Expos – Dutch Uncles

Upcoming Business Conferences in Retail Sector

Anju Nambiar — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 10:35:06 +0000

It’s important for Retail SMEs to grow their business rapidly since slow growth may lead to stagnation in a highly competitive market. Attending business conferences will give you brand exposure and keep you on top of the hottest trends in retail. Retail and e-retail are growing at an accelerated pace and aligning with yearly trends is key to having an edge over your competition.

Infocomm India

Infocomm India 2021 is a Professional AudioVisual and Integrated Experience Solutions Event scheduled between the 15-17 September 2021. This event is for the retail industry and will showcase technologies for digital transformation. Technology companies will be displaying their products for the retail industry. Infocomm’s next Go Virtual event will occur on 1 July followed by a 3-day dual platform ‘Hybrid Xperience’ which will take place at the Bombay Exhibition centre (BEC). Retail technologies that you can take a closer look at Infocomm India include Live Streaming, Projection and Display, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Smart Mirrors, and Digital Advertising.

RetailTech Virtual Summit 2021

Scheduled for 4 June 2021, the topics of discussion lined up for the RetailTech Virtual Summit include the Online journey of offline retailers, How e-commerce adapted to the new normal, New technology adoption in retail, and how malls are leveraging technology. 20 plus thought leaders will be speaking at the event which will benefit brick and mortar retailers, retail professionals, technology, e-commerce, and supply chain companies and professionals.

FRO Expo 2021

The FRO Expo of 2021 is set to be the 120^th National Franchise and Retail Real Estate Expo which will take place in Chennai on 26-27 June 2021. By attending this event, you can network with the Indian SME Industry. Aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners can learn from industry leaders on the best way to grow your business.

@HOME World Expo

Scheduled between 25-27November 2021, @HOME World Expo will be taking place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. It’s an event where manufacturers, retailers, and e-retailers can meet and collaborate. FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) is the Industry Partner for this event.

Pack Plus South

Pack Plus South 2021 is a trade show that will take place between 17-19 December 2021 at the Hitex Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad. It’s a packaging, converting, and supply chain event. Attending this event will give you exposure to the latest innovations in the packaging and allied industries. Targeted visitors for this event include Packaging and Supply Chain and Converting and Carton professionals.

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Scheduled for 4 June 2021, the topics of discussion lined up for the RetailTech Virtual Summit includes: Online journey of offline retailers; How e-commerce adapted to the new normal; New technology adoption in retail; and How malls are leveraging technology.

What’s in it for me?

Attending the conference is not enough as a key stakeholder in the retail, e-retail and e-commerce industry. You need to extract maximum value out of the events and discussions planned for each event. The first tip to make the most out of your attendance is to prepare in advance by going through the agenda and reading up on all the speakers and attendees. Attend with the mindset of scoring a potential business prospect, customer, or investor. Be ready on your pitch points, so that you don’t miss out on valuable opportunities.

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These are the Upcoming Conferences in e-Commerce

Anju Nambiar — Wed, 26 May 2021 07:35:05 +0000

Online conferences

E Retail E-Commerce summit 2021

Organised by Economic Times Retail.com, the E Retail E-Commerce summit 2021 will take place on the 27th of August, 2021. A virtual event, this e-commerce conference is being conducted to benefit brick-and mortar retailers, e-commerce and retail technology companies.

The conference will harbour discussions on how e-Commerce can sustain rapid growth as well as about the future of the industry.

Commerce Now 2021

An online event, the Commerce Now 2021 conference will be taking place on the 23rd and 24th of June 2021. A free, global conference, this year will see the 5th edition of Commerce Now. The event will give industry leaders a podium to share their insights on the future of digital commerce.

Virtual Customer Engagement Summit 2021

As the name suggests, the Virtual Customer Engagement Summit 2021 is an online event which will take place on the 9th and 11th of November 2021. The 10th chapter of this e-commerce conference will feature exclusive content on how start-ups and small businesses can achieve accuracy and provide services to meet customer expectations through digital engagement strategies.

Seamless Asia 2021

The next noteworthy online conference for e-commerce is Seamless Asia 2021 which is mainly focused on the future of commerce in Asia. This virtual event will begin on the 16th and conclude on the 17th of June 2021. Seamless Asia will feature some of Asia’s industry leaders in the payments, banking, and e-commerce sectors.

