Article Our tried and trusted process for shining at your next trade show

Flirting with the idea of heading to a trade show this year?

Or perhaps attending one is a definite priority for the year ahead. Maybe you’ve even already got one, or a few, firmly booked into your diary.

Attending translation events is something a lot of us do, but venturing out of the translation bubble and into client land at trade shows can seem like a scary prospect.

And whilst that’s totally understandable, attending trade shows can be super beneficial for our businesses. Once you go along to one, you’ll soon realise there was nothing to be worried about.

The good news is, we’ve been stepping out of our comfort zone and into trade shows for a long time now, and we’ve got plenty of first-hand advice to share on the subject.

So this blog post is crammed with tips on how to choose the right events to go along to, what to expect and how to get the most out of them once you’re there.

Let’s get stuck in.

1. Choose your events wisely

If you’re new to this trade show thing, then we’d always recommend starting with events that are nice and close to home, if that’s possible for you. Bonus points if you don’t have to shell out for an overnight stay, or if going along to the event involves a minimum investment of money and time.

Whilst you might choose to travel abroad for a big translation industry event, if you’re just getting started with trade shows then international travel probably isn’t the way forward.

Save that for if and when trade shows prove to be a great way to find clients and there’s a specific event that you know could be great for your business.

Or, of course, for when you fancy a working holiday you can write off against tax… You’re the boss, so don’t let us ruin your fun!

Side note: Seriously, though, your trips to trade shows should qualify as tax deductible, so make sure you keep hold of all the relevant invoices and receipts.

2. Don’t put pressure on yourself

Is this your first trade show? Our advice is to not assume you’ll be walking out of there with any leads at all. Just treat it as a trial run, so you can get the feel for what these kinds of events are all about.

Think of it as what it is, a learning opportunity. It’s a chance to find out all about what’s new in your industry. Plan on speaking to companies, asking questions and throwing yourself into the experience, without any expectations.

Even if it’s not your first trade show, we still never recommend trying a hard sell, cold-pitch approach.

Have those natural conversations and let the exhibitors tell you all about what they’ve got to offer. After all, they’re there to sell something! If they ask or it comes up naturally, that’s the point when you can tell them what you do, and ask them if they might need translation services in the future.

Trade shows are great opportunities to chat to your dream clients in the flesh and, more than anything, find out:

• What they might need from a translator
• What their strategies are for communicating with their international audience
• What their priorities are
• How you can adapt your services accordingly
• What they do and don’t know about the world of translation (super helpful for tailoring your marketing materials and website copy)

Basically, the best approach you can take is to prioritise human connection, and grab the chance to learn about all the latest developments in your area of specialisation, rather than putting pressure on yourself to get leads out of the event.

3. Before you go: be prepared

When you’re getting ready for your event, choose an outfit that’s relatively smart, sure, but it should also make you feel your best. You’re the expert in your industry, so you’ll know whether a smarter or more relaxed dress code will go down best with the people you want to meet.

If you’ve got brand colours, you could consider wearing clothes that reflect that to make you extra memorable. If you’ve got a quirky style, don’t hide it, embrace it.

Before you go along to the event, make sure you pack your business cards and/or have your LinkedIn QR code ready to go, and that your phone won’t run out of battery.

And make sure you’re well rested, nourished and hydrated, so you’re firing on all cylinders.

You could try and connect with people you know are going along on LinkedIn beforehand, potentially setting up coffee meetings. If there’s an event app, that’s usually the best place to find their contact details.

It might even be worth seeing if any of the exhibitors might need their promotional materials translated or proofread before the event, and getting in touch to find out.

If it’s a particularly big trade show, you probably won’t have time to hit all the stands, so decide what your priorities are before you go.

As well as connecting with potential clients in advance, you could also see if any other translators who share your specialism will be going along.

Building relationships with other translators is always beneficial for our businesses, but contacts like these are especially useful if they have the opposite language pair to you, as you never know when you might be able to refer each other.

4. When you’re there: Enjoy yourself

So, you’ve made it to the event, great!

Don’t forget to take pictures or even videos, as this is all great material for sharing on your professional social media. The day itself might not result in any leads, but sharing this kind of thing with your audience is fantastic proof that you’re staying up to date with your industry, and you never know who might be reading your posts.

Take your time walking around, be curious and, as we’ve mentioned, prioritise making connections and having in-depth conversations over trying to sell your services.

Don’t be tempted to put on an act, just be yourself. Just as is true with the way you talk in your digital marketing, if you pretend to be someone you’re not, people will be able to tell.

Struggling to strike up conversations? Wait until there are no or very few people at the stand before you sidle up to it, as that will make it more likely the exhibitor will start a conversation with you.

If you are feeling nervous, or attending this kind of event and speaking to strangers is a lot for you, make sure you give yourself regular breaks and mini rewards.

And if you don’t come away with any leads, don’t worry, that’s totally normal. Going along was still a great decision, and you can be very proud of yourself for stepping out of your comfort zone.

5. Follow up

If you’ve had conversations with people and exchanged business cards, one of the most important things you can do after the event is follow up.

Even just an email letting them know it was a pleasure to meet them will help cement you in their minds and make it more likely they’ll think of you if and when they find themselves in need of a translator.

Do you struggle to keep track of the business expenses you stack up when you go along to things like industry events and trade shows?

That’s what LSP.expert is for! The platform makes it super easy to record your expenses so you know exactly what you’re investing in your business.

Keen to give it a go? Get a taste of what freelancing with LSP.expert is like with our 30-day free trial.