The Pro’s & Con’s of Exhibitions
Pluses, minuses, advantages, disadvantages…exhibitions are a big balancing act.
Every disadvantage has its advantage. And exhibitions are no different. So here’s our quick guide to all the pros and cons of exhibitions. Winning at exhibitions means making the most of the good, and being smart about reducing the bad.
Up with the advantages
Bigger, better, broader audience: Exhibitions are a great way to communicate with your customers. You can massively boost your audience as the right stand can attract hundreds of people in a day. You can also be exposed to a wider audience depending on the scope of the exhibition.
Raising awareness is another big plus: Exhibitions are great ways to raise awareness of your brand, products and services across the marketplace – with buyers and consumers alike. They can get hands-on and experience your product for themselves. Exhibitions can also generate great PR that you can use in the trade press and blog or tweet about too.
Great for product launches: Who doesn’t like something shiny and new? We do, and we think exhibitions are just about the best places to introduce a winning product to a hungry new audience.
Enhances your credibility and loyalty: People begin to trust your brand when they see it alongside major brands…and increased trust ensures increased sales. Sometimes for online business models, this is the first opportunity your consumers have to meet your team face-to-face, making your company a ‘real’ offering with ‘real people’. As well as increasing credibility of your brand, exhibitions will also promote brand loyalty as familiarity helps your products become the default choice.
More networking: You meet a lot of likeminded people at exhibitions, more likely as not in the same product arena as you. This gives you a good opportunity to network, increase your client base and promote your business. Exhibitions are a bastion of profitable alliances.
Down with the disadvantages
Exhibitions can be expensive: As well as the space itself, there’s the cost of your stand, not to mention staffing, accommodation, travel expenses and time out of the office.
It can be hard to attract visitors: You’re often one of many stands, so how do you draw attention to your stand vs competitors? You have to make an effort to step out and talk to people. If you just stand behind the table and hope people will talk with you, they won’t.
Exhibitions are hectic and stressful: Exhibitions take a lot of work. From selecting the right exhibition stand contractors, booking the perfect spot to finalising your stand design, you need to keep your eye on loads of things. Stuff can go wrong.
They can sometimes go downhill: While focusing on major aspects it’s easy to ignore the small things at exhibitions. You might have the perfect exhibition stall design but have terrible staff. If you do not tie all the loose ends, it’s likely you won’t get the results you expect.
It can be overwhelming: With so many tasks and preparations at hand, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with all the chores and responsibilities that drop at your feet. Sort it or sink? The choice is yours.
Everything has advantages and disadvantages. Don’t let the disadvantages discourage you. We think exhibitions are wonderful and are here to help you make yours a success. See some more of our Exhibition Top Tips here, or to talk it through with one of our experts make sure to call 0115 981 6276.