Accounting tradeshows (also known as banking or finance tradeshows) provide the opportunity for you to meet new people within your industry and make potential clients and investors aware of the products and services you provide. By attending accounting trade shows, you can expand your product/service visibility, establish your brand name, promote your business, create leads and increase sales.

An added bonus of trade show participation is the opportunity to examine what the competition is doing in the industry, such as their price margins, what makes their products/services a success and their preferred marketing strategies. Such insight affords the opportunity for you to make adjustments to your own business strategies. Accounting trade shows also reveal current market trends. For the best results from accounting trade show services, consider the following:

1. Use an accounting trade show guide to find and attend the best trade shows with the largest response from your target market.

2. Gather accounting trade show information and plan your accounting trade show attendance for the year and map out what you hope to achieve.

3. A successful accounting trade show experience depends upon your creativity and the effective presentation of your products or services.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use an accounting trade show directory to find tradeshows

As you involve your business in trade shows, note the most popular show locations. The more people that attend the shows, the more recognition your business will receive. Maintaining a booth in too many trade shows too frequently may strain your business.

I recommend: Visit TSNN.com for a list of upcoming events in the banking, finance, investment and accounting industries, such as the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) Annual Conference. Biz Trade Shows provides a list of business service tradeshows throughout the United States, including financial and investment consultancy exhibitions and banking and insurance trade shows.

Plan your accounting trade show strategy

Once you pick the events you will participate in as a vendor and rent your booth space, then you need to establish a list of your objectives. Set goals for the number of leads you'll obtain, the products you'll sell and so forth. Determine your spending budget and map out how you'll use those funds. Like any other advertising, you will also need a sales pitch and a marketing plan.

I recommend: Go to Fast Signs for a trade show planning calendar that breaks down recommended planning strategies from over a year in advance all the way to the day of the show. Visit Tradeshow Strategies for eight tips for a successful first trade show booth. Once you have your planning in order, consider attending The Finance & Accounting Forum for Financial Institutions.

Present your products/service effectively at accounting tradeshows

At trade shows, appearance is everything. The more appealing your booth display, the more likely people are to stop and ask questions. Put significant time and effort into your presentation. Rent or purchase products, depending on your budget, that reflect the image you want onlookers to have of your business. Be creative and different so that your booth stands out within the crowd, but avoid going over the top. It's also a great idea to have promotional items available for individuals to keep, because it will help them to remember your business even after the trade show is over.

I recommend: Trade Show Advisor states that you only have three seconds to make an impact on passerbys; check out their tradeshow information and click on “Giveaway Items” in the left navigation bar for promotional item ideas. Calculators from CorporateGifts-4-Less.com are also great accounting giveaways. Internet providers, such as Everything Displays and Shop For Exhibits, offer hundreds of options for your accounting tradeshow display needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Participation in an accounting tradeshow can result in greater success for your business. If your company's budget allows, engage in as many tradeshows as possible so that more people are aware of your products and services.