How To Instil Comfort In Customers When Selling At A Trade Fair

We know that exhibitors are busy putting together their final touches and sales strategies for their exhibition stand. It’s a significant investment, and you undoubtedly want to engage with a targeted number of potential new clients, converting your presence into qualified leads or confirmed sales.

Making customers feel comfortable in your presence is an essential factor in any exhibition stand’s success. When customers feel comfortable, they’ll spend a few extra minutes engaging with you rather than rushing to the next stand. Whether you are a new exhibitor looking for tips on putting those potential customers at ease or a long-established exhibitor. Try these techniques to nurture confidence and trust:

1. Be approachable at a trade fair

This sounds obvious but being present, smiling, and accessible on your stand is a significant advantage. If you’ve ever visited an exhibition stand where everyone is sitting, looking at their mobiles or tablets and ignoring passers-by, you’ll already know how unapproachable this looks. Instead, make sure someone is always available at the front of the stand to greet visitors, and if you are lucky enough to be busy, acknowledge those waiting so they feel valued.

2. Engage attendees with a game

When people think about attracting people to their exhibition stand, the first thought is often giveaway merchandise, things like mugs, pens, and key rings, to name a few more basic options. But, unfortunately, offering these items only encourages someone to engage with you for the amount of time required to claim their freebie.

Running a game or contest is a guaranteed way to attract visitors to your stand. It doesn’t have to be extravagant—a simple raffle or quiz that allows you to capture the visitor’s details and promote your business is ideal.

3. Offer free Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi at an exhibition is a valuable commodity. In big exhibition centres, mobile data coverage is often patchy at best. By offering visitors a free Wi-Fi connection, they will see value in connecting with you and will undoubtedly spend more time at your stand engaging with you and your products.

4. Offer a place to relax and unwind

Exhibitions and fairs are hectic during the peak hours of opening. Many visitors crave a quiet spot to sit and unwind as walking from stand to stand can be exhausting. If you have the space, consider adding some comfortable seating and a place to relax. Additional facilities such as a juice bar to offer refreshments to visitors while they are speaking with you. This can help guests to feel comfortable and encourage them to really engage with you thanks to the welcoming ambience.

5. Include your existing clients

If your existing clients are likely to be attending the event, reach out to them beforehand via social media or email to let them know you’ll be there and how to find your stand. In addition, many trade show visitors meet up with friends and colleagues on the day. If one of them already advocates for your business, this is an excellent opportunity to build contacts with their network.

Attracting visitors to your exhibition stand and making them feel comfortable is essential to see a return on your investment. By adding one or more of the above suggestions into your marketing strategy, you are likely to see a greater footfall to your stand, which will lead to more sales for your team. Don’t forget that being prepared with sufficient staffing resources, enough tablets, and a means of capturing lead information is also a must!