Emerging Asia E-Commerce and Last-Mile Logistics Summit 2021

The 3rd edition of Emerging Asia will happen on the 27th of July 2021. Hosted by Magenta local events, the aim of the event will be to highlight the importance of last mile logistics in order fulfillment.

Offline conferences

DigiMARCON India 2022

At the DigiMARCON India conference taking place at the Hyatt Regency, Gurgaon on the 29th and 30th August 2022, you can gain insights into innovative technologies to scale up your business. Key discussions on customer loyalty, lead generation and customer engagement will help you drastically improve your marketing efforts. You will also learn a ton of interesting strategies like building traffic, expanding brand awareness and improving the quality of your customer service.

International Research Conference on Arts, Commerce and Business Management IRCACBM

This physical conference is scheduled for the 27th of May 2021 at Hubli, Karnataka. Organized by the National Conference Organization, the main theme of this event will be the rapid strides achieved in technological advancements in IRCACBM.

World Conference on e-Education, e-Business, and e-Commerce WC EEE21

The WC EEE21 will take place on the 4th of July at Chennai, India and will be a platform for researchers and industry stakeholders to discuss cutting edge developments in e-Education, e-Business and e-Commerce.

ICS 2021

The Internet Commerce Summit will take place at Hotel Conrad, Bengaluru on the 4th and 5th of August 2021. The content themes established for the event include lifestyle, omni commerce and more.

Indian Retail & eRetail Congress

IReC 2021 is India’s brand-new commerce show taking place on the 22nd and 23rd July 2021 at Hotel Sheraton Grand Bengaluru. Co-hosted by Indian Retailer.com and ‘Entrepreneur’, the event will be a celebration of start-ups and will encompass several sub summits like the Leadership and Omnichannel summits for 2021.

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Organised by Economic Times Retail.com, the E Retail E-Commerce summit 2021 will take place on the 27th of August, 2021.

What’s in it for me?

Conferences and Expos are opportunities for start-ups to connect and learn insider tips, trick, and strategies that you won’t find elsewhere. You will obtain valuable knowledge straight from the experts and industry leaders.

These conferences and expos are must-attend events for companies and professionals in the e-commerce industry. Irrespective of whether they are free to attend, paid, or exclusive invite-only events, they are worth attending for start-ups and small businesses.

Speakers and attendees are mostly dignitaries and experts with know-how of the inside and out of the industry. You can surely benefit from the discussions taking place and extract key insights from them.

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These are the Upcoming Agri-Tech Expos

Anju Nambiar — Sat, 22 May 2021 07:35:04 +0000

Agriculture and Agri business are different entities which when united will create solutions, and resolve challenges long faced by the farmers who form the backbone of the industry. Attending yearly expos in Agri-Tech will give you the much-needed exposure to upcoming technologies that you need to be aware of as a start-up or small business. Not to mention the opportunity to meet with millions of visitors from across the globe. The following are 5 upcoming Agri-Tech Expos in India for 2021:

Agri Tech India 2021

Agri Tech India 2021 is an International Exhibition of Agriculture, Dairy, and Poultry technology products belonging to the Agriculture Machinery and Food Processing Industries. Taking place from the 5th to the 7th of August 2021, Agri Tech India will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) at ‘Tenth Mile Road, Dasanapura Hobli, Bengaluru’.

Organised by the Media Today Group from Delhi, this expo is aimed at bringing together Agricultural Technology leaders with South Asian Dealers and Distributors.

Dairy Tech Exhibition India 2021

Dairy Tech is an international exhibition of Dairy products processing, and packaging machinery taking place at BIEC between the 5th to the 7th of August 2021. A concurrent expo to Agri Tech India, this expo will be the 10th International Exhibition in Dairy and will be a trade show organised by Media Today Group, Delhi.

The venue for the Dairy Tech exhibition will be Palace Grounds, Bengaluru. Several Agri-tech/Dairy Tech industry leaders and experts have received invitations for participation. It’s an avenue for them to meet, interact, and collaborate with South Asian dealers and distributors in Dairy Tech.

Agri Asia

Agri Asia is being hailed as Asia’s Prime Agriculture Technology Exhibition and Conference which will commence on the 3rd of September 2021 up until the 5th of September.

