Trade Show Management Service in Japan
Trade Show Management Service
One-stop Exhibition Marketing Support for B2B Companies in Japan
Trade shows allow you to develop business in a very short time. The customers come to you, rather than your sales team having to travel to individual locations. But this convenience comes at a price (viz. exhibition costs), so you have to ensure your trade show presence is effective. For most companies, trade shows are about both promoting brand and generating leads. However, it is sometimes difficult to strike the correct balance when you first start exhibiting in Japan.
Service Description
Our Trade Show Management Service is a comprehensive menu of exhibition marketing support for multinational B2B companies operating in Japan. This service enables you to plan, organize and execute exhibitions in Japan, with minimal interruption to everyday operations. Your sales team can focus on the job of selling and will be able to pursue leads immediately after a show.
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Show selection and planning
We help you to choose the right trade show in view of your company’s image, budget, capabilities, objectives, and location. We handle all the paperwork required to participate in a show, assist you to prioritize your exhibiting objectives, and help you to determine which products or services are worth featuring in view of the competitive landscape.
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Booth design
Booth design commences with collaboration to generate possible concepts based on your experience overseas and exhibiting objectives. Possible booth concepts are further developed by considering how to attract customers into the booth and retain their attention. Rough sketches are prepared for several proposals to obtain approval from internal stakeholders, with 2D layouts provided for the selected booth. 3D renderings allow you to confirm overall appearance, spatial relationships (width of passages, size of displays, etc.), material textures, signage, and lighting. Working models may also be constructed to educate, stimulate, and improve visitor recall.
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Booth construction
The booth layout is converted into blueprints and a bill of materials (BOM) created to determine the cost of construction. Design changes (e.g. use of metal trusses instead of wooden columns to support overhead elements such as corporate logos) are made to keep the construction costs within budget. The booth is handed over to your sales team with all displays completed, and our staff remain on site to carry out repairs or adjustments during the exhibition. Your booth is dismantled, display items packed, and all waste material removed from the site.
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Marketing communications
We can support any requirements for pre-show, on-site, and post-show communications, such as customer invitations and thank you letters, press releases, social media activity, landing page creation, direct mail, technical seminars, and promotional tie-ups.
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Activities and events
We plan and implement in-booth activities such as presentations, handouts of flyers or incentives for visitor segmentation, hospitality, and general staffing arrangements. Relationship-building events can be arranged in your booth or off-site after hours. We also produce sales collateral such as catalogs, white papers, and product samples.
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Reporting
You are provided with a comprehensive performance report, including objective analysis and social media initiatives. A photographic record can also be provided for internal and external PR activity.
Service Specification
Here is the scope of our B2B Trade Show Management Service. You are free to pick and choose any items from the following service menu.
| Phase | Item | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Localization | Trade show research | Identifying relevant trade shows |
| Show selection | Evaluation of specific trade shows in light of exhibiting objectives | |
| Booth availability | Dealing with trade show organizer | |
| Commitment | Event application | Client submits application to trade show organizer and contracts with Jamas |
| Documentation submission | Jamas submits necessary documentation (booth plan, power, anchor bolts, cleaning, etc.) to organizer by respective deadline | |
| Planning | Detailed objectives | Setting detailed objectives for participation and their respective priority |
| Product display | Considering which products or services should be featured in the booth | |
| Booth Design | Idea generation | Working with Client to generate ideas for booth concept |
| Concept development | Determining how to draw interested visitors into the booth and retain their attention | |
| Rough sketches | Sketches of concepts A, B and C for internal stakeholder presentation | |
| Booth layout | 2D layouts of selected concept | |
| 3D design | 3D rendering of booth for internal design approval | |
| Working models | Ideation, design and construction of working models | |
