Trade show season is ushering in, and by now, preparations for your exhibit should be under way. These dedicated industry events offer your business much exposure and will help you to expand your network. Especially if you are interested in bringing your brand outside the US, trade shows give you an opportunity to meet possible franchisees or distributors or alternative manufacturing hubs to enable you to keep your operating costs down.

Participating in trade shows is no joke. You not only pay for the floor space, but you will also be spending on marketing materials such as trade show giveaways, brochures, and flyers. Moreover, if the trade show is held abroad or in a different state, you must set aside some funds to cover plane tickets, hotel, food, and transportation.

The rewards of your trade show participation depend on whether the show brings you good prospects, if it enhances your expertise, and helps you find cost-effective suppliers. Here are some ways to make sure your next trade show will be rewarding:

* Check out the competition. Take the opportunity to see what other suppliers and companies are doing and learn from them. What are they doing in terms of R&D? Are they becoming more creative with their design? Are they using environment-friendly materials?

* Find out advances in the industry. Trade shows gather the movers and shakers in the industry. These include suppliers of materials, packaging, machines, and tools.

* Learn about new industry policies. Trade shows feature forums and talks to inform industry players of new certification, quality assurance tests, export policies, and other relevant developments. Manning the booth may take up a lot of your time, but remember that trade shows are an opportunity for you to know firsthand of industry developments. If you want to stay ahead in the business, it helps to know many things.

* Send out samples via direct mail before the show. If you have clients near the area who might want to see you, why not send them some trade show giveaways imprinted with your booth number and the trade show details so they remember to look you up when they’re at the expo?

* Hand out samples or giveaways during the trade show. Be realistic. You will not be able to show your wares to everyone who visits the show. Buyers and guests will not have the time to check out all the halls, but you can make sure they know about you by handing out samples and giveaways at the entrance or at the buyer lounges. Interested suppliers will know how to reach you as long as they have something with your contact information on it.

—
Amanda Dean is an expert in the promotional product industry with chief specialization in <a href=”http://www.ezkeyholders.com/”>Promotional Key Holders</a> and <a href=”http://www.custompromotionalbag.com/”>Custom Promotional Bags</a>.