Maximise Your Impact at MACH 2024: Exhibiting at MACH for Engineers & Manufacturers

Hello industry trailblazers! Are you exhibiting at MACH 2024? It’s not just an event; it’s the place to be for the movers and shakers in engineering-based manufacturing. Showcasing the latest technologies, insights, and discussions over the current challenges facing manufacturers, MACH 2024 is one of the most important shows for manufacturing in the UK.

MACH 2024 is where manufacturers meet – a melting pot of innovation, networking, and business opportunities. Situated within Birmingham’s famous world largest event space at NEC, it’s your chance to show your brand, mingle with the best, and get those business cards flying. But exhibiting at MACH doesn’t come cheap, and you’re going to want to achieve good pay back. It’s like one exhibitor said: “how much would it cost if we don’t come”. So, this article talks about how to get visitors engaged with your sales reps, get some appointments pre-arranged, generate leads, and push your prospects through the buying cycle.

Image of MACH Exhibition 2022 from machexhibition.com

You know why you’re exhibiting at MACH NEC, so let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of crafting an exhibition strategy that turns heads and gets results. First you need to define your objectives, and set clear, measurable goals. Are you looking to generate leads? Increase brand awareness? Launch a new product? The objectives will guide the decisions you make from start to finish.

Since we’re at the starting line, it’s a good place to think about your unique selling proposition (USP). What makes you stand out in a crowd of innovators and industry leaders? Identify your USP and ensure the message is said loud and clear in every aspect of your exhibit.

It’s easy to say you know your customers, but in B2B, that’s not always true. They’re constantly changing, especially where there’s multiple decision makers in any business. As businesses evolve, and employees move on, keeping on top of potential prospect data is increasingly difficult. But if you have the data of those visiting the event, then you’re pretty much 80% in the loop. The other 20%? Use this data to invite visitors to come and talk to you before the events even started. This will give you an idea of who’s cold and who’s warm, we’ll get into more about this further on but since we’re on the subject of knowing your crowd, let’s consider your competition.

As an exhibitor, you might be given information around other exhibitors, more likely those that are in close proximity to you. This gives you an opportunity to find out what they might be doing at the event, so you’ve got an idea of what you’re up against. Follow them on social media, sign-up to their newsletter for potential teaser campaigns and activities – what could you be doing better and louder?

You might not be in the business of theatre but think of your exhibition stand as the stage where your brand takes the spotlight. It’s got to be bold, beautiful, and unapologetically you. Interactive tech? Yes, please! Branding that pops? Absolutely. Make it a space where conversations flow and deals happen. Need some inspiration? Take a look at these exhibition spaces we’ve designed for our clients.

But big, flashy stands won’t get a good ROI on its own. You need to invest in driving traffic to that flashy stand, and after the excitement, follow up leads if you really want to achieve impact, growth, and ROI.

Start the drumroll well before the event. Tell everyone that you’re exhibiting at MACH 2024 through emails and social media. Launching a teaser campaign with your USP will get your audience itching to see what you’ve got up your sleeve. Did you know that 70% of trade show visitors plan a list of exhibitors they want to visit before they arrive? Make sure you’re one of them by aligning your teaser campaign with inviting visitors for pre-booked appointments at your exhibition.

Also, harness the power of landing pages with SEO & PPC to generate leads, create more buzz with blog posts, articles, and videos around your exhibition at MACH NEC. Even mention it in your email signature.

When the doors open, it’s showtime. Draw the crowds and generate conversations with demos that dazzle and talks that inspire (and to showcase your expertise). A busy stand attracts more people, it’s a bit like herd mentality, and it’s the perfect opportunity to convert those visitors into leads. Maximise those lead generating opportunities with digital downloads that solve the pain-points of your audience. Not only are white papers and eBooks a great way to position your brand as an industry leader, they’re also proven strategies to generate leads that have a legitimate interest in your business. But why stop there? Entice visitors to test their professional knowledge for a chance to win a prize. Use the quiz to demonstrate your understanding of their work life and combine the solution that your product or services has to offer.

While you’re chatting, don’t forget to hand out those all-important brochures and leaflets. It’s another addition to keep your brand top of mind after the event. To make sure they don’t get thrown in the bin, make your sales literature valuable – something that’s bright and eye-catching, and contains information they can use later on.

Sales literature made for our client Koyo

80% of trade show leads are not followed up, and many of those that do follow up take more than 50 days to do so. That’s pretty nuts, right? Well just because the parties over doesn’t mean the lights should go red. Instead, use Marketing Automation to support your exhibition strategy. It’s the best tool to nurture leads before, during, and after your exhibition with personalised marketing comms, keeping your brand and products top of mind. But for marketing automation to truly work, you need relevant content for every stage of your buying cycle, tailored to each decision maker. With the right content delivered to the right person, at the right time, this tool can seamlessly push potential business prospect through to making an order.

So, there you have it – your guide to making a monumental impact at MACH 2024. Remember, it’s not just about being present; it’s about being unforgettable. From crafting a winning strategy to leveraging every post-event opportunity, every step counts. With the right approach, MACH 2024 isn’t just an event; it’s your launchpad to pioneer in the manufacturing space.

Fancy making a big splash? That’s where we can help. We attend MACH every year to support our manufacturing clients and as a specialist marketing agency for manufacturers, we’re all about creating exhibition experiences that deliver impact, growth, and ROI. With less than 100 days left till MACH 2024 begins, let’s get the ball rolling.