Optimising Exhibitions

Business travel, by definition, comprises the four branches of Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions. Incentives, plainly put, is the reward that an employee or dealer gets for feBusiness Traveller provides a comprehensive lowdown on how to negotiate and gain maximum benefit from exhibitions.

Exhibitions, besides being a useful opportunity to update your knowledge-base, is also the perfect venue to network. We present some tips to make the most out of exhibitions

• Prepare well in advance. Starting at least three months before the show date is a good idea. Prospective visitors must study the catalogue thoroughly and plan their trip accordingly to avoid time wastage during the exhibition.
• Register well in time. Also, book accommodation and flight beforehand. Some of the trade shows offer special package rates for visitors. To avail of this facility, registration must be made well in advance. The services of specialised travel agencies offering packages for the trade show should be utilised. It is very difficult to get better rates than them.
• You must evince immense interest at the show to ensure that you get a good response from the exhibitor. International exhibitors try to avoid visitors who have a casual approach.
• You must be well dressed and behave professionally. It would be a good idea to learn a few phrases of the local language. This shows the willingness of the visitor to understand the exhibitors better.
• Focus on your show. Many Indian visitors, especially ones who visit trade shows on travel agents packages, are more bothered about their breakfast than reaching the fair grounds. They must not be fussy and should keep in mind their main objective of visiting the event, even if it comes at the cost of a little discomfort.

Visitor Tips

• Pre-register for the event and arrive at the venue 30 minutes before the opening to avoid standing in long queues.
• When you arrive at an exhibition, you are normally given a free comprehensive show guide. Do take 10 minutes to sit down with a complimentary cup of tea or coffee (and free Danish pastry!) to check out who you want to see, exactly what's where - and work out your plan of action.
• Do get rid of heavy coats, umbrellas, bags etc in the cloakroom. You don't want to be laden down before you start and you'll need your hands free to carry all those bags.
• Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes. Half the time exhibition visitors give up because their feet are throbbing or they've got chronic backache.
• Do look out for on-stand demonstrations and activities to give you some hands-on experience of the latest tools and techniques.
• Don't avoid the gaze of stand staff. Take the opportunity to talk to exhibitors that are of interest to you. It's not often that you get the chance to find all the leading people management and development providers together in one place, so find out what they can offer you and how their services compare.
• Do look out for special deals. If you don't manage to win a foreign holiday or a free team building course, you might still pick up a bargain. Exhibitors often have special offers such as book discounts or cut-price training packages.
• Do check out the fringe programme. It's free and a good opportunity to pick up on new developments.
• Do put details of useful contacts in a safe place - or mark up the show guide. By the end of the day, you'll have forgotten all the names you've spoken to and by the time you go through your papers you'll wish you'd made a note.
• Don't miss out on a chance to network or meet up with colleagues. It's not just the exhibitors who can give you ideas.
• Write a trip report as you go along and summarise your notes every evening.
• Leave the show 30 minutes before closing to avoid long queues for buses and cabs.