Searching for the right way to promote and advance your business can often be one of the biggest challenges facing many business owners. In the Western world we have a particular way of promoting our businesses. We turn to things like thought leadership, blogging, outreach and networking as the best ways to create trust with out clients and potential customers. Often there is a lot of emphasis on presenting the right kind of front, and we don’t spend a great deal of time pursuing new customers in the real world instead preferring the relative anonymity of the internet. We also make sure that most marketing efforts are focused on looking at particular segment of the market and targeting our efforts to people in particular.
In our Western market we often view events like conferences and exhibitions as a frivolous and expensive way to get ahead. In Singapore, and across Asia – this is the opposite. In most industries and business sectors, attending a conference, exhibition or event is an important – and essential – way for a company who is looking for greater business exposure and sustained success.
Get established
If you are looking to promote your business and you are new to Singapore, it is advised that before you begin to promote that you have a suitable business address with a certain level of prestige attached to it. This is so when you are handing over business cards, and people are checking into your company, they will see that you are positioned in the right area. You need to make a good first impression.
Having the right address means a certain level of success for your business and is an important part of developing the right appearance for your business. If you’re not at the stage of being able to afford an office in the heart of the Singaporean business district then you can always get a virtual office. A virtual office is a great way to enjoy the prestige of a good address without the cost of having a bricks and mortar space.
So once you have established yourself in a suitable office the next step is to attend plenty of trade events and conferences.
Benefits of trade shows and exhibitions
Going to an event is a great way of getting in touch with a lot of customers quickly
A great way of moving a new relationship forward in a face to face and informal manner
Good for trust building and exposure
Great for examining the target market and checking out the competition
Establish yourself as a face-to-face contact for your Singaporean customers
Show your potential clients that you are committed to the local market – because you’re there
You’ll find that the big cities in Asia all have conferences and will attract a high rate of attendance to them,
How to choose an exhibition
While some of the larger industries are going to cover lots of sectors and are bigger in scale, you’ll find that most of the exhibitions that are being held do focus on a particular area. The size and style of these exhibitions do vary quite a bit, so it’s important that you do a fair amount of research prior to attending one. EventsEye is a great resource for this.
When looking to establish your business within the Singaporean market – or any new international market – it’s important to remember that things are going to be different and you need to be flexible in your approach. If you can do a lot of research on the ground, and ask people who you trust you’ll find that your business will be more successful in the long run.