See what your competition is up to. It’s never too early in your company’s development to scope out the competition. A trade show is a place where many players in your industry are assembled in one spot, trying to showcase their best products or services. Use the opportunity to spot industry trends, get ideas you can use for your business, and catalogue your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. There’s no better place than a trade show to gather intelligence on your competitors. 

Get honest opinions. If you can handle it, head over to some competitors’ booths and ask the staff their opinion on your company. If they think you’re an attendee, they could give you some very useful feedback. Bear in mind that they may try to sell their company over yours and cast your product in a negative light, but they may also give you a thorough comparison of what their product does that yours doesn’t. This is the information you’re looking for, it helps you figure out where you stand in your industry and how you can improve. It can also help you see how your company differs from your competitors. 

Meet qualified customers. A trade show is a powerful marketplace, it puts your business in front of thousands of pre-qualified prospects. The people attending a trade show are already interested in your business and industry, they want what you’re selling. There’s never a bad time put yourself in front of highly qualified buyers. 

Establish yourself. If your company is new, you’re probably not as well known as the established businesses in your industry. It may be a good idea to attend your first trade show with the goal of increasing name recognition. Put up a professional-looking trade show booth with well-designed graphics, and your company will look more established than it is. A trade show appearance can be a great way for a new business to build credibility.

Steal the show. You can steal the spotlight from more experienced vendors with a little creativity. Live performances, interactive media, and killer giveaways are all great ways to get attention at your next trade show. Most attendees love to try products themselves, watch shows and presentations, and get good-quality freebies, so do your research, pick giveaways and other attention-getters that are professional and make sense for your business, and watch the traffic come pouring into your booth. If you can manage to steal the show at your first appearance, you’ll give your new start-up a huge boost. 

Meet partners as well as competitors. Attending a trade show is a great way to get information on other useful businesses in your industry, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, and other companies that could make powerful partners as your start-up expands. The trade show is a great place to compare services and get some great ideas on how to take your business to the next level. 

Get press attention. The media attends trade shows. From mainstream news at the bigger ones to trade journal reporters at the more specialized shows, you’ll have a chance to get your name in print at your first trade show. As a start-up, you may never get a better opportunity to attract attention from top editorial staff, so use it. Put together press kits and press releases, meet with the media, and make sure you have a quick answer to why their readers should be interested in your business. 

Expand your mailing list. Start-ups and established companies alike depend on mailing lists. As a new business, yours may not be a mile long at first, but you can fix that at a trade show. Attending a trade show is a great way to fill your list with pre-qualified, interested prospects. A strong list is extremely valuable to any company, and it can be instrumental in making your new business into a major player.