Managing director of Taylor Alden PR Alison Relf says use the power of PR to tell your customers and potential new contacts that you’ll be exhibiting at a trade show

No harm in showing off when you are at the top of your game is there? In the nicest possible way of course!

Now that face-to-face events and exhibitions are open again, companies are looking at ways to go for gold in front of customers and contacts.

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We are absolutely thrilled to see the preparation starting again for our much-loved KBB exhibitions, and others.

We’ve missed many parts – from the busy lead-up making sure media packs, samples, brochures and gifts are prepared, to launching new products and setting up interviews at the show with editors and journalists in the industry.

And let’s not forget, catching up with the familiar faces we all know and love!

I was looking at the list of exhibitors for KBB 2022 and noticed that only a few are actually shouting about the fact they will be there (cross everything that nothing gets in the way!)

After discovering this, we started putting together some pointers for those who are planning on getting out and about again soon.

If you are spending time and budget planning and attending shows, it’s important you let customers know that you’re going to be there.

Pre-show information

Firstly, use your website and online presence as your own personal marketing tool.

Put the event logo on the front page of your website, and your sign-offs, so that people know where and when they can view your wares.

When you’re speaking to customers, tell them what your plans are.

Even better, inform and brief your sales team for them to tell customers too – and anyone else really.

Now onto the content for print and online media, your social channels and your website.

Again, you want people to know you’re there and what to expect.

Develop a strict social media calendar so that you are regularly promoting your attendance and why not give sneak peeks into what you’ve planned.

Aim to increase your followers and get them talking about the show by conversing with interested parties – the organisers, the media, other exhibitors, the venue, the associations.

Ask the organisers how they can help you in terms of PR. What is their PR plan?

Every exhibition has a PR agency or someone who handles it in-house. They want to promote themselves too.

Liaise with journalists and inform them too – follow the key contacts and send them regular really good content before and after the event.

At-show awareness

When it comes to stand design, you can be experimental and try to stand out.

Add something to your stand that people will remember when they get back to their showroom. Speak to the stand designer – they are the experts!

Choose a company representative and make them the face of your brand for the duration of the show – make sure it’s someone who is chatty!

Offer your brand ambassador as a speaker or develop an element of a seminar.

We are very much looking forward to attending the industry exhibitions planned for 2021/22 and want to wish everyone good luck with the planning for what will be the first one in a while!