The Interlift fair was held in Augsburg, Germany, at the end of October. This event occurs every two years and is a leading global meeting point in elevator and elevator technology. It attracts more than 20,000 visitors from all over the world each edition. Among those attending are elevator and component manufacturers, specialised technicians, suppliers, distributors, and other professionals in the sector.
The companies at Interlift are of different sizes and seek to show their new products, make business contacts and strengthen their position in the global and European markets.
Onura, providing international trade services to industrial companies, attends fairs such as Interlift in person within the commercial team of their clients. Attending fairs like Interlift is not only an opportunity to discover trends and new developments but also a favourable space for networking, training and strengthening international business partners.
International Trade and Market Prospecting
International trade is the engine that drives the growth and sustainability of most of our clients' industrial companies. The ability to cross borders and connect markets is essential for business growth. However, entering foreign markets is challenging since it is a considerable investment, and the return on investment is only sometimes direct or quick.
This is where market prospecting comes into play, a fundamental tool to identify and evaluate business opportunities abroad that Onura offers to its clients.
The fair is the tip of the iceberg: Pre-fair and post-fair
What is market prospecting? It is a comprehensive process of collecting, analysing and interpreting data about markets, competitors and consumers. Its main objective is to discover new business opportunities and evaluate the market potential of a product or service in a specific geographic area.
Now, how do you do market prospecting effectively? One of the best ways is to go to international fairs. And this brings us to the case of the Interlift fair.
Pre-fair work
The pre-fair commercial work is vital to define what type of decision-makers will attend and who we want to contact. In addition to segmentation, adequately preparing the sales team is essential to increase the possibilities of generating valuable contacts and encouraging future agreements.
Within the sales process, to contact the right buyer persona, it is essential to use calls, social networks or newsletters with relevant content to connect, calibrate and measure who truly has the purchasing decision in your target audience.
Fairs offer a perfect "excuse" to resume contacts and confirm the attendance of our ideal client in target markets. Personalisation, tone, professionalism and, above all, providing differential value to see each other physically again to schedule meetings can be a very effective tactic.
Prospecting potential clients, defining objectives, reinforcing existing clients or attracting new clients, support materials such as catalogues, roll-ups, training on how to master the story of competitive advantages in the market and mastery of the products are essential without forgetting the database and its purification and trying to schedule strategic meetings for the fair in advance. The sales funnel has to be prepared and defined.
Post-fair work
After the completion of the fair, it is essential to carry out a thorough evaluation of the activities and results obtained. The sales team meets to analyse and discuss customer interactions, leads generated and feedback received.
This review allows us to identify areas for improvement, establish follow-up plans for potential clients and strengthen the relationships started during the event. In addition, it is crucial to document and update the database with the information collected and design a follow-up strategy to maximise business opportunities, ensuring that every lead or contact is given due attention in the weeks following the fair.
In short, the sales team must follow up on these contacts and companies through the previously defined strategic channels (telephone, LinkedIn, commercial visits, etc.).
Interlift: An Ideal Scenario for Commercial Outsourcing
Interlift being a unique showcase for companies seeking to expand their presence in international markets, the work of commercial outsourcing becomes vitally important.
The company Onura, for example, offers a specialised commercial outsourcing service, making it easier for companies to focus on their core business while Onura is in charge of representing them at events such as Interlift. In this way, companies can benefit from quality contacts without incurring the high costs and resources involved in having a physical presence at such events.
Commercial outsourcing hugely benefits companies participating in Interlift since it allows them to obtain market learning, increase their visibility, attract potential clients and establish professional contacts. It is an excellent opportunity to grow and effectively promote our products or services. Market prospecting, along with its methodology and sales work, is essential to expanding international trade.
In short, fairs like Interlift offer unique experiences for sales teams. Suppose the objectives and target markets are set accordingly. In that case, it is an effective way for companies to maximise their presence and obtain tangible results in their search for new markets and clients. For more information, go to the section fairs.
