International trade shows and event marketing are one of the most effective ways to establish global contacts. These events offer terrific opportunities to reach out to potential international suppliers, distributors, and clients all in one place. For this blog post, we’ll provide you with some tips to maximize your investment in an international event.
- Focus on a Realistic Budget
Budget is one of the most crucial considerations when preparing for an international trade show. Unless you’ve got an unlimited cash flow, you need to carefully select your expenses. Besides booth space, printed collaterals, travel, backdrops and machinery, and hotels, international shipping is one of the biggest expenses. Large items will need to be shipped, especially when they can’t be transported by your team.
Other additional costs that can add up are the extra charges for furniture rentals, carpeting or padding, and lead retrieval systems. Keep an eye out for early bird discounts on rentals offered to save money. To cut costs, look for a local exhibit store that rents displays, racks, and furniture instead of paying to ship. Even if you buy them, the costs are often cheaper than international shipping costs.
- Be Mindful of Your Target Customers’ Language
English may be a universal language but when deciding the language of your printed materials keep the native language of your target audience in mind. It’s also a good idea to have a translator present in your trade show booth to provide translated product demonstrations and interacting with visitors.
This action will help your international prospects to comprehend the technical details and benefits of your products and services better. It’ll also make them feel more welcomed, valued and respected.
- Design a Portable Booth
Exhibit booths can be either elaborate structures or simple backdrops depending on your budget. But it’s a good option to choose portable backdrops that you can transport yourself. However, some show organizers have safety and height restrictions that require participants to take prior permission and approval to build their own structure. Therefore, make sure to check it with your show organizer first. Sometimes, organizers may have a list of recommended vendors to ensure that the booth is designed according to the event specifications.
- Plan in Advance
For international trade shows, you need to plan all your strategies ahead of time. Put together a timeline right after you’ve booked your booth space. Maintain a list of important deadlines and reminders. Note that if you need to ship your items, international shipping can take some weeks to a month’s time depending on the country your event is and the shipping method. In addition to this, clearing the freight through customs can also take time as well. Also, if you’re planning to order your exhibit materials from a reputed vendor of that country, make sure to contact well in advance of your event date. This is because the time zone difference often tends to make the process longer.
Besides, you must ensure that travel documents of your team (passport, visa, letter of invitation, etc.) are ready in advance to avoid last-minute glitches.
International trade shows take some extra planning, and insights to make them successful. If you’re looking for high-quality exhibit displays in Toronto, contact Radiant Exhibits at 416-412-0500.