The venue for the event will be the Mahatma Mandir at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. Agri Asia is especially significant since it will see participation both from key stakeholders in the agriculture industry as well as from the farmer community across India.

High ranking agriculture officials like ministers holding key portfolios, decision makers, experts, and practitioners in the Industry will be seen at the expo. International Agriculture technology companies will also be attending this expo.

United Agri Tech Expo 2021

This expo will be held at the IDA Scudder Trade Centre, ‘Thamukkam’ Ground, Madurai. The dates for the venue are between the 27th and the 30th of August 2021. The United Agri Tech Expo will be a valuable platform where Agri tech start-ups and small businesses can showcase their products, services, and technologies.

You can also benefit by collaborating with several high-ranking agriculture officials who will be attending the event this year. You can avail a number of investment opportunities that will no doubt be making their presence known at the expo.

United Agri Tech Expo will be a coming together of farm start-ups, government departments, researchers, and stakeholders from the Indian agriculture industry.

A member of the Indian Exhibition Industry Association, the United Agri Tech Expo 2021 will be conducted in association with the ‘Tamil Nadu Farmers Association’ and is being supported by the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University along with the Agriculture Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Agri Intex 2021

The 20th edition of the Agri Intex 2021 expo will commence on the 11th of July 2021 through to the 14th of July. It will be held at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore, India and is set to be one of India’s Prime Agricultural Trade Fairs.

Organised by ‘Codissia’, this expo will serve to unite farmers with Agri technology start-ups and small businesses. The expo is aimed at introducing contemporary agriculture, horticulture, dairy, farming, and food processing technologies to the farmers of India who need them.

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Agri Tech India 2021 is an International Exhibition of Agriculture, Dairy, and Poultry technology products belonging to the Agriculture Machinery and Food Processing Industries.

What’s in it for me?

Agri-Tech expos showcase modern machinery, equipment, and agriculture technologies which agriculture businesses need to familiarise with. These expos are often neutral events that will benefit all participants including farmers, businesses (big and small) as well as industry leaders who are often key participants. Make sure to attend one or all of these events where you will have the opportunity to display your products and services to your target audience.

The post These are the Upcoming Agri-Tech Expos appeared first on Dutch Uncles.

Upcoming Business Conferences and Expos in Education, Coaching, and Training.

Anju Nambiar — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 06:33:29 +0000

Education, Coaching, and Training start-ups in India have much to gain from attending Business Conferences and Expos. Each year, a number of prominent conferences and expos take place throughout the country. But obviously, since last year, most of them have been either postponed, cancelled, or moved to the virtual space.

However, optimistic organisers have still scheduled physical conferences and expos, some of which are happening soon and some later this year.

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Each year, a number of prominent conferences and expos take place throughout the country. But obviously, since last year, most of them have been either postponed, cancelled, or moved to the virtual space.

5 Innovation and Networking Opportunities for start-ups this year

The IRES International Conference of E-Education and E-Learning

The IRES – The 30th and 31st March of 2021 will see the 1034th chapter of the IRES International Conference of E-Education & E-Learning. This upcoming conference is an International Business conference to be held at the Hotel Palacio de Goa at Panjim. The IRES conference conducted by the Institute of Research Engineers and Scientists is mainly focused on uniting the newest research activities undertaken by Experts and University students in the field of E-Learning with the respective Industries. It’s a platform where the business community can obtain insights on the latest applications and find opportunities to foster partnerships, collaborations, and future business relations.

The EduTech Expo

Next up is EduTech, an EdTech Expo/Conference to be held from the 25th to the 27th of March 2021 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. EduTech is essentially paving the way for the Indian education sector to network with the Industry while offering them the necessary exposure to go global.

The DIDAC Expo and Conference

The DIDAC India is an Expo and Conference for Education and Training in India which will see its 12th chapter happening between the 1st to 3rd December 2021 at Bengaluru’s International Exhibition Centre. DIDAC India is specifically dedicated to the Education & Training sector where the latest EdTech products & solutions are showcased. It is essentially a trade expo where vendors can display what they have to offer to the thriving Education Industry of Asia.

The International Education Fairs India

The International Education Fairs India will take place on the 6th of November 2021 across three prominent cities namely; Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The International Education Fairs in India is an avenue that will connect India’s education economy with global institutions interested to rope in talented students.

