It is increasingly difficult to reach today's time-poor consumer. Mass-media is becoming saturated and increasingly ineffectual in persuading consumers to pay attention to marketing messages.

Organisations seeking the promotional edge are looking for innovative and targeted pathways to reach their customers. Product placement and permission-based marketing are emerging as the most efficient methods of reaching buyers in today's crowded media environment.

Permission marketing involves consumers volunteering to be sold to – specifically asking for a marketing message. Consumers visiting exhibition often pay an admission fee for the opportunity to meet the exhibitors – the exhibition visitor is already predisposed to buy at the event!

Exhibitions are a unique promotional medium, allowing a true two-way personal interaction between consumer and organisation.

It gives you the opportunity to:

• Increase your company/brand profile
• Increase sales turnover
• Launch new products
• Educate customers
• Support distribution channels
• Generate leads
• Increase your customer database

Unlike most advertising mediums exhibitions enable customers to touch, see, smell & feel products and then ask questions.

Exhibitions & Events Australia is expert in delivering the right visitors, but it is the exhibitor's obligation to turn this opportunity into a successful involvement.

Exhibition & Events Australia is a member of the Exhibitions and Events Association of Australia (EEAA). The following points are taken from their How to Exhibit Guide (visit www.eeaa.com.au for more information).

Designing a stand

• Set SMART objectives - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and to a Timeframe. What do you want from this exhibition?
  
  
• Define the target audience - Who are the audience at this show? What products and services will they be interested in?
  
  
• Develop your message - Keep it simple and to the point. Aim your show specific message at the target audience
  
  
• Attract people to your stand - Consider at show promotions, sample giveaways, competitions, hospitality, or launch a new product. However, don't let these things distract from your key objectives
  
  
• Communicate - Who you are. What you do. What benefits you offer to your clients. The obvious needs to be stated
  
  
• Be clear and concise - Exhibitions are a competitive environment. You only have seconds to attract visitors attention and engage them with your message
  
  
• Graphics - Larger, bolder, simpler. As a rule of thumb, think of a size and double it. Think of a freeway billboard. What works on the printed page or website will not always work in an exhibition.
  
  
• Space - Leave plenty of room for visitors (buyers) on your stand. At least 50% of your floor area should be left for visitors
  
  
• Involve your sales team - Brief your team on the stand prior to the show. Give them the whole picture, the why, what, where, who and your objectives, and seek feedback on your exhibit for the next show (write it down)
  
  
• Review, develop and change - Continual development and change is a must. Visitors (buyers) may walk past your exhibit if it "looks the same as last time" - nothing new here!
  
  
• Capture the moment - Photograph the event. Use it in further promotion and as a great stepping stone to your next exhibition stand.