Investing in international trade fairs is well worthwhile! Participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions calls for good plans and preparation, active involvement and well-managed secondary marketing. It is also possible to apply for internationalization support for participation in trade fairs.

Remember your targets
Participation in trade fairs naturally calls for advance planning during which the targets are also clarified. In setting these targets, it is vital to know whether you are attending the fair to launch a new product, to strengthen your image, to meet decision-makers or to contact as many potential buyers as possible. Study facts and statistics on the previous year’s fair, and find out about the people who visited it. Send invitations to the customers you hope to make contacts with at this year’s fair.

Remember your personnel
The stand personnel are your company’s calling card, passing on your message to the customer. To demonstrate your expertise, you need technical personnel on the spot. Motivate and train your personnel in your products and your fair strategy. Hold a sales conference at the end of every day. Trade fairs are a place not just for putting in an active appearance but also for obtaining new information and updates on the competitive situation.  

Remember the customer
To get as much out of a trade fair or exhibition as possible, market your participation well in advance. Ensure that the appearance, smooth functioning and product presentation of your stand all back up your targets. The importance of your company and operations should be defined in a way that promotes the cementing of important contacts during the fair. Collect customer information and questionnaires and answer requests for an offer.

Remember to follow up
When a trade fair is over, it’s time for assessment. What were the targets and were they achieved? Would you have obtained the order, contacted the decision-maker or charted the competition if you had not taken part in the event? Such assessment also helps you to plan future participations.

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2. TRADE FAIR LOGISTICS

For the joint stands it organizes, Arvelin arranges competitive tenders for logistics based on the transportation space requirement estimates it receives from the companies involved. After that, the forwarding agent selected makes a separate transport and logistical services contract with each exhibitor, based on the final volume of goods to be carried.

The forwarding agent delivers the goods transported for the particular exhibitor to the customer’s stand after customs clearance. The exhibitor is responsible for unpacking the boxes or can also order this service from the forwarding agent in advance. Repacking the goods at the end of the fair is also the exhibitor’s responsibility.