You have booked your stand at Gourmet Selection or are about to do so, but you don't want to be like everyone else? Have you thought about your marketing and communication strategy? Find out our advice on how to stand out from your competitors and gain visibility.

Co-construct your strategy with Comexposium

Because a successful exhibition is a prepared exhibition, do not hesitate to contact the Gourmet Selection organiser. It would be a shame to book a stand without the support of its expertise.

  • The choice of stand is strategic: its geographical location within the exhibition itself is crucial. You should also take care of the decoration of the stand by providing a dedicated budget. Ask the organiser for information: he or she can direct you to referenced service providers - if you do not have any yourself.
  • Fairs have communication tools that you can use: websites, maps, posters, e-mailing and even dedicated applications. This will enable you to appear in a privileged way on the trade fair tools and to stand out beforehand.
  • Your visibility on site is obviously essential. Take with you merchandising objects and other goodies in your company's colours. Also think about the official show merchandising that you can sponsor in your colours: official bags, official badge lanyards, signage, badges... Use everything that helps you to be visible!

Exhibitor: start communicating in advance

As an exhibitor, you have a range of free or paid media to use before the show to announce your presence.

  • First of all, use your own communication media, starting with a targeted e-mailing to a qualified base to which you attach an invitation. This is an opportunity to work on your relationship with your target audience, as the entire industry will be in the same place at the same time: you have a real card to play here! You can also publish a dedicated article or news item on your website. On these media, give all the information relating to your participation: the stand number, the planned activities and, of course, the dates and location of the event.
  • Some social networks are particularly well suited to this type of communication: LinkedIn or Twitter will be your best allies during these professional events. Remember to tag the Gourmet Selection account on all your posts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) and to use the #GourmetSelection!
  • Don't forget to rely on your collaborators by preparing, for example, a specific email signature or by asking them to distribute invitations to some of their hand-picked contacts.

The big day: communication during the show

  • On site, your communication must be interactive and engaging. Why not take part in a live broadcast on social networks? Don't hesitate to plan your publications in advance. If this is not possible for photos and videos, which must be taken in the moment, you can easily plan certain posts such as a reminder of your presence at the show or the highlights of the programme.
  • Your participation in the events is important: competitions, conferences, demonstrations...The exhibition is an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise or to unveil a project or a new product. Give it all away!
  • Another way to give your stand more visibility is to invite influencers from the sector to speak or organise workshops. These actions need to be anticipated by thinking upstream about the budget required, the content and duration of the speeches... and of course, your communication. Without it, your efforts would be in vain!

What can we do?

Being creative is always a good idea. However, be sure to read the rules and conditions of participation of the exhibition carefully. Some of the services offered will be subject to validation by the organiser. Also, be sure to respect the rules of decorum and safety!

Have you thought about the selection of your stand reception staff? Mastering one or more foreign languages is a real plus for visitors, who are often international. If this is the case, don't hesitate to indicate it with a badge "here, we speak English" (or rather "English spoken"!).

The "post-show" phase

Do not expect to sign your contracts directly at a trade show. While it is important to be present and visible at these events to generate turnover, you will need to work on your communication and reactivate your contacts afterwards in order to convert them. This "post-show" phase must be worked on in the days following the show, before the excitement dies down.

A trade event is an investment in time and money. While the return on investment from a trade show is attractive (on average 10 euros in turnover for every euro invested, according to UNIMEV1*), it requires preparation. The organiser is responsible for bringing in a large number of qualified visitors from several countries around the world, but as an exhibitor, you will need to put in place a communication strategy beforehand that will enable you to be visible on the day - and afterwards, a rigorous and personalised follow-up to ensure that all these contacts are developed! It's up to you!

*Event Data Book édition 2019

How to identify the right trade fair?
Why participate in a B2B trade fair?