When Trade Shows are Cancelled, Don't Despair.

If your trade show is cancelled, don’t despair. I understand it’s a big part of your marketing plans but keep in mind that attending a trade show isn’t the only thing you can do to market your business. You have other tools for networking and marketing at your disposal.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Try not to feel deflated and keep your momentum. Remember that attending a trade show is only one step in the process of marketing your business and your products. A lot of the hard work goes on around that. A multi-channel approach to your marketing will serve you well. It means you’re using lots of different methods to reach a broad base of people, getting your message out as widely as possible. Look at your current marketing and consider if you’re making the most of all the channels available to you.

Be a social (media) butterfly

Consider using different social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and upload useful content to YouTube. Keep your social media and website regularly updated- they’re your virtual shop window after all (we’ve got a blog post on that here). Share stories about your brand, offer tips and product tutorials and, share news about how and where to get hold of your product. Encourage customers to share their positive reviews of your products. Engaging with followers shows retail buyers that you’re connecting with your community and have a loyal customer following.

Get your product online

Naturally, I’ve got to mention Product Guru. The Product Guru platform is your year-round trade show.

It’s an online space where you can put your products in front of retailer buyers from independent specialists through to large retailers like Holland & Barrett or Co-op (to name a couple). It’s simple to get your head around and you can use it for free- just like there’s no cost for you to use other online platforms like Spotify. You upload your products, ready for buyers to view. Buyers can then contact you through the platform (we don’t get involved) to request a sample or ask for more information. You don’t need to be at the right trade show, at the right time hoping that a buyer passes by your stand. Your products are there, 24/7, for buyers to review.

What’s not to love?

Learn more about the Product Guru platform here.