How to Get the Most Value out of Trade Missions and Events
Mo Hamdouna
Shaping B2B brands in Energy, Construction, Manufacturing, Health & Logistics through strategic communication & digital solutions to accelerate growth and elevate the customer experience.
Trade missions can be intimidating, especially if you’re a first timer. Face-to-face networking is an important skill to have, even more so in today’s day and age when most of our communication is conducted behind a phone or computer screen.
Luckily, networking is a skill that can be learned, and if you want to improve, you must practice. Here are some tips to ensure you nail your next event.
Before the event
You’ll get the most value out of any event if you come prepared. Have a plan ready with your goals and objectives, such as:
- Generating X leads.
- Identifying X local partners who could introduce you to leads.
- Finding X local partners who can educate you on their ecosystem.
Keep active on the event’s social media by joining their LinkedIn group and participating in it, announcing your attendance, and liking / commenting on their updates. Post and tweet about the event, and if there is an event app, use it. It is super useful and you will help to fill your day with meetings.
Do some research on who else will be attending. Check their LinkedIn profile so they can notice you and contact any interesting leads prior to the event, let them know you’ll be attending and arrange to meet (you now have something in common since you are both joining the same event!) You can also follow their company’s social media and engage with it by tagging them in your posts about the event itself.
At the event
Don’t be shy to ask for a photo together to share on your socials
Be there! Find your targets and talk to them. Greet people with a smile and maintain good eye contact. Keeping eye contact is a sign that you are a great communicator and indicates that you are focused and paying attention, allowing people to stay engaged for longer.
If you’re talking with someone of a high profile, don’t be shy to ask for a photo together to share on your socials. Make sure to tag them to increase your own exposure through their large network.
After the event
Upon conclusion of the event, it will be very busy with everyone trying to talk to each other, so it’s best to hold off until people are free to chat and you have their undivided attention. Be sure to reach out to everyone you spoke with and connect with them on social media, you don’t want to miss out on any opportunities. I recommend getting in touch within 3-5 days. You can do this via WhatsApp or another messaging service to remove a layer of formality. Whether via email or LinkedIn, aim to add value and add a personal touch to your message with a link to an article that may have been referenced in your conversation.
Presentation
This is your opportunity to pitch your services and promote your business, so it’s important to step in front of the audience with your best foot forward. Create a simple and clean presentation - keep it minimal with headlines, infographics and images with captions - too much content looks messy and does not present well, remember, less is more. Focus on what’s unique - mention a case study, talk about a client’s success and how they are using your services. Telling a story and asking questions is effective in immediately engaging your audience. Be light on the details during your presentation so you can have something to talk about afterwards.
The aesthetics of your presentation are just as important as its content - the quality of the design and brand might make or break your image. Also, save your presentation as PDF to ensure compatibility across all devices.
Tricks to get special interests
Open side topics that can break the formality - if you’re in a foreign country, ask for recommendations on the best activities, food and places to visit. Try to secure a casual meeting, such as going out for coffee, drinks or dinner. Connecting with people on a personal level will allow you to build genuine connections, and help you in the future when you reach out to them.
Trade missions and business events can be tricky and difficult to master. They’re a great way to meet new people and promote your personal brand and business, but they’re only effective if you’re getting the most out of them. Follow these simple steps and never feel unprepared for an event again!
Get in touch if you are looking to go global in your business.
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