The Education Worldwide India Event

The Education Worldwide India event is an expo which will take place on the 18th of April 2021 at New Delhi. It is an International Exhibition for Educational & Training Services which brings together talented students with prestigious national universities. This is the Spring edition of the Education Worldwide India Education Fairs which will also take place in 4 other major cities of India including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore on the 20th, 22nd, 24th, and 25th of April respectively.

What’s in it for me?

Start-ups in the consumer services sector, particularly Education, Coaching, and Training stand to benefit immensely from attending Business Conferences and Expos.

EdTech start-ups with an innovative solution in e-learning, and business management can present their wares alongside equally competent start-ups.

Start-ups can also get a chance to connect with leaders in the Industry and gain valuable knowledge and insights from them.

Start-ups will also gain extensive outreach with VC’s, government, and industry reps, as well as students (direct consumers) during these events.

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Upcoming Business Conferences and Expos in E-Commerce Industry

Naina Sood — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 02:35:05 +0000

Events are a great way to not only network but also understand the industry dynamics and keep yourself upbeat with the latest trends. However, the year 2020 brought everything to a halt. The new year has brought in new hopes with things bouncing back slow and steady, including business conferences and expos which are ready to help industry professionals navigate the massive changes in the way they do business. We have put together a list of some of the upcoming e-commerce events, conferences and expos you should attend in 2021.

Internet Commerce Summit

Internet Commerce Summit is scheduled to be held on 10-11 June 2021 at Conrad Bengaluru in Karnataka. The event is being organised by technology solution providers platform PHYGITS LIVE. Over 500-1000 delegates are expected to attend the summit. There are four broad themes of the summit: Omni-commerce, Lifestyle commerce, Marketing and Channels and Society and Culture and all the sessions will be based around them.

Seamless India Conference: The Future Of Commerce In India (online)

The two-day event is being organised by Seamless Asia and is scheduled to be held on 24 – 25 November 2021. The online conference will bring insights from more than 80 banking, payments and e-commerce leaders across a series of live presentations, live panel debates and live digital town halls. Join in live from wherever you are, or watch the sessions on-demand.

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International online conference ECOMWORLD has a great line-up where you can learn about practical strategies and exclusive secrets that the biggest businesses use to grow and profit.

IREC 2021

The two-day expo is being organised by Franchise India in partnership with ShopX and Indian retailer.com, and will bring together leading minds, entrepreneurs, innovators and brands across retail, e-commerce and digital sectors. There will be innovation labs, start-up zones, rapid fire pitches besides discussion on e-commerce industry. The expo will be held from 19th-20th May 2021 at Hotel Sheraton Grand, Bengaluru.

India Omnichannel Forum 2021

India Omni-Channel Forum, co-located with MAPIC India, is the premier annual event for showcasing the future of retail Digitech solutions to decision-makers. The two-day conference will be held on September 29-30 at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai. It is a good opportunity for powerful buyers and online solution providers to interact.

India Shopping Centre Forum 2021

The event would cover the entire shopping value chain, including B2B and B2C trends, technologies and concepts that support a growing business besides networking opportunities. The event is likely to be held in April 2021.

ECOMWORLD (Online)

The line-up for this online event is impressive. It would feature most successful DTC brand founders, CEOs, and CMOs, as well as top industry authorities and the brightest minds in e-commerce. They’ll reveal some of the practical strategies and exclusive secrets that the biggest businesses (including their own) use to grow and profit. The event, which includes in-depth speeches, panels, workshops & live Q&A sessions, will take place on 28-29 June 2021.

What’s in it for me?

Events are a great way to network besides being a learning platform. As a start-up, you can gain tremendous insides on industry dynamics and get to understand how you can turn your idea into business or take your already building business to a level further. Virtual events also serve the same purpose.

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Upcoming Conferences and Expos in the Restaurant and Food Services Sector

Roopali Kotwal — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 08:35:06 +0000

The wait is over! Some of the biggest Expos, Business Conferences, Summits, Conclaves and Tradeshows in Food and Beverage are on its way. They may prove beneficial to you and your start-ups in India and help the ones who want to exhibit or participate in the show. For instance, use of Presentation Board, create Company name template, use of Video or Slide show to draw attention, Social Media use to promote the Booth, some trade show giveaways and having an assistant and welcoming the visitors are the best practises one can follow.

