Navigating Exhibition Logistics for Seamless Exhibition Stand Setup
Participating in international trade shows can significantly broaden your business’s horizons. They offer a unique platform to raise global awareness of your products or services and position you as a key player in your industry’s international market. Venturing beyond local markets not only breaks you out of the marketing norm but also unveils a plethora of opportunities for growth and expansion in new territories. As the saying goes, stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to amazing results!
Why are international trade shows important?
International trade shows important as they are essential for elevating your business to a global stage. Even if you’re new to international exhibitions, these events offer unparalleled opportunities to expand your brand’s reach. They facilitate networking with industry peers abroad, fostering valuable international relationships. You’ll gain critical insights into your market position on a global scale and understand international trends and consumer preferences.
Most importantly, the exposure at these shows can open doors to new markets and opportunities, significantly boosting your brand’s visibility and potential for growth. In summary, international trade shows are pivotal in transforming local businesses into global competitors.
Choosing the right international trade show
You wouldn’t attend ANY trade show at home, so why should taking your business overseas be any different? The first step would be to do your research and take to the search engines! Find out what trade shows are compatible with your brand, how many visitors they have had, the number of exhibitors they have and see if you can reach out to the people who host the show for any specific information you may need. You could also research some of the businesses that have exhibited at this trade show and see if they are in a similar niche to your brand and whether they have posted anything on their social media channels when attending so you can try and scope out whether it looks like somewhere you’d want to exhibit.
In addition, you want to think about your business and what you offer and factor that in when picking the location and the timing of the international show you want to attend. Remember, a trade show is part of your overall marketing strategy and you should always be two steps ahead of the game, telling people what they need before they need it.
Preparing for an international trade show
There are more things to factor in when you’re preparing for an international trade show that are essential prior to your attendance at an international trade show. We will provide you with a checklist below so you can print this out and tick down the list for your next show.
- Decide on your budget
- Decide on your trade show
- Check your passports
- Check whether you need a visa
- Decide which who will be attending - consider language capabilities
- Book your travel
- Book your hotels
- Set an expenses budget
- Decide whether you'll rent a stand at the event or ship a stand from home
- Localise your marketing materials
- Brush up on some native phrases - "hello" and "thank you" go along way!
Maximising your presence at global exhibitions
Maximising your presence at any trade show is important but if you are going international, you need to put the leg work in – you don’t want all of your hard work and money to go to waste! That’s why we recommend:
- Promote attendance on social media: Announce your participation on social platforms to arrange meetings and attract interest.
- Engage with the event community online: Utilise location tags, interact with other businesses, event pages, and their followers to reach your target audience.
- Research the venue and exhibition design: Analyse past successful booths at the venue for inspiration to enhance or rebuild your stand.
- Maximise networking opportunities: Be approachable for conversations, consider live demonstrations with or without a translator.
- Leverage social media for post-show engagement: Direct attendees to your social media for further information in their language.
Our success at global trade shows
At Insideout Events, our extensive experience in assisting businesses with international exhibitions is epitomised by our five-year journey with Ultinous. We’ve successfully brought their stands to life across continents, from the UK to Dubai, transforming initial concepts into magnificent final builds. Our adept coordination with trusted global partners reflects our deep understanding of Ultinous’ unique vision, cementing a relationship built on mutual trust and a shared pursuit of global event excellence. Read more about our Ultinous case study.
Challenges of international exhibitions
The challenges and pitfalls faced by businesses when participating in international trade shows can vary though there are some common issues you may face:
- Cultural differences: Navigating diverse business cultures and practices can be challenging.
- Language barriers: Communicating effectively in non-English speaking countries.
- Logistical complexities: Shipping displays and materials internationally can be difficult if you don’t have a trusted exhibition logistics partner.
- Cost Implications: Higher expenses for travel, accommodation, and transportation.
- Regulatory compliance: Understanding and adhering to different countries’ trade laws and regulations.
- Time zone differences: Coordinating across time zones for planning and communication.
- Market research: Understanding the specific needs and preferences of an international audience.
- Networking: Building connections in an unfamiliar business environment. Though we do have networking tips for any exhibition.
- Brand localisation: Adapting marketing materials to resonate with an international audience.
Measuring the ROI of an international event
Lastly, we need to measure the success of exhibiting abroad. That’s where ROI analysis comes into play. Return on investment (ROI) for trade shows is calculated by comparing the event’s costs against sales made. It’s crucial to assess this to gauge your exhibition’s success and identify any issues in your marketing strategy. To calculate ROI, subtract your trade show expenses (stand, travel, transport, etc.) from sales revenue and then divide this figure by the total investment. A good ROI target is 30% or more.
International trade shows are a great way to expand your brand exposure and level up your marketing strategy. They are the opportunity for your business to go from local to global! If you need any help with planning your international trade show. Contact us today!