The best way to reach your important customers and stakeholders is to issue a personal invitation, bidding them a warm welcome to your stand!

Tips on getting the most out of fair invitations

• Use an invitation card to bid your customers welcome to your stand. Give them your stand number and enclose information on your stand's programme.

• On the enclosure, it is worth mentioning your stand's attractions: what's new? - any interesting programmes, demo opportunities, presenters or offers?

• Those without their own customer register for mailing invitation cards can buy addresses.

• Issue invitation cards during your customer visits. An invitation card is a gift which will keep you in the customer's mind for longer.

• Value invitation cards as competition prizes. Organise a competition within your business or website. Activate your customers and watch your customer register grow.

• Use an invitation card to reward a VIP or loyal customer, or a customer buying more.

• Mail an invitation card to your current customers. This is the perfect way to tell your customer that you want to stay in touch.

• Mail an invitation card to potential customers. A stand is the perfect place to introduce yourself and make contacts.

• Distribute invitation cards to retailers and gather ideas on how they can benefit from the cards in terms of sales support.

• As a public relations exercise, invite a valued group of experts to the fair. Why not arrange a special programme for them, such as a presentation or training event during the fair?

• Fair participation is at its most effective when combined with other marketing. Invitation cards can be quickly slipped between the pages of a customer magazine, amongst training material, on brochure stands…

• Reward your key staff with an invitation card. A visit to a trade fare in your own industry is an efficient way of gathering competitor intelligence and introducing your team to new ideas and skills.

Further details on fair-specific invitation cards are available on the event's web pages.