Expos and exhibitions are interesting opportunities to sell. Whether it is a 300, 3000, or 30,000 person event, the setting makes it possible to meet with existing customers to catch up and check on their needs while also reaching out to potential customers you might not otherwise meet. But the event alone is not enough to generate leads or close sales. Selling at trade shows takes a strategy and preparation. It also helps to have reasonable expectations.

There are a variety of approaches to take and some of the choices are colored by the type of show and your business. Hardware sellers have different challenges than software sellers. Printing companies competing for mindshare at a print show face different challenges than when they are participating in an event targeted to an industry they serve. In all cases, there is one requirement: if you are going to invest in a place at a show, the people you bring to that show must be willing to engage with the attendees and educated enough to be effective in telling your story.

Shows that cater to people buying hardware are often large events. Hardware requires a larger footprint with sufficient venting, power, and storage to support safe running and the movement of supplies to and from the machines. People are drawn to equipment, which makes it the center of attention. But it doesn’t sell itself, no matter how fabulous it is.