2021: Tradeshows/Fairs, Exhibitions/Expos and Conferences:

International Conference on Nutrition & Health | 21^stMarch | Mysuru

National Conference on Advances in Science, Agriculture, Environmental & Biotechnology | 31^stMarch | Bengaluru

AAHAR – International Food & Hospitality Fair | 6^th– 10^th April | New Delhi

Foodtech Kerala | 20^th– 22^nd May | Kochi

North East Foodtech | 21^st– 23^rd May | Guwahati

GLOBOIL India, Conference & Exhibition | 27^th– 29^th May | Mumbai

Sugar Summit | 28^th– 29^th May | Goa

Organic Food International Conclave | 29^thMay | Goa

Food & Hotel India | 2^nd– 4^thJune | Mumbai

MSME Innovation & Start-up Summit & Time2Leap Awards | 12^thJune | Bengaluru

Bakers Technology Fair | 2^nd– 4^th July | Coimbatore

Food Pack India Expo | 23^rd– 25^th July | Chennai

World Mithai & Namkeen Convention & Expo | 29^th-31^st July | Jaipur

India Foodex-Bangalore | 5^th– 7^th August | Bengaluru

Food Trade Asia | 11^th– 13^th August | New Delhi

Bakers Technology Fair | 2^nd– 4^th September | Hyderabad

Annapoorna ANUFOOD India | 6^th- 8^th September | Mumbai

International Conference on Pharma and Food | 15^th– 16^th September | New Delhi

Drink Technology India | 20^th– 22^nd October | Mumbai

BIOFACH India | 28^th– 30^th October | Greater Noida

Halal Show India | 17^th– 19^th December | Mumbai

2021: Virtual Conference and Virtual Trade Show:

Cannabis Beverages presented by Torking Manes LLP | 24^thMarch @10:30 PM Asia/Calcutta Time

The Big Krill Show | 20^th– 21^st April @ 12: 30 PM Asia/Calcutta Time

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Tradeshows, Exhibitions, Business Conferences and Expos provide an opportunity for small business owners and start-ups to meet the industry leaders and influencers to get inspired, add value and positive change in their life.

Benefits of attending the business conferences

Educational Prospects– Apart from teleconference lines, web conferring, live events can be helpful to watch and learn from visual cues and body language of the speakers

In-Person Networking – Face to face conversation are always better in maintaining the connections and networking

Awareness about Competitors – There is nothing better than facing your fears so why not gather information about the competitors who may seem unreal otherwise

Promotion to Potential Clients – The place provides a great avenue for promoting and advertising the business

Creativity and Innovation – Attending business conferences and expos can break the monotony and can be a good change from the day-today operations. Thus, enhancing the creativity and leading to Innovation

What’s in it for me?

The Business to Business or Business to Consumers networking events, tradeshows & conferences shall support the small business owners, start-ups and decisions makers to grow the business by conveying the value of your company. It will be a value add and shall give you an opportunity to meet the industry leaders/influencers to get inspire and for a positive change.

There are few things which one can do before attending any such event. For instance, the official website for the entry fee, booking the space on time as a participant or as an exhibitor. Also, you may want to research the trade show that you will be attending, plan your budget and book your space much ahead of time, advertise much in advance. Know your audience and plan your trade show displays accordingly.

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Trade Shows: The Art of Building Your Industry Network

Kiran Kennedy — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 04:35:03 +0000

What Is A Trade Show?

A trade show is similar to a convention in some ways but it can stand as an entity of its own. The most widely accepted definition of a trade show is that it is an exhibition where companies gather to showcase their products and services. The difference here, between a trade show and an expo, is the audience limitations. Trade shows are generally not open to the public. Instead, it is limited and restricted to only those who register to attend, such as company representatives, members of the press and some select group of consumers. This type of limitation of attendees helps promote a constructive conversation between companies, competitors, buyers, investors and consumers alike.

The Tie-In: Trade Shows, Expos and Conventions

Exploring the other end of the spectrum, let us have a look at conventions. Conventions are similar to trade shows and expos, in that, they are large scale gatherings. The difference here is that often it is merely a gathering of like-minded people who are looking to connect and network with others who share similar interests. A good example of this is Comic-Con where comic book enthusiasts gather to dress-up, talk about and take part in activities relating to their favourite comic-book publication.

