A few months ago when we last spoke to Chris Coker, managing director of Coker Exhibition Systems, the company had helped one of its clients to double turnover.

The firm had seen this particular customer receive enough orders at a show to increase takings twofold and Mr Coker insisted at the time that this showed the value of exhibitions even in a downturn.

He also said that Coker Exhibition Systems had been pushing on with a range of new products, including gantry systems.

These plans have recently moved another step forward as the company becomes a major player within this niche market for duo, trio and quattro exhibition gantry systems.

It is starting to supply the trade with its new gantry systems, which will also be offered at trade prices, 30 per cent less than the retail cost.

"That's a big thing for us, a big thing for the industry really," Mr Coker said.

He explained that getting to the current stage of being able to supply the exhibition gantry systems to the trade has taken a long time, with the manufacturing process and supply chain a key factor in this, but they are now ready to go.

"We're at this moment shelving out our warehouse to hold all the gantry," he commented.

Along with that, Coker Exhibition Systems will be looking to ramp up its advertising strategy to make sure people in the industry are aware of the new products it is offering.

Among the strategies the firm will be using is advertising in trade magazines so that people within the industry become aware that Coker Exhibition Systems is now a gantry stockist.

He insisted that the products would be attractive to trade people, so the company is expecting some good sales to come out of that.

"We're also creating a system of walling that goes inside our gantry, our lockwall system," Mr Coker revealed.

"These new products, we're expecting them to be in a unique lace really," he added, explaining that the competitiveness of the offering should help the company to do good business.

Things seem to be looking up in the events industry currently and Mr Coker said that the company itself was emerging from the recession.

"We are already noticing an improvement in the situation and we believe that's because we're connected directly with advertising exhibitions, we're right up the sharp end of the recession," he continued.

Mr Coker added: "We're first to know when there is a recession or a difficult economic climate and we're also first to say we seem to be coming out of it and I believe that's where we are."

"I still think it's a difficult climb up," he acknowledged, but stressed that unless the firm has some really bad luck, it should continue to move onwards and upwards as it is doing at the moment.

"We are as a company expecting to have quite a good year really and we're looking forward to expanding," Mr Coker concluded.

Make your graphics interesting, even life-size or larger than life, to really grab attention. Keep copy to an absolute minimum, despite what the boss wants! Very few visitors take the time to read in the hustle and bustle of a tradeshow environment. Pictures paint a thousand words. However, if the boss insists on having some copy, make sure that it focuses on the buyer, stresses one benefit only, is concise, and uses action words. Remember to use your company logo to establish brand identity.

Don’t leave graphics to the last minute. Rush orders, changes, and overtime charges significantly add to your bottom line. Planing your graphics in plenty of time is less stressful for everyone concerned and can help prevent many blunders that occur under time constraints. Graphics should be part of the stand brief you give to your exhibition stand designer and be an integral part of your design objective.

When selecting furniture for your stand, use just enough to create a welcoming atmosphere. Place tables for literature and other materials on the sides of your stand space and not at the front so you don’t create a barrier between the display and the aisle. Use chairs for visitors only; if your stand staff start getting too comfortable, they’ll have a tough time getting up to speak to prospects.

Flowers and plants are a fun and interesting way to liven up a dull or drab display. Buying your own plants will help save you money. Plants are useful to accentuate graphics, hide electrical wiring, and add a touch of natural life to the environment. Consider using silk plants as they’re more durable, and you’ll be able to reuse them at other shows.

A critical element of your trade show marketing is knowing which of the following groups are most interested in your products or services:

Present customers or clients: These are people you are already doing business with but want to continue nurturing the relationship.

Technical personnel: These people are interested in the technical aspects of your products/services.

Manufacturers: These people produce and may well benefit from what you have to offer.

Specifiers: These people instruct others to use specific products/ services to produce another product. For example, an interior designer might specify using a specific brand of carpeting for a project.

Suppliers: These people might provide you with products/services.

Consumers: These people use the products/services you sell.

Influencers: These people sway others to buy and are often sent to shows to research whats new in the industry.

Consultants: These people advise others about specific products/ services.

Definitely take time to think through the group or groups you want to target because doing so will help direct your marketing promotional efforts.

There are two groups of shows you should be evaluating – the shows you are presently attending and the shows you want to consider for future participation. Before choosing a show to attend, you need to address the following questions:

1. Which shows best fit your needs? They should be within your budget, in a serviceable location, occur at a convenient time and, most importantly, attract your target audience.
2. If your company services a specific area of the country, you should attend shows that draw only from that region. If you want to expand your market into new areas, you need to investigate shows that attract prospects from those areas.
3. How successful has the show been in the past?
4. How is the show promoted?