Exhibitions are one of the most cost effective and powerful marketing tools available and provide face to face access to a high volume of buyers in a short space of time.

CHSI Stitches has been going strong for 41 years and we endeavour to work with you to help make exhibiting a success.

 

Here are our 8 pre-show top tips for a successful CHSI Stitches

1.

Send out pre-show marketing early, tie them in with the show offers/promotions for maximum affect. People like reminders and reminders make visitors think of your company.
CHSI Stitches logos, web banners & printed collateral available from the marketing team.

 

2.
Let people know you will be there! Invite your own buyers and give your clients the opportunity to see your products showcased from your stand in an environment designed by you.

Invite clients via the Exhibitor Hub and track response.

 

3.
Set up meetings with pre-qualified visiting buyers using the shows new meeting tool. This way you can pre-schedule and personalise your meetings with particular clients.

Launching in the New Year on the Exhibitor Hub!

4.
Use the event to launch a new product or announce company/product news, use the event exposure to amplify your message.

Share news with the PR agency for the opportunity to be included in pre-show social media posts.

 

5.
Be creative and target promotions to your market. You don’t want everyone on your stand – you want the right people. The more specific you are about your objectives and show offers the easier it is to plan the right promotion and attract the right people.
6.
Use the show to test the market, check out the competition and get crucial buyer feedback on new launches. Finding out why something sells is as important as finding out why a specific line doesn’t sell.
7.
Have a pre-show meeting with staff outlining strategy and tactics to make sure you get the best result for your company.
8.
Be ambitious and bold, consider not giving your brochures at the show, instead ask for contact details including address to send them out after.

At CHSI Stitches you are able to achieve more in three days than you might through several months of trying to get in front of potential buyers.

Our market is bright and fun; create an open inviting environment interacting with buyers through your amazing staff and demonstrators

CHSI Stitches will support you through this rapidly changing retail environment, connecting you with new mobile retailers and home based craft businesses as well as the traditional bricks and mortar shops.

Here are our 7 top tips for at show and post show activity for CHSI Stitches

1.
Visitors are potential ambassadors for your products. In today’s business world on-boarding the right influencers can have a greater impact than a direct order. Find out who your stand visitor is and how you might do business with them.

2.
Creating the right offer and talking to the right people face to face will give you the best conversion rate. Create talk triggers or stories that buyers will remember, the ICHF team can help you create & refine these.
3.
Your staff can only talk to a limited number of visitors and the length of those conversations can range from 30 seconds 30+ minutes, quickly categorise the quality of the leads and assign the conversation to the relevant (pre-agreed) staff member.

4.
Don’t create a general promotion that will appeal to everybody or is confusing, use exhibiting to create a compelling “show” offer that appeals to your ideal customer only, remember everybody is nobody.
5.
Don’t confuse busyness with effectiveness. Get to the right people and find your own way to speak to those qualified leads. All your efforts need to be directed towards your show-goals and objectives.

6.
Everyone loves a freebie, try to only attract visitors that you want to talk to outside the show. Use the CHSI Stitches marketing team to help you access them.
7.
One of the strongest attractions of visiting a trade show is the education program – workshops and seminars sessions – expert business advice, no pressure to buy, only the features and benefits of the products, Get involved with them. It’s a great way for your top demonstrator to showcase the new and the great.

You have one chance this Spring to talk to half the UK craft market in one place – be bold, be inventive, stand out and make the very most of it.