Now that you have an idea of what trade shows and conventions are, how exactly does the expo fit into the picture? An expo or exposition is simply a large-scale trade show that is open to the general public and often conducted on an international scale. Think of it as a hybrid of a convention and a trade show. It has all the company and sales networking elements of a trade show with all the conferences, seminars and idea-sharing of a convention.

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Trade shows are an ideal place to build brand awareness, especially within one's industry given that the majority of the attendees will be top industry professionals and members of the press.

Why is it important even in an ever-digitising world?

Builds Brand Awareness

Trade shows are an ideal place to build brand awareness, especially within one’s industry given that the majority of the attendees will be top industry professionals and members of the press. Having face-to-face interaction with such a niche audience will help widen your brand’s reach in future endeavours.

Targeted Leads

The aim of a trade show is to sell, and that is exactly what you can do here. It is a well-known fact that human interactions have far greater results in terms of recollection and relationship-building when done face-to-face. Giving these niche attendees the opportunity to interact with the type of product or service you will be providing is a great confidence booster for any potential buyers or investors. By building these connections, you increase the chances of a successful follow-up, which brings us to the next point.

Closing the deal

Given that it is such a limited list of attendees, if you plan your targeted marketing strategy right, you can easily identify and close the deal with industry leaders that you wish to align your brand with.

An Opportunity to Study the Competition

Think of it as one big spy-game, all the top players are at the trade show to study each other and maximise their marketing and networking efforts. You should do the same. Take a stroll around the floor, casually engage in conversation with competing businesses, get them to tell you about their pricing strategies, marketing plans and so on. Compare this information to what you already know about the industry, do a cross-analysis and find out what is working and what is not. If you can identify a weak point that can be used to your advantage then it will put you ahead of the competition.

The Ideal Networking Space

All the selling, scheming and analysis aside, at the heart of a trade show is the intent to network with like-minded industry professionals that will not only help foster long-lasting relationships but help you as a business owner gain the lay of the land. It is a great opportunity to gain some very valuable industry insights.

The Benefits and Risks of Tradeshows Going Forward

The Benefits

It costs less to close a sale at a trade show than it does in any other external way. Think about it, at trade shows you have industry titans who are actively looking to purchase and invest in businesses, it is ideal. However, in the day-to-day marketing grind, a company will easily spend twice what they spent on a trade show booth to invest countless hours of labour and cold-calls trying to get potential buyers on board.

The other advantage – there is a trade show for nearly every industry or business. If you Google trade show alongside your industry name, there is a fair to a good chance you will find an event for it.

Having said that, it is a risky time to be meeting in large crowds given the state of the world and the looming presence of the pandemic. However, given that you take the appropriate safety measures it is clear that these events have a lot of value to contribute towards the growth of your business.

The Risks

The pandemic poses the largest risk currently. Despite vaccines coming into play, there is still a significant risk there.

Apart from that, the majority of the risks rear their heads in the planning and funding stages:

- - Trade shows are time-consuming and often require more than a day or two to successfully complete.
  - If it is a travelling trade show the cost can be significantly higher in terms of moving, setting up, accommodations and so on.
  - If you do not do your research you will have a hard time navigating the immense amount of competition that will be present at the trade shows, thereby dragging down the productivity of your outreach efforts.

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Trade shows are time-consuming and often require more than a day or two to successfully complete.

Setting Up Trade Shows

Phase 1: Planning

- - Gather Data– If you attended past shows or know of past shows, reach out to the attendees and do a survey, analyse sales leads, the cost they faced and the overall success.
  - Work Your Budget – Prepare to spend a decent amount on renting a space, booth design, promotional giveaways, advertising, salary compensation, accommodations, meals, travel and so on.
  - Run a Cost-Benefit Analysis – Look at the expenses you might incur and weigh it against the benefits of possibly succeeding in meeting your goal to see if this endeavour is worth doing.
  - Set a Timeframe – The initial setup itself takes days if not weeks, set a timeframe that accounts for this and helps maximise your floor time.
  - Research Your Audience – Understand your audience to craft a specialise marketing plan that is guaranteed to make its mark at the show. Look into demographics, economic backgrounds, lifestyles and so on.

