Leverage Trade Shows in 2024 to Accelerate Your Business Growth
With over 4,400 trade shows held in the United States each year, these events are a prime opportunity for businesses like yours to generate new leads, raise brand awareness, and drive sales. As a Fully Promoted franchisee, attending the right trade shows in 2024 can help catapult your custom apparel and promotional products business to new heights.
Trade shows provide access to large groups of motivated buyers under one roof. Whether you’re looking to make inroads in a specific industry or geographic market, connect with existing customers face-to-face, or get inspired with new promo product ideas, a focused trade show strategy can yield impressive results.
In this article, we’ll explore major 2024 trade shows and how you can make the most of these events to take your Fully Promoted franchise to the next level. You’ll learn insider tips on pre-show promotion, lead generation at the event, and post-show follow-up so you can turn trade show conversations into real sales.
Let’s dive in!
Overview of Major 2024 Trade Shows
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is a major technology trade show held annually in January in Las Vegas. With over 180,000 attendees, CES showcases the latest consumer tech products and innovations. This show provides opportunities for Fully Promoted Franchisees to connect with tech brands and showcase promotional products.
MAGIC is one of the largest fashion industry trade shows, exhibiting women’s and men’s footwear and accessories. The August 2024 show in Las Vegas expects 80,000 attendees. Fully Promoted can reach fashion brands and retailers about branded apparel and accessories.
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show occurs in Detroit every year. All major auto brands exhibit new vehicles and technologies to over 800,000 attendees. Fully Promoted Franchisees can connect with automotive companies about promotional products and branding.
The NAHB International Builders’ Show convenes building and construction professionals in February in Las Vegas. With over 60,000 attendees and 1,400 exhibitors, Fully Promoted can reach contractors and developers about branded construction products.
Every March, the International Pizza Expo gathers over 7,000 pizza professionals annually in Las Vegas. Fully Promoted can showcase branded apparel, signage, and supplies to pizza chains and independent pizzerias.
Benefits of Attending Trade Shows
Attending trade shows offers numerous benefits for Fully Promoted franchisees looking to expand their business. Here are some of the key advantages:
Networking Opportunities
Trade shows provide access to hundreds or thousands of potential new clients in one convenient location. Franchisees can network with attendees and exhibitors to make valuable connections and grow their contact lists. Casual conversations can lead to exchanging business cards and securing future sales meetings.
Raising Brand Awareness
By exhibiting at industry trade shows, Fully Promoted franchisees gain incredible exposure for their brand. They can interact with prospects face-to-face and educate them about Fully Promoted’s products, services, and capabilities. This personal approach helps raise brand visibility and recognition.
Generating New Sales Leads
Trade shows are ultimately about lead generation. Franchisees can collect numerous promising new sales leads to follow up on after the event. Many attendees come with buying intent, looking for solutions and ready to make purchasing decisions. Franchisees can capture their information and convert leads into new clients.
Preparing for Success at a Trade Show
Preparing thoroughly before attending a trade show is critical to maximizing the value of your participation. Here are some tips on getting ready:
Research attendees and exhibitors beforehand to identify potential prospects.** Review the attendee list and exhibitor directory to find companies looking for your products and services. Reach out to set meetings in advance.
Set clear goals for several leads, connections, etc.** Have measurable objectives like collecting at least 20 leads or connecting with ten potential vendors. This helps focus your efforts at the event.
Plan giveaways and interactive elements for your booth.** Having fun items like branded pens, playing games, or giving away prizes draws attention. Use creative touches to stand out.
Prepare your elevator pitch.** Craft a 30-second overview focused on who you serve and how you can help prospects. Refine and practice it to come across as natural and conversational.
Thorough preparation ensures you maximize trade show participation, generate promising leads, and make valuable connections. With some planning, you can achieve great success.
Maximizing Lead Generation at Trade Shows
Trade shows offer a prime opportunity to generate new leads and attract potential customers. As a Fully Promoted franchisee, you’ll want to take full advantage by utilizing proven tactics to maximize your lead capture.
Offer Giveaways and Contests to Capture Lead Info** – Raffles, contests, and giveaways are excellent ways to gather lead information in exchange for a chance to win a prize. You can require an email address or business card submission to enter. Offer relevant tips like free branded apparel or promotional products. This incentivizes visitors to provide their contact information so you can follow up after the show.
Follow Up Quickly with All Leads** – The key is acting fast while their experience at your booth is still fresh. Try to make contact within 24 hours after meeting them. Send a personalized email or make a quick phone call thanking them for stopping by and offering to answer any questions.
Provide Show Specials and Discounts** – Attractive discounts and show-only deals create a sense of urgency. This motivates attendees to place orders during the event to maximize the savings. You could offer a percentage off their first order, free setup fees, rush service, or other perks. Just make sure to capture their info!
By actively generating new leads and maximizing your interactions, trade shows can lead to expanded sales and new long-term customers.
Driving Brand Awareness at Trade Shows
Trade shows offer a prime opportunity for Fully Promoted franchisees to get their brand in front of thousands of attendees. Maximizing your brand visibility is essential, with many potential new customers roaming the floors.
