Passionate about helping businesses improve their results through improved human skills and emotional intelligence; having fun in the journey and making a positive impact on the planet 🌎 HR Ninja Expert 🥷
Exhibitions - key to your sales strategy or an expensive marketing/PR exercise?? With the UK officially hitting recession in the back end of last year, business sales performance in 2024 will be key and scrutiny on spend will be in the spotlight. Invest more and be bold in the market, or cut back and tighten your belt? And typically these decisions will sit around headcount, training, marketing etc. I have mixed views on exhibitions (scarred by working in the booze sector when trade shows were an excuse for customers to get sozzled!). Nonetheless, I attended an exhibition at the NEC yesterday (day 3 of 4) and the companies there are in a sector that will always feel the pinch when consumers spend less with many £000's being spent on the stands. Some bustling, some quiet, some even empty of employees representing those companies! And as a result, when the dust settles some may say exhibitions aren't worth the money and not to attend next time. Is that the case, or is it that they didn't maximise the opportunity?? One stood out above all others - not for the size of their stand (which was sizeable but not the biggest) - but for the engagement and buzz. Häfele UK Ltd had a steady stream of people, which had been the case since Sunday and smashed their KPI's on day 1 compared to the whole 4 days in 2020! What was their secret? Here are just a few of the things they did brilliantly to get full value out of their marketing commitment: - Fully briefed and engaged team; they had purpose and a path to take each customer through - Support from senior leadership - Pre-planned vision and purpose combining marketing and sales teams - CRM capture live in the moment, with follow up strategy in place - Clear understanding of what value means to their customer and how they can deliver on that value - Professional energy - no razzmatazz needed just warm, welcoming, engaged approach that makes it easier for customers to step forward So, as businesses potentially approach tougher trading conditions (and with today's budget announcement, who knows how that may change), should you cut your cloth or be bold?? No right answer (although I am biased and would say don't cut your spend on training 😉) but my key insight on this would be: "use everything you have at your disposal in a positive, proactive way" or as a very good friend of mine would say "milk everything for what you can get out of it" Congrats to the entire Häfele UK Ltd team - you are setting yourself up for a great 2024!! #hafele100 #kbb2024
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Strategic Marketing Consultant, Professional Tutor & Mentor | Fractional Marketing Director | Santander Breakthrough Mentor 2024 | LBV Women in Business U36 2024
9moI couldn't agree more Pete Starr FF.ISP. Have clarity about why you are there and then execute from start to finish. Exhibitions aren't isolated events but part of the overall strategy to engage with stakeholders and boost company performance. I would ask - What have you done prior, what are you doing during and what will you do after the event to engage your audience, deliver value and bring that value back into your business.