GUEST BLOG: The Surprising Psychology of Engagement at your Business Expo

Whether you work in sales, retail or hospitality, customer service and engagement are key drivers towards the overall success of your business. While the techniques for marketing are numerous, exhibitions and conferences offer the chance to showcase your business and meet with current and potential customers. But how do you best engage with these customers? By understanding them!

Skyline Whitespace, a UK leading provider of exhibitions stands and displays, take a look at the psychology of consumer behaviour and some key factors thought to influence consumer decisions. With these top tips, you can develop the ideal marketing strategy and maximise your exhibition success…

It’s good to reciprocate

The principle of reciprocity can be a very useful marketing tool. According to this principle, we humans tend to respond to a positive action with a positive action of our own; we typically feel obligated to return favours after people do a favour for us. For example, if someone buys us a drink, we tend to feel obliged to buy them one in return.

This principle is a powerful social norm which marketers have been taking advantage of for generations and helps explain why promotional products and giveaways can be such an effective marketing tool.

A question of authority

People have a tendency to obey authority figures and we typically find such individuals to be more credible and trustworthy. This is why many advertising campaigns employ authority figures such as doctors to front their campaigns in a bid to enhance their credibility.

You can give your own marketing campaign a more authoritative air by emphasising your expertise and ensuring that all your staff are as up-to-date as possible on their product knowledge and, ideally, on your company’s industry more widely too.

The power of relating

Another principle thought to have a key role to play in influencing customers is the principle of liking. Research has demonstrated that not only are we more likely to buy things from people we perceive as being like ourselves, we are also more likely to engage and buy things from people we like and feel affiliated with. This is why it’s essential to build a good rapport with customers so that they feel more positive towards you and your brand.

There are a number of ways you can help increase your chances of developing positive relationships with potential customers. For example, when communicating with customers make sure to be as helpful as possible and really listen to exactly what it is they have to say. There is a huge difference between hearing and actually listening.

Final thoughts

Understanding how your customers want to be spoken to is crucial for growing and retaining your customer base. While every customer is different and there is no “one size fits all” there are at least a few ways you can start to understand the psychology of visitors to your business exhibition. Ultimately, understanding drives more business.

Skyline Whitespace are a dedicated team of exhibition and event professionals who are devoted to designing powerful exhibition experiences. Through exceptional stand design, great storytelling and the latest interactive tools, they bring your brand to life and deliver real results for you and your audience. Their clients include Warner Bros., Just Eat, The FA, Nationwide and Game.

www.skylinewhitespace.com