Marketing: Trade fairs, training courses and commercial advertising – becoming self-employed Part 12
Trade fairs and presentations, as well as media advertising on TV, are associated with relatively high costs. Those who can afford stands at trade fairs either have a large investment or their business is running like clockwork. Congratulations. Because trade fairs and all other forms of conferences and congresses are always associated with high costs for individual contact.
Exhibition: Presentation and trade audience
On the one hand, the acquisition costs for obtaining stand space. The next step is to compete with the other stands to attract visitors, which requires a stand builder. In addition there are the personnel, e.g. for the care of the guests. For presentations, conferences and congresses you have to plan a lot of time for the organisation. Depending on the location, e.g. in Berlin-Mitte, this can be very expensive. At the same time, the effect is great, because it’s worth it for prestige alone. The majority of these media measures are aimed at B2B professionals with large order volumes and budgets.
Presence is always important in advertising. The bigger your company, the broader your media portfolio will be. While you may start out with advertising on Facebook and Instagram for cost reasons, sooner or later you’ll be sure to be at trade shows and conventions. Maybe just like in TV commercials or trade journals. If you are preparing for a trade fair, the following points are particularly important:
- Exhibition stand
- Personnel and Service
- Objectives and Schedule
- Documents (Information until sale)
- Presentation media
Information, training, trade advertising
As with meals, conferences and congresses, this form of advertising is also aimed at a B2B audience. Here even much more than at trade fairs, because training courses and trade advertising usually take place among skilled personnel. If you are, for example, in the field of heating and sanitation, you could hold regular training sessions to discuss new fittings and designs, for example. If more and more non-contact bathroom and kitchen faucets are installed in the future (trend), specialist knowledge of the product must of course also be available. In addition to the water, there is also the electrical connection, maintenance and repairs. In addition, such training and further education courses have the advantage that they obviously do not look like advertising. Finally, there is free training and further education.
For companies, such training courses are also a free possibility of further training for employees. For you it is a possibility to bring your products or services into conversation. Through the practical application, the participants have a very high learning factor directly, because they are not only mentally present, but also motor, through example installations. All this solidifies the new product for the craftsman. At the next customer meeting, he or she will perhaps point out the advantages of the new, non-contact bathroom fitting. If he or she convinces the customer, everyone benefits. The craftsman’s workshop earns a few extra euros thanks to the exclusive fittings. You won another customer. The customer has an excellent, non-contact bathroom fitting.
Ideally, the new building should not only be equipped with one fitting, but also directly with several fittings on several floors. So you have ensured by the concept of a training and further training for advertisement, directly with the specialized public, direct hit. Of course this is not only possible for B2B customers. From a golf taster course to a Tupperware party. This also brings us to the sales talk, live marketing, not printing.
Merchandising and Recognition
If merchandising is used correctly, it can leave a permanent reminder especially with existing prospects and customers. You remember, the more contacts, the greater the effect on the individual consumer.
Originally, merchandising came from the music industry. Music bands print their logos on simple T-shirts so fans can take them home with them after the concert. So you always have the memory of the live concert but also the reminder, if you like the old songs, buy the new ones too! Today, merchandising works not only for music bands, but also for companies. From sponsored shirt merchandising for long-distance running and positive PR through sport and movement to brand merchandising, your own brand logo, large and present on a T-shirt or jacket. Some of the long-distance runners will wear the T-shirt for a long time as proof that they were there. In the gym, in your free time or while jogging. Excellent options for companies to bring their logo to the right target audience. It also works with brand merchandising. The bigger the brand logo, the better! So everyone can see what they can afford.
Merchandising is about leaving a lasting impression, having a constant source of memories for the customer and brand presence in the target group. By wearing pieces such as T-shirts or bags, logos get a large advertising space. With a walk on Friday afternoon, through the city centre, a simple T-shirt or jute bag can reach 1,000 to 2,000 contacts so quickly. Projected on days, weeks, months and years, you have not only made a small business with it, but also placed advertising, completely free of charge and sustainable. Not only with the customer himself, but also with his or her circle of friends, as well as in the close public, e.g. shopping or sports.
Guideline: Setting up your own business & business plan
You want to start your own business as a real estate agent or with another business idea? We support you with tips on your business plan and concept. Whether self-employed full-time or part-time self-employed: If you want to set up your own company, you have to think about a lot, in advance and in the operative business. From the right idea to health insurance – what needs to be considered if you want to become self-employed?
There is no training or further education for entrepreneurs. Managing director is you or not. Your own ambition is always important, because this is the only way to improve, every day.
The topics at a glance: