Purley and District Business Expo 2013 25th June

40 plus businesses and free key business topic seminars throughout the day.   Develop your business around the Purley area  -  a great opportunity to meet new clients, customers, partners and businesses at a central venue  - United Reform Church, 906 Brighton Rd, Purley, Surrey CR8 2LN

Are YOU planning to exhibit at this exciting new local business Expo?  Here are some top tips on marketing compiled by John Leventhall – Business & Marketing Advisor

TOP TIPS ON EXHIBITION MARKETING  - 5. Post-event follow-up

Events specialists advise the need to follow up after an event.  But simply adding attendees to your email newsletter is not follow-up!  Following up means quality not quantity!   Staying in touch after the event increases the chance of converting your leads into sales.
The important work really starts after the expo. Follow up all the leads you’ve generated and relevant fellow exhibitors you’ve spoken to.

• Design a ‘Customer Profile’ form for the expo to capture contact details, notes and questions about visitors.  Profiles are efficient later and help memory from when you were frazzled towards the end of the expo!
• Make sure you record name, job title and area of interest of prospects and contact information needed to follow up the enquiry. Who and when should you contact at the business in prospect?
• Agree a future appointment on the profile form and make a tear-off strip for the prospect to take away summarising your service and the appointment.
• Rate your leads  -  follow up the best first.
• Send personal emails, rather than a blanket ‘newsletter’.  Invite  prospects to stay in touch by asking a question needing response e.g.”Let me know if your business has a McAdam 4010 or a Zippo ZX56?” or  “I’m seeking information on the chamferated rotamator of the Zippo Z56. Can you explain it or do you know someone who can?”  -Don’t forget, the ‘someone who can’ may be another prospect for you!
• Many sales take months to actively develop.  Staying in touch regularly helps maximise long term return from the event.

There are plenty of ways to network to help build valuable business relationships:

Join the Purley Business Association which supports and promotes Purley-based businesses, provides networking opportunities and represents members interests to local government.

Memberships start from just £35 a year to take advantage of great support, and events. Join Here

Purley and District Business Expo 2013 25th June

40 plus businesses and free key business topic seminars throughout the day.   Develop your business around the Purley area  -  a great opportunity to meet new clients, customers, partners and businesses at a central venue  - United Reform Church, 906 Brighton Rd, Purley, Surrey CR8 2LN

Are YOU planning to exhibit at this exciting new local business Expo?  Here are some top tips on marketing compiled by John Leventhall – Business & Marketing Advisor:

TOP TIPS ON EXHIBITION MARKETING  - 4. Personal Presentation Tactics.

• Comfort and Clothing:   You’re likely to talk to someone every few minutes for six hours or more. That takes energy and good body language.
• Wear professionally appropriate clothing.  A circus clown in a grey business suit is as inappropriate as an accountant in a circus clown suit!
• Make sure you’re well supplied with necessary refreshment but don't eat anything with garlic in it!
• Wear Comfy shoes!
• Be open - don't stand around with arms folded - it puts out a "don't bother me" image.
• Stand when talking to a visitor.  Both can sit for an extended conversation.  Don’t stand looming over whilst the visitor sits.
• Prize draws can be a good way of collecting contact details of potential customers.
• Refreshments perk up tired visitors and encourage them to spend more time on your stand.

Questions and answers:  Ask your visitors about themselves and their needs.  Don’t just launch into your sales pitch!

• Ask what they do in their organisations and businesses.  Ask 'open questions' e.g. “Tell me about… “  “How do you do that…”.  Listening is a more powerful way to find out whether a visitor has purchasing power or influence.
• Print out customer profile forms for you to fill in contact details, notes and questions you want to ask each visitor.  Not only are profiles efficient for capturing prospect lists back at the office but help hugely when you are frazzled at the day end!
• Capture notes as memory joggers e.g. "tall, long haired guy who used to work for xyz company" that sort of thing.

It’s easy!  Visit our website http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk 
and you can book online and contact the organisers
To book a stand directly click here  http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk/bookastand.aspx

Purley and District Business Expo 2013 25th June

40 plus businesses and free key business topic seminars throughout the day.  Develop your business around the Purley area  -  a great opportunity to meet new clients, customers, partners and businesses at a central venue  - United Reform Church, 906 Brighton Rd, Purley, Surrey CR8 2LN

Are YOU planning to exhibit at this exciting new local business Expo?  Here are some top tips on marketing compiled by John Leventhall – Business & Marketing Advisor:

TOP TIPS ON EXHIBITION MARKETING  - 3. Strategies for Attention Grabbing!

• Your stand:  Convey clarity and confidence.  Put merchandise or leaflets and information on proper stands / dispensers not just flat on the table.  Creative, quirky tactics to grab people’s attention are good…but stay professional.   A competition helps open conversations and entice people to your stand.
• Seize the day:  Talk to as many people as possible, learn about their business and take their business card.  Networking is a hugely important part of the marketing mix.  Networking to forges productive relationships.  Exhibitions are about networking with visitors AND other exhibitors.  Great  advice and potential sales arise unexpectedly …sometimes from competitors!  Opening dialogues on all sides of your business works your advantage.
• Get down and Dirty:  Standing meekly waiting for people to approach you just isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need to say hello to every passer-by and engage them in conversation.
  • Look people in the eye, smile and be friendly
  • Ask whether they use your product and their interest in your stand.  Ask what they do in their organisations and businesses.  Ask 'open questions' e.g. “tell me about… “  “How do you do that…”
  • Smart businesses pre-book sales meetings for the day and/or take the opportunity to research.  Ask opinions of your brand, products, sales pitch and marketing. You’ll be surprised how much useful stuff you learn from face-to-face research.  A quiet corner and a coffee budget can be powerful!
  • Don’t embrace technology at the cost of personal service.  Adverts and direct mail may involve some intrusion on customers.  Not so with exhibitions because customers choose go and to give their attention and are often ready to buy.   “People buy from people” so exhibitions are a perfect way to interact face-to-face.
• Get your act together:   Shy ,retiring members of your team are not the best people on your stand. You need the person you’re putting out there to be a gregarious, energetic show person!

