Why attend Trade & County Shows To Market Your Marla Custom Blinds Business?

Trade and County shows have traditionally been a very popular way to market products, services and businesses. Though technology is changing marketing at a rapid pace, there are several benefits from having an exhibit presence at such shows.

Marla Custom Blinds have always embraced both new and more established marketing ideas. As the core business we have regularly attended shows and enjoyed great success from them. And of course each of our franchisees benefit from the use of the Marla Custom Blinds tailored exhibition equipment, beautifully branded stands and displays, not to mention the many years’ experience that the Marla team have had at dozens of such exhibitions across the South.

For example, due to the great success of our attendance at last year’s show and the enormous fun we had, we have decide to exhibit again at this year’s New Forest Show. The New Forest & Hampshire County Show is an annual three day agricultural Show held at the end of July, attracting around 95,000 visitors over the duration. This year visitors to our stand can create their own caption for our cartoon board and at the end of the show we will send a bottle of champagne to the person who we feel created the funniest caption.

Of course this is a huge audience to be able to put ourselves in front of, but what are the key business reasons for Marla attending such events?

These six key benefits are why your business can benefit from a trade and county show marketing presence:

1. Trade & County Shows Create Lasting Impressions If Done Right

The main purpose of these types of show events is to showcase a wide variety of options for attendees and business to engage and interact with each other. With a well-designed stand that draws attendees’ attention, a few promotional items, a contest opportunity with giveaways and sales collateral, you have a well-rounded booth experience that leaves an impression with a prospective customer for months. These types of promotions serve dual purposes: increasing engagement and capturing potential contact information as well.

2. Trade & County Shows Are Incredible Face-To-Face Marketing Events

When it comes to influencing a decision, nothing can compete with face-to-face interaction. Trade & County shows provide opportunities to engage with current customers and attendees. It doesn’t matter whether you’re marketing a service or selling your new product, an in-person presentation and short question based conversation afterwards can help you to close the deal quickly versus an email sharing the latest sales promo. This makes pre-show planning key to the show’s success.

3. Trade & County Shows Lead Generation Potential

When it comes to show benefits, this is one of the biggest. Major shows have massive followings and attendance. For example, of the 95,000 visitors expected over the three days of the New Forest Show the majority will live within the Fareham’s office catchment area. Each attendee of a show is a potential lead waiting to be captured.

4. Trade & County Shows Target Audiences Result In Direct Sales Opportunities

Most trade and county shows have a specific market or niche they focus on. By exhibiting at popular shows within your area, the odds are very high that you’ll have exposure to an audience that is likely to have an interest in your product or services and are ready to buy.

5. Trade & County Shows Are Cost-Effective Networking and Advertising

Designing a show stand, renting space on the showground, traveling to and from the show, sometimes paying for accommodation and meals can seem like a steep price tag for a single marketing event. If you’ve done the pre-show marketing work leading up to the show, the potential that a show offers your business can far exceed the investment. With proper research and planning, these types of shows are one of the most cost-effective sources of leads and sales possible.

6. Trade & County Shows Level the Marketing Field

Trade and county shows offer big benefits to businesses of any size. By combining exposure to a large number of potential leads with the ability to interact personally, trade shows offer an experience for both the business and attendee that other forms of marketing cannot. Though virtual events and other technologies are slowly gaining popularity, few marketing methods compete with the potential of trade shows.

Supporting our franchisees in identifying local opportunities, providing the exhibition equipment, as well as preparing for them before the event are just part of the marketing support offered by Marla Custom Blinds.

To get more information about who we are and how we can finally help you start your own business, please visit our Franchise website: