Speaking at a trade show in the advanced engineering sector is a great way to promote your company – connecting with the right people, building your company’s reputation, and creating real business value. But it can seem daunting, especially if public speaking isn’t your thing. In this blog, we’ll run through the basics, with tips to help make sure your presentation delivers a strong return.
Preparation:
Research, research, research!
It’s important to understand who you’re speaking to. Take some time to find out about the audience. Are they potential customers, partners, or industry experts? This will help you shape your message, so it speaks directly to their needs and interests. Sounds obvious, but if your products cover a range of sectors, don’t go to an aerospace event and only talk about your case study for a pharmaceutical company, no matter how great the project!
Tailor your presentation – there might still be an opportunity to use these other case studies in your Q&A.
Your message
To get the most out of your talk, it’s important to plan carefully and make sure your message supports your company’s goals. If you’ve been asked to speak on a specific topic, think about how your products or services address this, and work backwards. If you’ve a more open platform, maybe think more broadly – on how your product, service, or idea solves real problems your audience might face. A clear and focused message makes it easier for people to remember you and follow up after the event.
What are your objectives? What do you want your audience to take away from your talk?
This could be any number of things: awareness of a specific product if you’ve had a recent launch or if there are external, industry factors that make this topical; an explanation of how your services fit together to support customers, in a way that’s easier to explain verbally; perhaps you want to position your company as leaders in your field, or just raise brand awareness.
Whatever your objectives: this is not a sales pitch! Your audience probably won’t appreciate that, especially if they are paying to attend an event. This is a chance to engage people – with relevant, useful content that gives them something fresh to think about.
Once you’ve planned your message, it’s time to structure your talk.
Presentation – balancing your message and engaging your audience:
Everyone remembers those events where they suffered Death by PowerPoint! But preparation will help you avoid inflicting this on your audience.
Structure
Aim for clarity and a logical progression of thought. Even if you’re nervous on the day, preparation will help you keep on track and avoid confusing your content and your message.
Top tip: When you’re preparing, remember the cardinal rule – never overrun. It’s just plain rude! Break up your allotted time to cover each section, and make sure you have a practice run-through before the event. Otherwise, you run the risk of not allowing time for questions – which can often be the most productive part of the event.
Intro: Set the context for your audience – let them know what you’re going to be presenting. If your audience know from the outset that you’re going to be talking about something they’re interested in, they’ll be engaged. And it gives you a chance to get into your stride before you get deeper into the information you really want them to hear!
Top tip: in your intro, ask the audience a question. Asking for a show of hands, “who has an issue with…? who uses…?” can help get your audience involved. And, of course, you can keep momentum by asking this type of closed question during your talk. A word of caution: we’d advise against asking open questions, so as not to lose focus or run the risk of having your presentation getting sidetracked.
Body: You should already have a good idea of who your audience is likely to be – whether they’re experts (like you!) or whether they’re a more wide-ranging group. And you’ll have settled on your subject matter. This is the part of your speaking slot where you get to convey your message and meet the objectives you’ve already determined.
Using real examples or case studies to show how your solution works in practice helps make complex ideas easier to understand and helps keep your audience interested. Talking about projects rather than products has several benefits: it’s less salesy, demonstrating rather than telling, and it helps your audience to see how your products or services could work for them.
Conclusion: This is your chance to thank your host, to reinforce your message, offer a call to action and – crucially – invite questions.
Q&A: Unless the format of the event dictates otherwise, always leave time for questions. A Q&A creates a dialogue. Show your interest in what others have to say and your audience will feel like active participants.
If you don’t know the answer, don’t worry! Most people appreciate honesty, and you can offer to have a chat after the session or follow up via email. If you need to consult with your colleagues, say that – it shows you’re taking the questioner seriously and that you want to help.
When you’re preparing, think about what sort of questions your presentation might lead to. And, if you have a chance for a dry-run, testing your talk with colleagues, ask them for questions at the end – they might have a different take to yours.
Visuals: Having visuals helps keep your audience engaged and can take the pressure off you, especially if you’re nervous. But it’s a balancing act: keep your slides simple and clear, and don’t overload them with too much detail. The people at the back of the room don’t want to be struggling to read your footnotes!
Top tip: If your talk is technical, if it’s data-heavy, offer to send the slides on to people after the event. And let them know this before you go too deep into the info. This helps your audience concentrate on what you’re saying (no need to frantically write notes!) and it can be an excellent way of establishing direct follow up and personal communication after the event.
Follow up – getting the most out of your time and effort:
After your talk, the follow-up is just as important as the presentation itself. Make sure you stay around for one-to-one conversations, to discuss anything that might have come up during the session – while it’s fresh in people’s minds. After all, the work you’ve put into your presentation is aimed at instigating just this kind of opportunity!
Have a plan to stay in touch with the people you met. This could be through email, LinkedIn, or a quick meeting during the event. Share any extra materials that support your message, like a product brochure or a link to a case study. Following up shows professionalism and helps turn interest into real opportunities. By keeping the conversation going, you increase the chances of building lasting business relationships that bring value long after the trade show ends.
Use your socials! Post before and after the event – and use them to thank your host again!
How Aro can support you, from securing slots to follow up:
To get the best results from your trade show talk, it helps to have a clear strategy. As a PR and marketing agency with experience in the advanced engineering sector, Aro can support you every step of the way.
If you’re looking to get more from your trade show presence, the right support can make all the difference. We can help craft your message, build interest before the event, and keep the momentum going afterward with targeted follow-up. Whether it’s creating marketing materials, managing press outreach, or helping you connect with the right audience, we’re here to help you turn your talk into lasting business results.
Bruno, our Chief Barketing Officer, says, “I might not give talks, but I know the importance of making a strong impression—whether it’s at the park or a trade show. If you want your presentation to stand out and lead to real opportunities, the team at Aro is here to help.”
‘Pictured: Bruno dressed up and ready for his speaker slot’
If you’d like to explore how Aro could help you to increase understanding of your products and services or help develop your communications and messaging, or just to have an informal chat around generating opportunities to grow your business, drop us an email info@aroprandmarketing.co.uk or phone 0117 379 0008.
