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July 18, 2011 By

Exhibiting Your Small Business – Why Exhibition Stands Make Sense

Why should a small business invest in an exhibition stand? The costs can seem prohibitive. However, those businesses that present themselves to the public not only earn back everything they put into the exhibition stand, but they generate tremendous amounts of potential revenue. In any business, retaining customers is essential, but creating new ones is equally vital.

In many ways, an exhibition stand functions as one of the most cost-effective methods of advertising and promotion. By securing a physical locale at a trade show or venue, a business can literally attract people who are interested in a particular product or service. By exchanging information with them at the stand, these businesses quickly build a base of people with which they can send product announcements or service launches. This highly targeted approach enables a company to create new customers at a much faster rate than with more blind avenues of advertising.

Meeting people in person is also highly underrated in an age where many transactions occur virtually. Small businesses may or may not have a large number of walk-in customers. In some cases, small businesses do not even have the facilities for a traditional reception area. An exhibition stand functions as a temporary reception area in a region swarming with likely customers. By being able to physically shake hands, hold a conversation, and generally communicate about interests, ideas, and requests, a small business can grow its sales. This is partially because people enjoy the human aspect of communication, and are more likely to buy a product from someone they feel they “know” than a company which has no human representation.

In this way, exhibition stands offer a competitive advantage against businesses that do not exhibit. This can be especially useful in “virtual” industries such as computer software or gaming. A product display, even if it is as simple as being able to view a function on a computer screen, is far more effective in person than in isolation. Generally speaking, exhibition stands should be staffed by highly genial, friendly members of the small business. If the small business owner does not choose to work the stand, he should send his most affable sales representative to do so.

By creating a positive impression in people’s minds, positive word of mouth invariably follows. Exhibition stands excel in this regard, especially if people feel welcome and informed. If a visitor to the stand meets a friendly representative of the company and is given a short but informative tour of the product or service, that visitor will ultimately describe her experience in positive terms to anyone else she meets. This kind of personal recommendation is invaluable, and will only aid in the acquisition of more new customers.

Small businesses should research local events, gatherings and other business oriented locales to determine the best time and place for their exhibition stand. The question is not whether or not to invest in a stand, but rather whether to do so now, or a few weeks from now.

Resource:

Find out more about exhibition stands at the the Nimlok website.

File under: Advertising, Business, Communication, Marketing, Products & Services
June 13, 2011 By

Why should you promote your business at exhibitions and fairs?

As a small business you understand the need for running tight budgets and keeping marketing costs under control. At first thought, exhibitions and fairs may seem an extravagant activity, but executed well, with the right preparation and follow up, they can provide a great return on investment and help to take your business to the next level.

So, what can you hope to get out of an exhibition or fair?

Lead generation: Perhaps the most obvious of outcomes, exhibitions are a great way of sourcing new leads for businesses, which, once followed up after the show, will hopefully convert into sales and ultimately profits.

New sales: Depending on the type of exhibition or trade show and the service/products that you offer, your goal may be to make sales at the actual exhibitions or fairs themselves. If you have the right product and approach, you can capitalise on the fact that the venue is filled with your core market.

Generate brand awareness: Full of your potential customers, exhibitions give you the opportunity to influence as many people as possible and build your brand with your target market.

Launch new product lines: Fairs and exhibitions are perfect for showcasing new product lines or services and allow you to sell to new customers as well as tapping into your existing customer base by upselling or cross selling.

Access to the media: Journalists are always looking for new industry trends and use exhibitions and fairs as a key research tool. By preparing a press information pack to give to the media (including a press release, photos, product or service information and contacts) you will give yourself a greater chance of some free publicity.

The opportunities are there for the taking, however, it’s no good turning up at an exhibition or fair without the right preparation and forethought. To get the most out of your investment there are several tips you should follow…

Tell the world!: Use your prospect and contacts list to notify everyone that you know that you will be attending the exhibition and where they will be able to find you inside the venue. Using email and social networking are cheap and easy ways of doing this.

Make your exhibition stand eye-catching: At an exhibition or fair, visibility is vital and there are certain elements you should consider:

The design of your exhibition stand: The design of your exhibition stand needs to ensure that you get noticed for all the right reasons. It must convey your brand and product/service clearly and concisely and your message should be visible from across the hall. Also make sure that it appeals to your target audience by using eye-catching graphics and text. Lighting is also an important but sometimes forgotten element. At a basic level, the lighting should be sufficient enough for visitors to read your displays but on a deeper level it can be used to create an atmosphere or highlight certain parts of your stand.

Offer an ‘experience’: Once you’ve enticed people onto your stand, it is a good idea to offer visitors a real hands-on approach so that they can see, handle, interact with and experience your product or service for themselves.

Your people are your brand: Ensure that your staff running the exhibition stand know why they are there, what the overall goals are and how to deal with potential questions. They can be a key differentiator between you and your competitors and so body language and behavior on the stand are also critical, so make sure there are lots of eye contact and smiles and no mobile phones, eating or crossed arms.

