Matthew Pavli explores the business event sphere and looks at how exhibitors and attendees can get the most from each event.

In an increasingly competitive arena, businesses are striving for new and exciting ways to market their brands. From growing your client pool to maximising your ROI, events offer any number of innovative ways for exhibitors and attendees to propel their businesses into the marketing sphere. So how do you stay one step ahead of the competition?

The benefits of business events

Choosing the best marketing platform for your brand is integral to its success - and as traditional marketing methods grow tired, event marketing is becoming an increasingly popular channel. From allowing businesses to break down the brand-consumer divide to providing a profitable platform from which businesses can showcase their brand, events offer benefits which don’t come with other modes of marketing.

Business events gather professionals under one roof, meaning that both exhibitors and attendees alike can network with those in their industry - but as well as connecting like-minded teams and individuals, events often afford companies an opportunity to network across industries in a way that other forms of marketing don’t allow for.

Attending

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or attending your first business event, a proactive approach to networking will allow you to reap the networking rewards - as you connect with as many contacts as possible.

Branch out

Rather than attending events specifically in your industry, consider shaking up your networking tactics and you’ll soon discover there’s a whole host of benefits that come with connecting with other business professionals. Taking a unique approach to seeking out new and exciting leads will allow you to make the most of events and help you grow a profitable client pool.

Keep an open mind

The business event sphere is ripe for the exploring. From attending large business expos to arranging more niche industry meet-ups, keeping an open mind will serve you well - introducing you to leads which can often be overlooked with other forms of marketing.

Visiting an event as an attendee rather than an exhibitor offers more flexibility, as attendees aren’t confined to their exhibition stands. By visiting as many exhibition stands and engaging with as many exhibitors and attendees as possible, attendees can expand their client list and establish new and exciting relationships. 

Exhibiting

For businesses who choose to exhibit at an event, brand awareness is essential. From understanding your business and targeting a relevant audience to breaking down the consumer-brand barrier, knowledge is key.

Create a visual impact

Once you’ve honed in on the message you’re hoping to put across, you can harness the power of visual branding to engage with your target audience. Whether it’s impactful exhibition units or eye-catching banner stands, paying attention to visual appeal will increase awareness of your brand and ensure you stand out among the mass of exhibitors.

While some attendees will have a specific reason for attending a particular event, others will be hoping to be influenced by other brands and businesses - so make sure your stand and team of staff are both approachable and knowledgeable. 

Face-to-face engagement

Targeting a relevant demographic starts long before the event takes place. Picking the perfect location and event for your business will ensure you meet with prospects interested in your industry and offer you the best chance of leaving an event with a valuable list of contacts.

Choosing the right team for a business event is imperative. Unlike other modes of marketing, events allow businesses to remove the consumer-brand divide, and your team will be the lynchpin in making this as effective as possible. Thanks to the flexibility of business events, you can invest time in getting to know prospects face-to-face and use this platform to create valuable connections. 

Upcoming exhibitions and events

For both exhibitors and attendees, keeping one eye on the business calendar will put you a step ahead of the competition and help you ensure you don’t miss out on any amazing events. 

Matthew Pavli is a marketing expert from Display Wizard - providing exhibition stands and display banners to businesses throughout the UK