Preparing for International Trade Shows

Tradeshows are becoming larger and hosting more international companies than ever. The 2019 International Home and Houseware show boasted more than 2,200 exhibitors from over 50 countries. While the 2019 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago is slated to host over 100,000 visitors from over 100 different countries. With an international presence like this, many U.S. businesses are finding it necessary to provide their marketing materials in multiple languages. 

While the tradeshow circuit tends to slow down during the summer, it is important to prepare in advance for the coming events. If your company is looking to attend any shows or expos near the end of the year, we would suggest that you begin discussing what international markets you want to target now. Below are the most common types of materials that are translated before upcoming trade shows: 

1. Bilingual Business cards – Have one side of your business card in English and the other in another language. Most common languages include Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and French. 
2. Brochures – Translate your brochures and sell sheets to have available at your booth. If costs are a concern, you may want to only translate important or key information or brochures for your top products.
3. Product Catalog – If you are looking to attract buyers from around the world, it may be beneficial to have a full catalog of your products available to peruse in multiple languages. 
4. Slideshows or other sales materials – If you have a slideshow or other digital presentation at your booth, you may also want to translate that too.  Give your guests the option to receive a copy of the presentation as well, either through a CD or through e-mail. 

By preparing for the international visitors at whichever trade show you will be attending you are showing that your company has a global presence, interested in selling internationally. By presenting information in their native language, your customers will be able to absorb the message that you are trying to send. You may also have potential buyers out there that are going to go with you instead of one of your competitors because you have your materials translated when they do not. Being prepared could mean the difference between solidifying a sale and having the client walk away.