Less than a month until METSTRADE 2017
With less than a month to go until the start of METSTRADE 2017 (14-16 November), now is the time to start promoting your presence at the exhibition.
METSTRADE is the world’s largest marine equipment trade show and has been bringing the industry together for decades. Giving marine businesses the opportunity to meet face-to-face with 22,000 like-minded peers from 112 countries in Amsterdam, METSTRADE is the most important trade show for many of our clients.
We’ll be there in force again this year and are busy working hard to maximise preview opportunities for clients at the show. This year we have a host of exciting announcements and debuts, including the official name change of Drew Marine Signal and Safety to WesCom Signal and Rescue (made public on 16 October 2017), the launch of a brand new block line for Barton Marine (a business first in nearly 70 years) and a showcase of a new, bespoke footwear range from Chatham Marine. Torqeedo and McMurdo will also be at the show, so make sure you check out their stands and say hi if you’re at the show.
With the right preparation, exhibitions provide an excellent platform for building brand awareness and generating sales. They make the ideal stage for launching products and services, selling product and meeting with both new and existing customers.
However, they are expensive and now – more than ever – marketing budgets need to work hard and deliver great returns. If you have decided to invest in exhibiting at METSTRADE 2017, it’s important to get the most from your attendance.
In our experience, a high-performing exhibition strategy has three core elements:
- Pre-show activity – for example: creation of objectives, show plan and targets, issuing of press announcements and press liaison, direct contact with consumers to drive awareness.
- During show activity – for example: well trained stand staff, effective lead generator systems, interviews with key media.
- Post show activity – for example: thorough lead follow up strategy with action plan for touch-points, compelling media relations activity to keep brand awareness high.
If you feel that you need some help working on your exhibition strategy to maximise the business and marketing opportunities presented, please do not hesitate to get in touch!