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How to get the best from exhibiting

20th Apr 2015
Brought to you by
Accountex

Accountex is the UK’s largest accounting exhibition.

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Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

Exhibiting can be the perfect opportunity for accountants to meet lots of potential clients, build relationships with them, collect leads, monitor competitors and make sales. But to really benefit it takes a lot of pre-planning and preparation to get the most from your stand, says Scott Hider.

There are four key areas to think about to get the best from exhibiting.

1)    Why are you exhibiting?

It is important to ask this question before you start planning. Why this exhibition? What does the firm want to gain from being there? How will the team spend their time at the exhibition?  

Is it to launch a new product, generate new leads or even to catch up with clients? Understanding why the firm wants to exhibit will help to make sure the exhibition time is used wisely.

Make a list of objectives and goals. This helps make the planning process far easier and determine afterwards if the exhibition was a success or not.

2)    What does your stand need?

The firm wants to make a great impression to everyone walking past your stand. Have you thought about what items/banners/materials you want on the stand? Or which team members will be there on the days?

Make sure you have professionally made marketing material that clearly expresses who the firm is. Even on a budget it is important to look professional and be a firm potential clients want to do business with.

Can your team express the firm’s messaging clearly and effectively? When it is busy you may only get a few seconds to grab someone’s attention. So keep your messages simple, bold and clear.

3)    Being active – interact with people

Simply have a stand is not enough. It is the first step towards an incredible opportunity to be face-to-face with thousands of the right people, but just sitting there will not automatically draw prospective clients to you.

The firm needs a ‘hooker’ – something to grab the attendee’s interest and bring them onto the stand for a reason. Exhibitors constantly sitting or eat their lunch on their stand, or even just smiling at passers-by rarely do well and can make those walking by feel awkward about interrupting to get your attention.

4)    Actions for after the show

What the firm does after the show is as important as the show itself. Make sure you follow up with those you spoke with during the exhibition straight away to ensure you don’t miss any valuable opportunities.

Already having your objectives planned can help create a system, either using a CRM system or spreadsheet, to record the valuable information making the follow ups as personal as possible.

Many attendees will end up with bags of leaflets and business cards by their desk from the show so acting straight away will mean those who visited the stand will remember you.  

Scott Hider, Event Director, Accountex (www.Accountex.com) – the leading accountancy exhibition (taking place in May 2015)

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