How’s business? A question many people ask and very often you’re not sure how to answer. The truth is that it has its ups and downs. You have great months and not so great months. It’s hard work and often you feel exhausted, you also love it and are optimistic about the future of your company. Naturally, all this is far too much to answer your inquiring contact with, so you say: “fine.”

But what if you could be more than fine and generate the kind of sales that would get you answering: “amazing.” There might not be a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing your business but one place you might find some success is exhibitions.

They’re not just for those companies looking to showcase their latest products, they’re for business like you with goods to sell or services to offer.

If you’ve never showed at exhibition before then take a peek at our short guide to trade shows and how to get involved.

What you need to know - the basics

You’ll be surrounded by hundreds of people all day, so you need to make sure that these are the right people. Is this exhibition the place where you’ll find your target market? Find out from the organisers some statistics for previous shows, how many visitors came and who they were. You’ll also be able to get a good idea of visitor interest by getting a hold of the exhibitors list and finding out if there are any other businesses like yours on offer.

If you’re decided you’re in the right place, then you’ll need the right stand. This is going to involve some great design, bringing your corporate brand to life. Not sure how to order roller banners online? Don’t leave this to the last minute, start the process early talking through your banner and media boards with a designer. You’ll need to have an idea of the dimension of your stand and some thoughts on what you want to help you advertise it.

On the day

Whether you work alone or as part of a small team, chances are you’re going to be on your feet and talking for a great deal of the time. You’ll want to establish your unique selling point with visitors, what makes you better than the competition and collect their email details, all within the space of a very short conversation.

Many seasons exhibition veterans work from a script or pointers that remind them what to say and how to get their point across quickly and effectively.

All that's left for you to do is get yourself exhibition-ready. Take along some merchandise or giveaways, some flyers or an info pack to give away and you’ll be all set for several days of full-on marketing for your business.

You’ll need to be enthusiastic, energetic and confident, despite the fact that the days are long and generally held under fluorescent lights that can make it hard to know what time of day it is.

Be the ambassador to your brand and see if an exhibition will take your business from fine to amazing.