It’s easy!  Visit our website  http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk

and you can book online and contact the organisers
To book a stand directly click here  http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk/bookastand.aspx
 

Purley and District Business Expo 2013 25th June -

40 plus businesses and free key business topic seminars throughout the day.   Develop your business around the Purley area  -  a great opportunity to meet new clients, customers, partners and businesses at a central venue  - United Reform Church, 906 Brighton Rd, Purley, Surrey CR8 2LN

Are YOU planning to exhibit at this exciting new local business Expo?  Here are some top tips on planning your approach compiled by John Leventhall – Business & Marketing Advisor:

TOP TIPS ON EXHIBITION MARKETING  - 2. Exhibition Planning

With the right preparation, exhibitions provide an excellent platform for generating awareness and sales leads.  It’s vital to build a pipeline of new business opportunities all the time!

• Best tip:  Book your stand early!  This often attracts discounts and gives YOU a target.  The earlier you book, the better prepared you can be when that vital opportunity knocks!
• To book a stand directly click here 
• Planning: Attention to detail pays dividends when you create your stand.  Try it beforehand in your workplace - saves time and gives a feel for the task ahead. You’ll soon see what to include and leave out!
• Agree Objectives:   What is the aim of your attendance?  Selling, Marketing, Networking or Corporate image?  Which to choose?  Your objectives help you plan the look of your stand and what you want to get out of your day.
• Prepare:  Make sure all your marketing messages are prepared and consistent across your stand, company literature and press material   - be clear to customers and prospects
• Inform:   Experienced exhibitors contact prospects and customers before the show. Tell people you’re going to be there!  Use:
  • Direct mail, newsletters and PR ahead of the event.
  • Banners on your website inviting people to visit your stand
  • E-mail updates in the week leading thttp://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk/sponsorship.aspxo the Expo.
  • Chat on your battery of social media:  LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter
  • Join the event organisers’ marketing and link your business name with the event by sponsoring your brand in the Purley and District Business Expo 2013 click here http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk/sponsorship.aspx
  • Organisers run press/web  features on the event – get your company on that too.
• Keep ahead of the Competition:  Look carefully at who is booked into the show.  Are your competitors exhibiting?  Make sure you are too!
• Get a banner printed - make sure it is really clear what you do - a good tagline helps!
• It’s easy!  Visit our website   http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk
• and you can book online and contact the organisers.
   

Purley and District Business Expo 2013 25th June

Opening by Richard Ottoway MP with 40 plus businesses exhibiting.  Free seminars throughout the day offer fascinating insights into key business topics.

Are YOU planning to exhibit at this exciting new local business Expo?  Here are some top tips on planning your approach compiled by John Leventhall – Business & Marketing Advisor:

TOP TIPS ON EXHIBITION MARKETING - 1. Why Exhibit?

• Exhibitions and trade shows are perfect for meeting people to market your business face to face.   “People buy from people” that is why business expos are so popular!
• Exhibiting offers you the opportunity to:
• Present your product to large and new markets
• Demonstrate your unique offer
• Sell your product
• Network your opportunity
• Research your competition
• Many companies use exhibitions to widen customer base and build future contacts.  Exhibitions provide excellent platforms for generating brand awareness and sales leads (With the right preparation!  Top Tips on planning an expo next week!).
• Networking is an equally important part of the benefit of expos for small businesses.  Forging productive relationships with key people is critical to building future new business prospects.  Expos offer time to talk to existing customers too, to understand how to successfully satisfy their future needs.
• Some marketing  - adverts and direct mail for instance are sent at your request and, it’s true, that sometimes can be resented.  Not so with exhibitions. Customers choose to attend events,  prepared to give time and attention, often ready to buy.

It’s easy!  Visit our website  http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk 
and you can book online and contact the organisers
To book a stand directly click here  http://www.purleybusinessexpo.co.uk/bookastand.aspx     

Anyone in our Borough would be mad to want to miss this expo!
Where else could you meet so many local business people in one day?
 

The Purley business Association is about to support the first ever Purley business expo. This is to be held in conjunction with the Purley Festival on 25 June 2013.

This all day event will open at 9:30 AM and have over 40 businesses exhibiting. It will run through the day including various seminars and networking events as well as other attractions and notable dignitaries.

The event is the first of its kind in Purley and is being held due to unprecedented demand for such an event. The location is central in Purley at the United Reform Church between the Rectory public House and Purley hospital.

This central location has been chosen to ensure the greatest footfall that we can achieve for the event and so providing a great opportunity for local businesses.

Based predominantly for Purley businesses who may not have a shop front, these make up the majority of businesses within the area. This is a great opportunity to get in touch with other local business owners to gain leads and potential clients.

Outgoing chair of the Purley business Association and Owner of Get Fired, Lisa Downham, is fully supportive of this initiative and hopes that it will bring more business to the local community.

We are really looking forward to hosting this event with great opportunities for stand holders and sponsors. If you would like to sponsor get in touch Info@purelybusiness.co.uk or on 020) 3137 1826.

Stand bookings and registering for seminars or as a visitor can be done online.