Use your time well: The old adage ‘time is money’ is never truer than at exhibitions or fairs. They generally only last for a day or two and in order to achieve as many leads or sales as possible you simply don’t have time for a lengthy chat with a prospect or customer. Make sure you get all the details you need from each visitor and then politely move on.

Follow up promptly: After the exhibition is over it is essential to follow up on all the leads you have gathered as soon as possible. This will keep you at the forefront of your prospects/customers’ minds and show that you are keen to do business with them.

Resource:

If you’d like to find out more about exhibition banner stands you may do so here. They supply a wide range of portable and fixed banner stands to help guarantee a successful exhibition experience as well as buying guides to help you choose the items that are right for you.

File under: Business, Marketing, Products & Services
August 28, 2009 By

10 Things I Hate About Branding

ONE:
Frankly it takes a lot of work to stay on top of my brand. If only I could just push a button like the Staples “Easy Button” ( which I have on my desk). I hate that I can’t!

TWO:
I hate having to remind businesses that their brand is more than their logo. I have every design shop and ad specialty shop to blame for the mis-information I guess. (I could be painting with big a brush too)

THREE:
I hate companies who don’t realize that branding is a top down initiative. Without the captain on board, who’s piloting the brand?

FOUR:
Just too many great books to read. I’m stuck on historical fiction right now and so slipping in books on branding is a tight fit – I hate that.

FIVE:
I hate those who confuse their brand message with their slogan. There is a difference. I guess since they are both important, I should be happy that they have anything.

SIX:
I hate followers. Why do some businesses still feel they must follow the leader in their category? A commenter to one of my articles recently lamented their displeasure at businesses who copy the leader’s image almost to the letter. Sheesh!

SEVEN:
I also hate people online who make the simple complicated in an attempt to screw a few dollars out of your pocket, only to reveal the obvious. If you see something online you want to get into, email the author – I’m sure they’ll help you.

EIGHT:
I love it when someone says, “Hey, you’re the branding guy!” I hate that it took so long.

NINE:
Sometimes I hate that consistency is worth so much to your brand. I get the itch like many of us to change things up a bit. BUT, my better judgement knows that that would diminish what I have achieved so far.

TEN:
Sometimes I hate focus groups when judging brand image. By their nature they look to criticize regardless if it is even necessary. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Was your brand built on consensus or instinct?

Thanks for letting me vent a small bit, I hate keeping it bottled up inside.

File under: Archives, Beginners, Branding, Business, Employer Branding, Featured, Marketing, News, Personal Branding
June 12, 2009 By

Webalue: Good News For Your Online Brand!

There are a few good analytics services that can give you a good indication of how your web presence is doing. All are employing a generic approach appealing to the broad market.
There is one among them that stands out. It stands out because its focus is the health of your online brand.
This stand-out product is called – Webalue.com The positioning message states that Webalue.com is an online system that evaluates third-party websites in order to generate strategic brand reports for brand managers to improvise their marketing efficiency. These reports are valuable for companies that are determined to foster their brand’s online presence.
Webalue.com is the brain child of a young entrepreneur, Meheer Thakare. Meheer’s company resides in Mumbai, India. He and I have been in touch for a year or so, and I have been following the progress of Webalue.com’s development. It impresses me to no end the ambition and intelligence of young people through out the world. Meheer first contacted me through his exposure to my posts here at Small Business Branding.
Besides, the usual analytics provided by other analytics services, Webalue.com establishes a Brand Score, Reach Points, Domain and Incoming Link Analysis and Referrers. Webalue.com allows consumer feedback as well. Included in this feedback, is consumer’s email databases, consumers segregation and polling results from whether consumers would or would not recommend. Consumer intelligence is the key to building your brand. If you take full advantage of all the data Webalue.com gives you, you should be able to appreciate what your brand’s online value is.
The design of Webalue.com is very sexy and very easy to navigate and read. Using Webalue is FREE! Webalue.com’s results are derived from industry-level benchmarks and as such give a fair evaluation of your company’s online brand. The service is dynamic in that it is constantly being updated.
If you’re keen on evaluating your own brand’s online presence, give Webalue.com a try. Meheer and his team would love your feedback. I think you’ll appreciate what this service can do for you. Webalue is another important tool in building the success of your brand and taking advantage of data to help position your brand strategically. I am using Webalue.com myself, and every week I discover more and more information about my own brand.
File under: Branding
December 28, 2008 By

How To Snatch The Golden COIN!

COIN – Circle Of Influence Networking.

On a regular basis, I am on the look out for new opportunities for companies and individuals within my circle of influence. Whether they are located within my immediate market, across the continent or around the world, I am keeping their best interests in mind. As you might imagine, I speak with CEO’s from many different types of companies all the time. If for instance, I speak with a manufacturer, I immediately curious as to who supplies their pallets or wood packaging? I have a client contact who does that. What about corrugated packaging? Looking to tie the knot, perhaps it would benefit you to speak with Atlanta’s ONLY Intimate Bridal Salon? No matter what the situation, I love the idea of my clients doing business together.