Phase 2: Pre-Show Planning

- - Practice the Pitch – Run your employees through drills for best and worst-case scenarios that will help them think on the spot. This will improve the customer experience on D-Day.
  - Advertise – Use whatever tools you have to advertise across the industry. Social media is a good option as is Google AdWords where you can target specific target audiences.
  - Outsource – It is possible that your business may not have the bandwidth to handle a large-scale task like a trade show if you are a start-up. If that is the case then outsourcing is the next best option. Find an agency that can work within your set budget and that it has a reputable standing in the industry.

Phase 3: The Actual Show

- - Make a Good First Impression – The booth will do most of the work, so make it inviting and eye-catching. Use different media such as video, audio explainers, pamphlets and so on to make it a comprehensive experience upon first glance.
  - Build a Relationship –At a trade show, you are the face of the company, so make it count. Be warm and inviting, encourage them to ask a lot of questions and try to genuinely get to know them. This sets the base for a strong relationship with a higher likelihood of a sale down the road.
  - Give Them a Show – Take Elon Musk and one of his recent shows where he did a live demonstration of Tesla’s Cybertruck. Regardless of the fact that it faltered a little the aim of making it memorable was achieved. A live demonstration creates buzz and gets people excited about your product or service.

Phase 4: Follow-up

- - Be Fast – Do not waste any time after meeting your potential buyer/investor. Follow-up with them and engage before your competition has the chance to do the same. Follow them on social media, write them an email, and try to close the deal with a hard-sell phone call to make the most of the freshly forged relationship.
  - Internal Audit – Take a look at how your team performed after the show, and see how many leads they got, how many of those were successful prospects and where it fell short. This will give you an idea of what needs improving for the next show.

Check out our article on expos to see how you can explore different and larger avenues for growing your business network.

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Expos and What You Need to Know: The Art of Networking

Kiran Kennedy — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 02:08:37 +0000

Some of the best marketing and advertising happens in person, and no we are not talking about door-to-door sales – think in terms of booths. In business studies or even in school you might have come across the term word-of-mouth marketing and how effective it can be. An expo achieves the same result, just on a massive scale. Here is how:

What Is An Expo?

The term expo is the shortened form for ‘exposition’, which is the act of publicly displaying or presenting to view. Even in the context of a business that concept stays the same. Only in this case, it is a large-scale exhibition, that is usually conducted on an international level to show off the brand and to build business connections.

Quite often, you will hear the terms expo, trade show and conference being thrown around interchangeably. Though they may seem similar, they have their subtle differences and serve their own purposes. A trade show is a business exhibition at which businesses belonging to very specific industries will gather to promote their products or services, while simultaneously building their B2B networks.

A convention on the other hand is where like-minded individuals gather in a single space to discuss or share ideas on points of common interest. A good example of this is ‘Comic-Con’. The point of it is to grow knowledge, cultivate interests and generally carry a less formal atmosphere to it. Amidst these two kinds of gatherings, expos stand simply as a healthy combination of both and on a much larger, international scale.

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An expo is a place for professionals and brands to gather under a single roof and discuss, compare and connect.

Why Do It At All?

We live in an ever-growing digital era that seems to be making the past methods of interaction more and more irrelevant or outdated every day. It is a world where we have email, instant messaging, zoom calls, social media and so many other options of reaching out to people from the comfort of a desk. So, what exactly is the need for an expo?

It offers you a chance to build long-lasting and meaningful business relationships. Yes, you can build relationships online as well, but there is something about being able to interact with another human being in a real environment that helps make that connection stronger. When people meet you in person and walk away having had a positive experience, they associate that human moment with the brand. This boosts the confidence and image of the brand.

There is also the added benefit of choosing the exact audience that you want to connect and grow that with. Raising awareness for the brand can be targeted more precisely in person. It is not about how widespread the message is, it is about how in-depth the reach is and how accurately it is done.

Going back to our roots and socialising the way nature intended us to, has its benefits. Going forward as of 2020, that could be somewhat troublesome given the whole COVID-19 pandemic. Save the expos for a safer day, but do not count it out just yet – it is still worth doing, just more cautiously later down the road when the situation clears up.

Executing The Perfect Expo

Identify the objective and the budget

Before setting up your expo booth and planning out the details of the show, you need to determine what the purpose of your business will be at the expo. Is it to increase brand awareness, generate leads and revenue or launch a new product line? Whatever the case may be, it helps to have an aim in mind so that the organising stays line with trying to achieve that. It also helps narrow down the scope of a budget to what you may require. Keep in mind, while cost-saving is appreciated by any business, it is not worth compromising the quality of the expo for a cheaper solution. A rule of thumb – you get what you invest.

