networking with other vendors, look for opportunities to refer customers to their stands. Learn their products and long term goals and offer a mutually beneficial proposal for referrals at the trade show.
Contacting Vendors at the Trade Show
Arrive as early as possible to set up your exhibition stand at the trade show. The sooner your exhibition stand is set up, the more time you have for networking with other vendors before the customers arrive. In Sydney, most of the exhibition centres will open for several hours or even a day before the trade show is open to the public, for the exhibitors to set up. Some exhibitors will simply set up and go home, but smart exhibitors will use the entire set up time available for networking as well as setting up the exhibition stand.
Take a walk around the exhibition centre, looking for companies that offer complementary products to you own. Introduce yourself and explain the referral system you propose. If you have made contact previously to the exhibition, this is even easier. Otherwise, you may even like to invite the staff to your exhibition stand to show your products and explain the advantages of referring your stand to their customers and how you will return the favour.
Networking with other Sydney based vendors at the trade show can really increase the marketing value of the exhibition stand by setting up mutually beneficial referral programs and building long term relationships with companies catering to the same customer base with complementary products.
Tags: event marketing, exhibition marketing, exhibition success
This is a great idea as other vendors you have befriended may redirect visitors who are looking for your product to you. Its also a good idea not to position yourself near competitors, infact you should position yourself before them if possible