I subscribe to a service that looks for news sources. Whenever I spot a topic that a reporter is looking to research and one of my clients would fit the bill, then I pass it on. I consider these efforts part of my overall marketing strategy. One thing that it helps to spur is additional business. It keeps me on their radar. We are referring each other. Much of my new business is from referral. I see it as a two-way street.

Don’t forget that branding is all about the relationship. Take a look at your typical week. I’ll bet that you too trip over situations where your customers could benefit. Take for instance a retailer – if you’re smart and you’re building a customer database, find out what they do. Imagine if you were able to link them up with an opportunity? How golden would you be to them?

If you send out a monthly html newsletter to your list, feature a customer. It’s the little things that make a huge impact. When you’re in their company, pay close attention to what they’re saying about their daily lives. An irritant might possibly be addressed by someone within your circle of influence. What you will definitely find happening as a result of this, is that your customers will start looking out for you.

None of us are any different – we are all looking for new business. Ask your customers what they’re looking for?

Make COIN pay off for you!

File under: Featured
December 10, 2008 By

How to Get Smart Going Mobile!

For the past several months I’ve been intrigued by the concept of mobile advertising. I wanted to know how it worked and why would anyone call up an ad? I immediately bought the domain “www.thebrandingexperts” (view this on a Blackberry). The way I look at it is, mobile media is another great avenue to deliver your quality content. I picture my audience sitting in airports, hotel rooms etc. reading information delivered to their Blackberrys from The Branding Experts. My first offering is my current FREE newsletter, “Useful Information #53.” One of the nice things about mobile promotion is that you can have email links as well as phone links. Immediate contact, without looking up a number. Think about the convenience – you can send your clients to a department menu with direct phone links to relevant officers. You can link to other great mobile tools appearing with regularity as this medium discovers itself.

The beauty of mobile design is that there is no zooming to see a web page as the site is designed specifically to be viewed on your smart phone. Picture this: Up comes your brand image followed by a menu. Clicking on any of the topics brings up that story. The text is a perfect size for reading. You just scroll through the content. Hyper-links are spread through out, similar to computer based websites. It couldn’t be any simpler. Tie in audio and video and you can find yourself delivering some pretty potent content.

From a design perspective, it is still relatively rudementary. It reminds me of the beginnings of the commercial web, when we were all designing to Mosaic. There are no standards yet, so you essentially have to pick your mobile device of choice. I went with the #1 business smart phone – Blackberry. From my view point – any media that puts my brand message directly in the hands of a prospective customer is a great thing that I want to take advantage of. Drop me a line if your interested in some assistance in building your mobile presence.

It’s pretty powerful.mobi!

File under: Featured, Marketing
December 1, 2008 By

Your Audience Deserves Your Very Best.

My wife and I were out with friends recently and talk of my recent art exhibit came up. I paint in watercolor, and I held a studio Christmas show. (www.EdRoachWatercolors.com) My friends and my wife all thought I had blown an opportunity to sell a certain painting to a guest. They remarked how the guest remarked how they had liked the painting and how “I talked them out of it”. I “missed a sale,” they said.

Here’s what happend:

The painting was part of a stack of work I keep under my work table. I consider these junk. I keep them to remind myself of my progress. They are not meant for sale. The person in question spotted this pile and asked to see them. I obliged. There was one in particular she admired and said she’d like to buy it. Here’s where the source criticism comes into play. I proceeded to explain why the painting was not good enough to sell. I had painted another cat, and the effect was striking, as you see in the photo here. The painting was soft and somewhat menacing. This second one was too harsh. It did not have the sophistication of it’s sister painting. For this reason, I deemed it not worthy. It didn’t put out the feeling I was looking for. I felt it valuable that the guest understand that my vision for this painting was important and that it was especially critical that only my best work be out there. I don’t want my brand to be tainted “for the sale”. My friends were aghast that I would talk the guest out of a sale – after all it was an art show. They offered to attend the next show and help me sell. I’m afraid they might sell my drawing board if someone made an offer:)

I believe you must have standards. When I discuss my art, and my branding business, I try my best to educate. Explaining what to look for. I don’t want my audience to be taken in by mere flash, it is important to appreciate what makes something great and what does not.

I suppose the cat on it’s own my be OK, but it did not fulfill the criteria of my vision. My goal is to create a series of cats, with much the same expression and style. I mostly paint landscape but I keep my hands in every subject so that I will grow across all. When a painting or branding project “works”, it is a great source of pride. It is very fulfilling for the artist and patron. Both “get it.”

Be sure not to prostitute your services just to make a buck, or your brand will stand for nothing.

File under: Branding, Featured, Marketing
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