Advices

The Exhibition

Be sure it is the right show.

Do check similar shows in the same country and in the surrounding countries.

To check the shows, try one of the following sites:

www.expodatabase.com, www.eventegg.com, www.auma.de, www.eventseye.com.

Check the previous exhibitors.

Your competitors were there?

Which kind of buyers visited the previous edition?

If you can, ask somebody locally about the show.

Your Company

Be sure to be able to export, i.e. do not under evaluate the cultural, legal, marketing and customs differences. Thoroughly check your company structure.

Some foreign markets are complicate and you need to have a well organized Export Office, or somebody, even an external consultant, helping you in this important task.

The Information

It is always less costly to be informed in advance rather than having to quickly solve an unexpected problem arising far away from home.

Internet, your National Trade Board, the Chamber of Commerce, your Association, the Banks, your Freight Forwarder, the Show Organizers, even its national Agent can have some vital information for you: just ask.

Once at the Show, you will have to know already the major strategies to penetrate the local market. You are there to verify and possibly improve what you already know, not to discover an unknown world.

And, above all, you are there to sell.

The Marketing

Exhibiting is to market you products and your company: be sure to have printed materials in the local language or in English.

Do consider to hire an interpreter: despite the cost, it is sometimes essential.

Do prepare a mailing list to invite your local partners, importers and distributors and everybody you would like to meet at your booth.

Try to get some updated importers and distributors lists; they could be your future partners, do invite them to visit your booth.

The Strategy

Be well aware of what you are asking (and of what you realistically can obtain) from the show and from the market and consider all the possible tools you can use.

Do consider a medium term planning (at least three years – or three editions).

Exhibiting to a show can give your company tremendous returns, especially in the medium term period.

Do prepare it in advance.