Seeing that the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair is topical news, you might be wondering why it is important to exhibit at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. In this article, I will explain why you should exhibit at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. I will give a bride overview of the fairs’ history before delving deeper into the reasons why you should be an exhibitor.
What Is The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair?
The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company (ZITF) was founded in 1986 as a non-profit. It is a limited liability private company and its core thrust is to organize and manage international exhibitions. it also organizes events to promote trade and investments through innovation and value addition for the benefit of its stakeholders. Its Vision is to be the world’s first choice in offering innovative opportunities for social and business interaction.
The First Trade Fair was named the Central African Trade Fair and it was a resounding success. In 1969, it adopted a new name ‘Trade Fair Rhodesia became the official one’. This name was used for 10 years. In 1979 the name changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia Trade Fair. On the independence of our nation, the name became Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. ZITF 2021 is therefore the 41st International trade Fair operating under this name.
This year 2021, ZITF is the 61st consecutive Annual Trade Fair. It is taking part on this site with the theme ‘Showcasing the new normal for business: realities and opportunities.
Why it is important to exhibit at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair?
1. Marketing Your Business
ZITF exhibitions usually target business experts in all fields. Participating in an exhibition will enable you to market your brand to a broader crowd and make them aware of your product and service. According to the type of industry, exhibitors can participate in trade fairs and gain business feedback. They can also gain general feedback about their offering before they release it to the public. Additionally, you get a reliable pool of interested customers that you can reach out to after the show. Traditionally, the ZITF is open to both businesses and the general public. Hence this enables you to market your services and products to businesses i.e. Business 2 Business (B2B) and to consumers i.e. Business 2 Consumers (B2C)
Business to Business (B2B) Networking
Business-to-business (B2B) networking is simply the execution of a barter trade business model. This is where the exchange of goods and services takes place between two or more businesses. In this business model, both the businesses benefit in some way and have comparable negotiating powers respectively.
Business to Consumer (B2C) Networking
This is basically a model of business where the businesses sell products or services to consumers. When you basically understand what customers want and how to motivate them to make a purchase, you will have success. Being able to identify what customers want and deciding how to distinguish your products or services from those of other vendors are major interests for market research.
2.Networking as an essential business asset
Networking is the conquest when it comes to marketing your business. Nothing is more reliable than connecting with your audience personally. With just cold calling and emails, you will find that you are ignored, whereas meeting someone face-to-face makes an enormous difference. Standing out from the mass and getting your voice heard can appear challenging but with the right approach, you can make the most of it.
2.Knowledge of your competitors
In today’s tough and competitive marketing world it is essential to know and understand your competitors better. Technology gives you the freedom to view your competitor’s website and social media. This in turn enables you to keep a record of information such as their client’s feedback. However, meeting in person is more advantageous than stalking your competitors online. ZITF exhibitions offer you a platform to interact physically with competitors. It is a chance to observe all the market leaders concentrated in one place. Hence you have the opportunity to visit their booths and glean ideas to implement in your own marketing strategy.
3.Exihibition of your products and services
The ZITF exhibition makes your services and products tangible. The ZITF company encourages Exhibitors to personalize their booths by displaying banners showcasing their products and services. You can decorate them in your company colors thus giving them a unique character. You can also bring physical samples of your products which you can display prominently within your stand. Some companies also give away their products as mementos to people who visit them at their stands. Additionally, you can educate your customers about your products through demonstrations.
4. Brand Visibility
Exhibitions like the ZITF are a huge opportunity for brands to create value in terms of image, sales, exposure, and market positioning. They provide 360- degrees visibility to brands. Not only are these exhibitions the best platform for a brand to be visible in its true essence but they enable customers to experience the brand and its strengths.
5.Assessment of your position in your Industry
No matter what industry you are working in, it is important to know where you stand. You need to know what direction you are heading in. it is also important to understand what works and what doesn’t work for your brand. If things are going slow, ZITF will help you check what your competitors are doing. Your team members can harvest feedback from the market. This will help you identify better sales strategies in the future for your company.
Conclusion
To give you a thought, the large guns that win display competitions at the ZITF year in and year out like Delta Corporation, Econet Wireless, and Bulawayo City Council, start planning a full year before the fair. This high level of preparation exhibited by these market leaders shows you just how important exhibiting at the ZITF is. It is therefore worth your while to consider exhibiting at this year’s edition of the ZITF.
ZITF accommodation is still available. Click here to find out more.