Get All Access for $5/mo

4 Ways to Grow Your Business at Trade Shows There is no greater opportunity to boost your business than when everyone who matters in your industry is under one roof.

By Pratik Dholakiya Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Sony

Trade shows and events have long been a key weapon in the B2B marketer's arsenal. From lead generation to maintaining existing relationships to sealing deals to hunting new partners; trade shows perform a whole host of functions in the life of the average business.

Digital marketing has seen an astounding rise in adoption over the period of the last ten to fifteen years. It has eclipsed all other offline marketing channels and it is safe to say that offline marketing is losing importance day by day. However, trade shows are still of great importance to B2B businesses and take up a major part of their budgets.

While it's great to allocate budgets towards a platform that is tried and tested, it's even better if you utilize your budget allocations to the fullest extent possible. Here are a few thoughts on how your business can turn trade shows into the star marketing tool that they are capable of being.

Build a reputation as a thought leader.

A trade event typically has people both from the demand side and the supply side of your industry gathered together under one roof. This is the kind of audience most businesses would kill for. By signing up as a speaker at a trade event, you put your business at center stage, where all concerned parties can notice it.

More importantly, you subtly convey the message that you're someone who knows the business inside and out, a real thought leader who can be trusted with their business if they needed your services. Public speaking can be terrifying for the best of us, but buckle down and attempt this at least once. The difference you'll see will encourage you to repeat the process over and over again. Here's a great resource on preparing for that stage and bidding adieu to those cold feet.

Related: 7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Exhibiting at a Trade Show

Lead generation.

Make the most of having the important people from your industry in a single location by setting up your own stall/kiosk where potential customers can walk up and get information. Build a strong funnel of qualified leads by scheduling face-to-face meetings with key prospects at the event.

Create an event page on your website updating visitors about the trade show and your participation. That will ensure that interested parties know they can drop by at the event and talk business, face to face.

Discover new suppliers.

When most businesses participate in a trade show, they restrict themselves to just hunting for new leads and customers. Considering the fact that there will be tons of participants from the supply side, doing this is a complete waste of a golden opportunity. Avoid becoming rooted to your kiosk and move around the event grounds to meet up and network with various suppliers and channel partners for your business.

Get quotes for the tools and software that your business uses regularly and compare them with your existing prices to figure out the best deals. Mingling with suppliers at trade events also means that you'll stay current with innovations in manufacturing and service delivery in your industry. That can definitely give your business an edge over competition.

Related: 10 Questions to Ask When Preparing for a Trade Show

Win SEO brownie points.

The website and other collateral for a trade event typically list all participating businesses, along with a short description about each, to help other attendees figure out who to meet and network with. Event websites typically link back to your website when they mention your business' participation.

If it is a marquee event in your industry, a link back from the event website goes a long way in raising your site's link profile and helping your overall SEO rankings. Even if it is not a very famous event, back links don't hurt.

Emails from the event organizers to their registered database often carry details about businesses that will be participating. Making sure that your business gets a link back is another step in the right direction from an organic SEO perspective. Besides, an accurate NAP listing with a business description will also help your local SEO, as events and trade shows typically are geographically localized phenomena. Getting this piece spot-on offers a huge boost to the rest of your B2B marketing strategy.

Related: 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Afford a Big-Time Trade Show

Pratik Dholakiya

Founder of Growfusely

Pratik Dholakiya is the founder of Growfusely, a content marketing agency specializing in content and data-driven SEO.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Leadership

Overnight Success as a Startup Is Unrealistic — Embrace the Uncertainty and Try This Instead.

The startup norm of "move fast and break things" is short-sighted. Here is why being patient will serve your business in the long run.

Travel

Reduce Business and Personal Airfare Costs by Saving Big with Matt's Flights

This week only, you can get a lifetime subscription for just $80.

Health & Wellness

90% of Execs Say Providing Employee Health Benefits Will Be Unsustainable By 2030 — Here's One Solution Businesses Need to Consider

Healthcare navigation is something that employers and employees can't afford to go without. Here's why.

Money & Finance

How Top Financial Leaders Excel with Increasing Responsibilities

Hear from CFO Leadership Council founder and president Jack McCullough for tactical lessons from some of the world's best CFOs.

Fundraising

Getting Funding as a Minority-Owned Business Shouldn't Be a Far-Fetched Dream. Here's How This CEO is Making Public Capital More Available to All.

Historically, minority-owned businesses have faced barriers that limit their access to public capital and other necessary financial resources essential for scaling operations, innovating products, and expanding into new markets. It shouldn't be this way — raising public capital should be accessible for all, not just a privileged few.