Trade Thoughts

TradeThoughts

What does your firm hope to achieve from attending a trade event for the mobility industry?

This month, THIIS asked leaders from the mobility and access sector who are exhibiting at Naidex 2022, to share their thoughts about the importance of an industry trade event, and some of the factors that they believe are key to their success.

Lee French

Managing Director, Rehasense UK STAND C36

After the last couple of years, events such as Naidex enable us to once again engage with retailers, healthcare professionals and end users in a friendly relaxed environment.

“By attending such events, we can meet far more people than would ever normally be possible in two days and by having a full product range on the stand we can answer any questions people may have while also demonstrating the many unique features of our rollators, manual wheelchairs and powered add-ons.

“I think it is important that event organisers do as much as they can to promote the event and who is going to be exhibiting. Attending exhibitions is expensive when you combine the cost of the stand/salespeople off the road/hotels etc so from a return-oninvestment perspective we want to see as many people as possible. But they also need to be the right people for our business.

“We are very careful when deciding which exhibitions to attend with past experience, the time of year, target groups just some of the factors we take into consideration.

“The exhibition scene is certainly not what it was, for example Naidex has shrunk from three days to two days with significantly less exhibitors than five years ago.

“Having said that, I still believe they have a place within our marketing plans, but organisers are going to have to continue to invest to keep things fresh and attract the right visitors and exhibitors.

Matt James

Director, Precision Rehab STAND D40

Precision Rehab attend many events throughout the year focusing mainly on exhibitions such as Kidz to Adultz and Naidex.

“We attend these shows which focus mainly on end users and private buyers but of course we look to refresh existing contacts such as OT’s, PT’s and case managers with our current products and new products we have launched or wish to launch at the shows. We usually launch new products at Naidex as it the largest UK show and generates the most interest and footfall.

“We have always used Naidex as our primary show of the year as in the industry it is known as the show not to miss by all aspects of the industry – private buyers, OT’s, PT’s, trade, case managers and seating specialists.

“It is also a great meeting point for overseas suppliers and manufacturers and allows us to focus on our main goal which is to book assessments for end users while also offering great networking opportunities.

“Here at Precision Rehab we supply a lot of paediatric powerchairs from Paravan and Dietz Power UK and we are always looking promote these chairs.

“In addition to Naidex we also attend the Adultz to Kidz exhibitions in the South, Middle and North of the UK. These are great little one-day events that allow us to showcase our children’s models to end users and parents without having to travel too far. See us at Naidex and the Kidz to Adultz events this year!

www.rehasense.co.uk www.precisionrehab.co.uk

STAND D72

Tom Henshaw

Commercial Manager, Quest 88

It’s no hidden truth that the challenges of the last two years have made it difficult for SME businesses to easily commit to various trade events, with our sector particularly being hard to predict as to where our customers stand on leaving the safety of isolation.

“With that all in mind, here at Quest we quickly realised that we as a business would have to take the first steps in getting these exhibitions moving forwards.

“The public needs to know that when they are ready, we are here to start those conversations again, to showcase what we have been up to behind the closed doors of lockdown and to assist people in finding greater freedom through movement.

“With the ongoing pressures of price increases and supply issues trying to steal our gaze at any given moment, we were of course careful in which events we decided to book this year, opting to ‘go big’ at some of the larger exhibitions in the industry such as Naidex rather than spread ourselves too thinly.

“You could never predict footfall even before COVID, but you can make sure you are doing everything possible to make the most of every individual that visits your stand.

“Put on the best display you can, capture data of course, but most of all listen to what your customers have to say. We are all there to win business, but keeping your fingers on the pulse of the industry is by far one of the biggest reasons to start turning up once again.

www.quest88.com STAND H62

Daniel Caines

UK Sales Manager, MK Battery International

The pandemic has taught us many things. Skype, Teams and Zoom have been very useful tools and certainly have a role to play in business, but now more than ever we understand the true power of face-toface interaction. By attending trade shows such as Naidex we hope to meet with as many of our customers as possible in a more personal and meaningful way.

“Our regional sales representatives have remained available throughout the pandemic, but a trade show offers a different environment that can be more relaxed and less distracting than a busy showroom or office. This gives us a chance to talk, listen and share ideas outside of a normal working day, building on our already strong relationships.

“A good trade event should also attract those who are new to the industry or those who wouldn’t usually attend. Our priority will always be to look after our existing customers; however, a successful trade event should always generate high quality leads, giving us an opportunity to grow our business.

“It’s certainly been a challenging couple of years for everyone, and a trade show provides a fantastic opportunity for us to thank our customers for their loyalty and understanding during an unprecedented time.

“It is also an opportunity to educate ourselves on the latest technology and innovation within the industry. It’s always a joy to see such fantastic products and to meet the people and businesses behind them. We look forward to seeing old and new faces at this year’s Naidex in July.

www.mkbattery.com

Tim Ross

STAND F40

National Sales Manager, eFOLDi

As the mobility industry continues to recover in the post-COVID era, it’s important to ask ourselves if face-to-face events like Naidex are still viable.

“Previously, exhibitions have been viewed as critically important for raising brand awareness, acting as a platform for launching new products, networking with existing clients, forging new business opportunities, and even acquiring market research.

“Crucially, exhibitions are also a great opportunity to physically demonstrate a product, and for customers to experience those products hands-on – something you can’t achieve with a brochure or online content.

“On the flip side, exhibiting can be time and resource-intensive, plus the total costs to exhibit can be relatively high, compared to other forms of marketing. Results are never guaranteed, and neither is footfall.

“At eFOLDi, we still view an event like Naidex as a unique opportunity to develop our brand, showcase the latest innovations, and strengthen existing trade relationships with our network of dealers and international partners. It’s also a chance for us to meet with endusers who make practical use of our products.Additionally, it allows our team members to remain up-to-date on the latest products and trends.

“Exhibitions can also be an occasion to be recognised, and eFOLDi were fortunate enough to win Naidex’s “Innovation of the Year Award” for its new ‘Lite’ travel scooter in 2021. To be recognised as leading innovators in the industry was a huge honour for our team.

www.efoldi.com