One of the most effective ways to drive brand awareness is with an eye-catching, branded booth. Your booth design should reflect your brand identity, incorporate your logo and tagline, and use your brand colors throughout. Use large banners, custom flooring, decorated tables, and prominent signage for maximum impact. Having a bold, memorable booth will help attendees take notice and remember your brand.
Always come prepared with plenty of branded giveaways as well. These could include pens, notepads, water bottles, phone accessories, t-shirts, hats, and more. Handing out valuable items with your logo gives you an easy way to get your brand directly into people’s hands. Adding your website, phone number, and social media handles allows you to continue interacting after the show.
Leveraging social media before, during, and after the trade show is also invaluable for driving brand awareness. Share news of your attendance and booth location, post photos and videos that give followers a behind-the-scenes look, and engage with attendees mentioning your brand online. Run contests for giveaways and encourage people to share their trade show experiences. Being active on social media will help you maximize your reach and get more eyes on your brand.
With some strategic planning, Fully Promoted franchisees can make a significant brand impact at their next trade show. Distributing branded items, having an unforgettable booth, and leveraging social media are proven ways to boost awareness and gain exposure. The more attention you can bring to your brand, the more likely you’ll be to win over new customers.
Securing New Sales
Attending trade shows is the perfect opportunity to secure new sales for your business. As a Fully Promoted franchisee, ensure you are fully prepared to close deals onsite.
Bring plenty of product catalogs and pricing sheets to share with prospective buyers. Consider offering special discounted pricing only for orders placed during the trade show. This can incentivize buyers to place an order with you versus your competitors.
Be ready to answer any product questions prospects may have and address concerns about your services. The easier you can make it for attendees to order, the more sales you’ll secure.
Finally, don’t forget to diligently collect buyer contact information for every promising lead you encounter. This will allow immediate follow-up with custom quotes, product recommendations, and closing the sale. Attending shows can generate excitement and interest in your products, but you must harness that with prompt communication after meeting potential clients.
With the proper preparation and sales strategy, Fully Promoted franchisees can capitalize on trade shows to land significant new accounts and boost revenue.
Following Up After the Show
After the trade show ends, it’s critical to follow up promptly with leads while their memory of your brand is fresh. Categorize leads as hot, warm, or cold based on their level of interest and prioritize follow-ups accordingly.
– Hot leads showed serious interest in purchasing your products/services. Follow up within 24 hours with a personalized email thanking them for visiting your booth and providing any additional info requested. Offer an extra discount or bonus if they place their order within the next week.
– Warm leads expressed some interest but didn’t commit to a purchase. Follow up within a few days with a friendly email reminding them of your offerings. Include testimonials and case studies demonstrating success with other clients in their industry. Offer a time-limited discount or bonus item to provide extra incentive to buy.
– Cold leads stopped by your booth but showed little engagement. Follow up within 1-2 weeks with an email checking in and reiterating the key benefits of your products/services. Keep it simple and direct.
After the follow-up period:
- Analyze lead conversion rates and sales results.
- Identify what worked well to inform future trade show participation and sales processes.
- Look for gaps in product selection, pricing, or messaging that may have impacted lead follow-through.
- Refine your trade show approach to maximize ROI at the next event.
Joining Forces with Other Franchisees
Attending large trade shows can be expensive, so joining forces with other Fully Promoted franchisees to share costs and collaborate is a great strategy. Here are some tips:
– **Share a larger booth to split costs**. Rather than each franchisee getting their small booth, you can team up to rent a large booth together. This cuts down on the space rental fees for each franchisee.
– **Take turns staffing the booth**. Trade shows can be long and tiring. Having multiple franchisees share the responsibility of working the booth means you get more breaks while maintaining booth coverage. Come up with a schedule to divide up show floor hours.
Collaborate on contests, giveaways, and marketing**. Brainstorm fun contests, product giveaways, or other engaging marketing tactics together. This creates more buzz and attracts more prospects to your shared booth. You can also collaborate to create co-branded marketing materials highlighting your collective nationwide presence and capabilities.
Joining forces with fellow franchisees makes trade shows more affordable, manageable, and effective. You present a unified brand presence and maximize your reach. Attendees also appreciate the convenience of having multiple locations represented in one place.
Attending trade shows offers tremendous opportunities for Fully Promoted franchisees to grow their business. By exhibiting at the significant 2024 trade shows and events, franchisees can generate new leads, raise brand awareness, and secure valuable new sales.
With careful preparation and planning, franchisees can maximize their success at these shows. Key steps include:
- Researching attendance demographics.
- Setting clear objectives.
- Developing an eye-catching booth.
- Preparing marketing collateral.
- Training booth staff.
During the event, strategies like giveaways, contests, and lead-capture tools help drive booth traffic and capture new contacts.
Following up promptly with leads after the event is critical for converting interest into sales. Franchisees can also boost their presence by partnering with local franchisees to exhibit.
Trade shows enable Fully Promoted franchisees to showcase their capabilities and tap into a highly targeted audience. By leveraging these events, franchise owners can gain new clients and accelerate their growth.
To learn more about the franchise opportunity with an established national brand that empowers you to grow your promotional products business, visit FullyPromotedFranchise.com
The Fully Promoted network provides training, support, and access to preferred suppliers to help you make the most of events like trade shows. Discover how you can be part of a proven franchise system today.