Plan well in advance

It is never too early to start planning for the expo. Inform your team early on so that they can book the flights and the rooms at the hotel before the prices go up. Avoid any last-minute rush which can hinder productivity on D-day. It also helps to start early for the sake of advertising. You have to let your audience know where you are going to be. If you do it in advance, they have more time to prepare and turn up to the event.

Social media is your best friend

Speaking of getting the word out to the audience, social media will be the best way to do so. With the various platforms at your disposal, you can give your audience live updates and timely information regarding details of the expo and why they should attend. Make it an interesting message and stay consistently active till the day of the show.

Scope out the competition

Before setting foot inside the venue, check out which other companies will be in attendance, do your research and even go as far as to study the floor layout of the different booths at the convention. This gives you an idea of who is where and how you can navigate that massive crowd more efficiently. Knowing who they are helps you find better ways to quickly approach them and cultivate common ground better.

Get everyone in place

Before the expo starts, get everyone together and make sure everyone is on the same page. Give them a transparent view of the booth hours, the other businesses in attendance, the rotation schedule and potential clients to approach. Get the sales and executive team to work in tandem to pre-schedule meetings with the other businesses during the different days of the expo and coordinate it with a shared document or calendar for maximum efficiency.

Do a demo

Do not hesitate to show off your product, make a show of it and grab people’s attention. That is the point of the expo after all. It is a great icebreaker and gets the ball rolling. If it is a product, give out samples if you can, or even little goodie bags for those who stop by the booth. The more attention the more brand awareness.

If you cannot do a demo, then host a short seminar explaining your business and how it might benefit people. The audience wants to see something interesting so visual aids help.

Get down to networking

Make sure to speak to as many people as you can, but more importantly, make sure to approach everyone on that list that you should have prepared in the pre-planning phase. Do not forget to ask for their business cards and to give yours in return as well. It helps keep track of who talked to who.

Another way to keep track of your progress is to coordinate with the venue organisers and get the figures on all the visitors who stopped by your booth or simply maintain a registry of names as people come and go. Get as much contact information as you can, it will come in handy down the line.

Debrief and follow up

This is by far the most crucial point of any expo. Schedule a debriefing meeting with your team the day after the expo while the information is still fresh and cross-examine. Get everyone’s input on what worked well, what were some of the challenges they faced and how things could be improved going forward. The next step is the follow up:

Now that you have a ton of business cards and that registry of names and contacts, it is time to start reaching out. Upload all the contacts into your customer relationship management system (CRM) and start contacting people. Send personalised messages or emails thanking them for visiting the booth and giving them some additional information about your business.

You can also get their feedback on the booth and how you could improve the experience in the future. This step helps solidify the brand name in their minds and reinforces a positive experience with the business.

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At the end of the day, the perfect expo is one where you successfully build a strong business network.

Some Pitfalls To Watch Out For

Cost

Though you should never compromise on quality, it helps to be aware of what to expect. The costs for an expo would include the booth space, the design and construction of said booth, travel fair and lodgings for your staff and so on.

Competition

Despite being there to network, remember that you are competing for attention and in this sense, you will have competition. This is why research comes in handy, so you know who is coming and what you can do to stand out.

Results

No matter how much time and effort you invest in marketing, there is never a guarantee that you will get the expected amount of engagement after the expo.

Low turnouts

An expo will never guarantee a huge turnout, though it is likely. This is especially true if you are just starting out and do not have a big brand name or publicity to stand behind. The solution to this would be to work on your marketing and building that customer base before attempting an expo.

Do not let these pitfalls discourage you though, the advantages of an expo far outweigh the downsides. A great example of a hugely successful expo is the ‘Consumer Electronics Show’, which takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the largest and most influential technology exhibition in the world and each year is better than the last. They bring out new and innovative technologies onto the global stage for all to see. An expo like that could propel your business right to the top if you bring something interesting to the table.

That is what it comes down to, how to navigate the world of marketing and networking. Expos are just the tool or event through which networking functions. Are you up to date with the latest and evolving trends in business networking? Check out our article on ‘business networking’ to get the full pitcure.

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