For 13 straight years now, Singapore has consistently been ranked as Asia’s top destination for tradeshows and conferences–and for good reasons, too. Singapore has a lot of things going fit that make the city a favorite venue for business events: its international appeal, strategic location, and access to key Asian markets.

In 2015, Singapore was able to attract a total of 156 meetings in different industry sectors, ranking 7th among world cities in the latest ICCA report.

That’s why you’ve made the right choice for your consulting practice the moment you registered to exhibit at one of the many industry tradeshows being held in Singapore this year. With over a hundred events specializing in dozens of verticals (from advertising to water management), there’s plenty of opportunities for showcasing your stuff and reaching out to industry movers.

So, whether you’re already making the finishing touches to your tradeshow booth or still in the planning stage, here are five tried-and-tested tips to help ensure your upcoming Singapore tradeshow becomes a resounding success.

#1: Start with the end in mind

It’s practically a given that the main reason behind participating in tradeshows is to increase sales. In fact, about 83% of marketers cite this as the number one motivation for their event marketing investment.

But in order to achieve measurable results with your tradeshow activities, you need to get a bit more specific with your objectives. Are you simply looking to drive awareness for your consulting company? Or are you trying to hit sales-oriented objectives like capturing a given number of leads?

Knowing this in advance helps you put the right event marketing plan together. So start with a clear idea of what you want your end result to be.

#2: Own the whole event

First off, this isn’t saying you should be trying to hog the limelight at your upcoming tradeshow. What this means is you should treat the event as if you’re organizing the whole thing. So, in the run-up to the event, you need to be actively spreading the word not only about your exhibit but also about the show itself. This helps you place your activities in the context of the overall tradeshow.

Owning the event lets you drive more attendees and capture more opportunities for traffic and engagement.

#3: Tell, don’t just show

Industry tradeshows contain more opportunities per square foot than with any other marketing venues available for consultancies. But this doesn’t mean prospects are simply going to flock to your booth after you’ve set up shop.

You’re going to need to proactively engage with attendees and other participants. This means having an eye-catching booth design, working with energetic tradeshow staff, taking opportunities for speaking/presentations, and grabbing every chance for networking.

Keep in mind that 72% of decision-makers say that tradeshows influence their buying decisions, and that 74% of tradeshow attendees improve their opinion about a company following an event. So, it really pays to step out of your booth and mingle.

#4: Pull out all the stops

From a marketing mix standpoint, tradeshows don’t exist in a vacuum. That’s why marketers leverage every tool in their arsenal to promote live events. On average, marketers use as much as 5 promotional methods to publicize a tradeshow. Similarly, about 76% of marketers integrate live events with their other channels.

Your tradeshow engagement plan also needs to outline how you’ll be using several different platforms such as email, phone, social media, mobile, and online channels not only for promoting the event but also for enhancing your tradeshow attendees’ experience.

Also, these tools help you carry out marketing activities like collecting prospect information and following up on promising leads.

#5: Think marathon, not a sprint

Speaking of event promotions and follow-ups, there’s one last thing about exhibiting at tradeshows that consultancies need to consider. Tradeshow marketing starts well before the event kickoff and continues well after the event has closed.

Weeks or even months prior to the event, you should already be working on ways to drive interest and awareness by reaching out to your target attendees. In the same way, you need a specific post-event follow-up plan to nurture and convert your tradeshow leads.

So prepare for your upcoming tradeshow like it’s a marathon and not a sprint. It’s a long process, and the actual event forms only a single part of it.

The Takeaway

There’s little doubt that tradeshows are an effective strategy (67% of B2B marketers think so). But success depends, to a large extent, on the amount of planning and preparation you put in. Focus on the five areas we’ve outlined in this post and see how each applies to your upcoming Singapore tradeshow program.

Author Bio:

Ralph is a content writer at Callbox. He closely follows developments in B2B marketing and occasionally looks back on interesting business stories. He enjoys reading, playing the guitar, and spending time with his pet cat.

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