How engineering expos help your business grow

Looking to make new business relationships? Explore what your competition is up to? Give a live demonstration of your latest project or technology?

An engineering expo is the perfect place to do it. An expo can do a lot for your business. Plus, many firms use them to engage in some engineering recruitment for job vacancies on the side.

Here’s everything you need to know about exactly what you can use an engineering expo for. And how you make sure you get the best out of your next one.

Why are engineering expos good for your business?

1) Expand your reach to a wider audience

Expos are a great place to find keen, engaged members of your target audience. Event attendees have paid for their place here. They want to participate.

If you’ve got what they’re looking for, they’re the ideal audience to market your company to.

2) Network, network, network

They might not be clients today. But there are all kinds of useful industry types to meet and get to know at any decently-sized expo.

From key manufacturers to purveyors of the latest innovations to your local engineering recruitment company, you’ll find lots of movers and shakers to add to your network.

Talking to people one-on-one is the best way to make strong connections. Remember to make notes of key contact details or ask for business cards if you hit it off and hand your own out generously but judiciously.

3) Get some feedback and insight

What does your target audience think of your products and services? What are their needs and wants?

Having a stand at an expo is an easy way to get some intensive market research done. You might even consider getting some questionnaires printed out. You can then use your research to make any edits or iterations necessary to perfect your offering.

4) Grow brand awareness

Remind everyone of what your business has to offer – or make a splash on the scene for the first time – with a strong expo presence.

The more positive impressions you make, the more you spread the word of what you have to offer.

5) Survey a field of potential recruits

Some engineering expos make a useful recruiting ground. If you’re looking to expand your team, you can be on the lookout for graduates and experienced personnel. Be ready to discuss your company culture and collect their CVs to see what they have to offer in return.

Not all expos will attract people looking for new opportunities, of course. Some are very much designed for suppliers, manufacturers, and engineering companies to meet.

Plus, following the big names in the industry in using a specialist engineering recruitment agency makes the whole process easier. It’s more likely to find you candidates who are the right fit for the role – even encouraging you to consider options you might not otherwise.

That said, you can still be on the lookout for possible hires if engineering recruitment is something that’s on your mind.

How to get the most from your expo experience

1. Prepare in advance – promote your presence at any expo heavily before you arrive. Social media. Email marketing. All of the channels you favour. Also, if you have key targets to meet at the expo itself, see if you can book an appointment with them to guarantee you’ll have time together.
2. Be ready to engage – you hired people to fill those sales engineer job roles for a reason. Make sure the people staffing your stand are ready to engage with anyone who wanders by.
3. Create an experience – the design of your stand isn’t something you can throw together at the last minute. Create a space and an experience that reflects your business. Consider having a lounge area, a “selfie stand” – there’s a lot you can do to draw attention.
4. Offer snacks – always be prepared to cheat to attract attention to your stand. Perhaps a fridge to offer people somewhere to store their lunch? How about offering free cups of tea or chocolates? The list goes on.
5. Offer free Wi-Fi – another cheeky option to draw in attendees is having fast, reliable Wi-Fi if the exhibition hall either doesn’t offer it or has patchy signal. Good signal is like a magnet in an expo hall.

Engineering expos can really help your business. From networking to market research to engineering recruitment scouting, you’ll usually find attendance worth your money.

Check reviews of the expo you’re planning to attend, then start designing an experience that shows off everything that’s great about your brand and your company culture if you want your stand to draw the right kind of attention.

Want a more reliable solution than engineering expo attendance to find the perfect recruit?

Let’s chat. Ernest Gordon is a specialist manufacturing and engineering recruitment agency. Every day, we match businesses the length of the UK with their ideal candidates.

Set up a cost and commitment-free discussion about the job role you need to fill today. Let’s see if we can find you the perfect match.