4 benefits of having stall at events
W Eare already in the second month of the year and if you run a small business, you should have been strategising on all the events you missed last year.
You might have missed the chance to showcase your skills in past events, but do not be dismayed, there are a tonne of events lined up for you this year, to help you get your business out there.
You need to start early; in actual fact you should have done a reflection on what you missed and what you plan to do this year. Having a stall at a big event like the MTN Bushfire Festival, Farmers Market or even the Standard Bank Luju Festival might well be the single most important marketing decision you make all year.
Why’s that? Partly because it gives you the opportunity to interact with vendors, manufacturers, prospects and customers in real-time and find out what’s driving everyone’s decisions. That give and take is invaluable.
Get real-time customer feedback
If you have a pitch for an upcoming product or you’re looking to get the word out about your company that’s just starting up, then hosting a booth at events this summer presents an amazing set of opportunities for you and your company.
When you step back to think about it, watching someone deliver a streamlined presentation on a product or service and then stick around for questions is more than persuasive: It’s a powerful experience.
Having a stall at an event gives the audience the chance to ask follow-up questions or clear things up. What you thought was perfectly clear might benefit from further streamlining, or you might find customers want a new direction altogether.
This personal interaction can also help you find long-term customers. Reliable customers are ones who feel a connection with a business and feel like they are valued.
Events level the playing field One thing that small and medium-sized businesses love about trade shows and events is that they level the playing field between small businesses and the most successful ones in the field.
Prospects and industry insiders go from booth to booth and determine the best partner on a case-by-case basis largely informed by how well you make your appeal.
A lot of other times, you would have a hard time getting the attention of big players in the industry without also being one yourself. Having a stall is different.
A booth is affordable
Having a stall at an event is both affordable and lucrative in terms of the return on investment (ROI) that it generates.
Renting space at a trade show and spending money on travel, meals, and lodging does cost money, no doubt, but the returns from hosting a booth at an event could be orders of magnitude beyond the amount spent on accommodations for the big day.
Boost your direct sales
This might be the most powerful benefit to having a stall, but also one of the more overlooked. Hosting a booth lets you make a direct sale to a customer unlike other forms of stepby-step marketing that can stretch the buyer’s journey out into months.
When a customer is able to see a product in person, they may be more likely to make the purchase. Stalls give you another opportunity to sell your products.
Whether your business is just starting out or established, trade show and events stalls can be beneficial. Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of any opportunities to host a booth.
Remember the above benefits and consider investing time and money into your own stall.