Different, but in a nice way!

Visit Denmark knows how to attract visitors to the stand

Behaving pleasantly, dressing neatly, and being responsive to one’s surroundings is still the surest way to connect with visitors. But with almost 20 years’ experience of fairs, Andréas Näsman, CEO of Visit Denmark, has learned a few tricks to get that little bit of extra mileage out of a fair.

“It’s all about standing out and getting seen a bit more. You’ve got to dare to be different.”

How do you go about attracting the visitors?

“First, you’ve got to think about what kind of visitors you want. Then you have to work in advance on the ones you want to attract, for example through a personal e-mail invitation. And, if you can, also include an invitation to a tempting activity at the fair.”

How do you get them to your stand once they’re at the fair?

“Well, for a start, you’ve got to behave in a pleasant manner - I know it sounds trite, but it’s so vital that it bears repeating. Then you should never underestimate the importance of the right clothes and appearance. You must also create an attractive setting. And it always helps if you arrange some small unexpected activity to take place at the stand.”

What kind of stand activities would you recommend?

“You’ll need to think of activities that reflect the destination. Perhaps some sort of entertainment, but nothing too involved or complicated. Once, I let people taste Belgian beer, and even had a conjuror doing tricks on the stand. But you’ve always got to be aware of what is, and what is not, suitable for the country or region you are exhibiting in, and adjust your campaign accordingly.”

Anything you would advise fellow exhibitors not to do?

“There are some things to avoid if you want to achieve good results with your visitors. You mustn’t be too pushy; you have to show some discernment; see who’s actually interested in talking. Otherwise you’ll get to the stage when people won’t even want to come near you and will avoid your stand altogether.

“Another thing, don’t spend time talking on your mobile or to your colleagues when you are on the stand; always look receptive and open to contact. If you must make or take a call, don’t do it on the stand - go to one side. And do not have a boring stand.”

Any final advice?

“Whether you’re a newcomer to trade fairs or have years of experience, sales don’t just fall into your lap. And taking part in a trade fair always involves a considerable investment. Like everyone else, we get an incredible number of invitations to exhibit. But you can’t be everywhere, you’ve got to know what to say No to, and what to say Yes to! So when it comes to TUR, we say a big Yes. In fact, it’s the only travel fair in Sweden for us.”

For more information, see www.visitdenmark.se