| Signage | Booth catch copy, graphic panels, display labels | |
| Booth Construction | Design drawings | Booth designs translated into blueprints |
| Bill of materials (BOM) | Detailed listing of materials required to construct booth | |
| BOM adjustment | Modification of design and materials in accordance with budget | |
| Construction management | Booth constructed and displays completed. Finished booth handed over to Client | |
| On-site support | Repairs and adjustments as necessary during event | |
| Dismantling and cleanup | Dismantling booth, removal of waste material | |
| Pre-show Communication | Invitations | Email invitations to customers and direct mail to interested parties |
| PR | New product press releases, social media handling | |
| Landing page | Landing page introducing booth highlights (linked from email invitation) | |
| Direct mail | Direct mail with incentive for premium target customers | |
| On-site Communication | Seminars | Subject matter expert conducts technical seminar at event’s seminar venue |
| Promotional tie-ups | Promotional alliances to increase traffic to booth | |
| Social media | Communication of in-booth events, seminar times, and promotions | |
| Post-show Communication | Thank you letter | Email sent to booth visitors within 5 working days. Alternative version sent to non-attendees |
| Landing page | Landing page with photographs of leading displays and incentive to contact sales team | |
| In-booth Activities | Presentations and demonstrations | Presentations at in-booth theater or demonstration corners |
| Handouts | Flyers or incentives that catch the interest of target group | |
| Hospitality | Drink service, seating, giveaways, etc. | |
| Staffing | Staff for in-booth activities | |
| Events | In-booth event | Relationship-building event held in booth prior to closing |
| Off-site event | Relationship-building event held off-site after hours | |
| Sales Collateral | Catalogs | Catalogs handed to interested visitors |
| White papers | White papers used as giveaways | |
| Product samples | Product samples for visitors in the target segment | |
| Reporting | Objective analysis | Comparison of actual performance compared with agreed KPI |
| Social media effect | Quantification of benefit from social media initiatives | |
| Professional photography | Photographic record of finished booth and booth in action |
Who Should Use This Service?
Our Trade Show Management Service is designed to address the requirements of B2B companies that are not yet ready to employ a full-time marketing manager in Japan or would like expert assistance with specific trade show activity.
This service is ideal for companies with the following types of trade show issues:
- Need to generate more leads from trade shows in Japan
- No Japanese marketing staff available to support trade show activity
- Want to reduce the complexity of managing trade shows in Japan
- Looking for fresh ideas to overshadow the competition
We are B2B marketing professionals with extensive experience in a number of industrial and technology markets in Japan. Please contact us to discuss your trade show requirements in Japan.
How to Access This Service
Here is the flow from your initial inquiry to the commencement of our Trade Show Management Service for B2B companies in Japan.
- Inquiry from you
- Meeting (briefing from you)
- Exhibition proposal from Jamas (free-of-charge)
- Quotation for booth design phase (you are free to cancel our service at any time, paying only the charges incurred to date)
- Refined proposal from Jamas (based on your feedback)
- Quotation for booth construction
- Quotation for marketing communication and other services (refer to service specification above)
Use the following links for details of how we design and construct B2B booths in Japan:
Reach Out to a B2B Marketing Professional in Japan
Click below to inquire about trade show activity in Japan. One of our experienced B2B marketing professionals will contact you shortly.
A successful trade show starts with a good booth location
- Everyone participating in an exhibition would prefer to have a booth with a good location. While first-time and small exhibitors usually have little choice, here are some things you can do to ensure a better than average booth location.
- Exhibit as a Japanese corporation
- If you exhibit as an overseas corporation, you may find yourself in a cluster of overseas exhibitors. These areas generally have less traffic, because most visitors are looking for partners who already provide solutions to Japanese customers. On the other hand, a cluster of overseas exhibitors will attract the interest of Japanese distributors and agents looking for further brands to represent.
- Upgrade to the next size booth
- The smallest size booth available in Japan is usually 9m2 (3 x 3m) or 7.5m2 (3 x 2.5m). Trade show organizers usually bundle these together on the periphery of venues where visitor traffic is much lower. You should choose a two-unit (18m2) booth at the very least, and preferably a three-unit (27m2) booth for a reasonable chance of being positioned in a high traffic area.
Identifying suitable B2B exhibitions in Japan
- There are many B2B exhibitions held every year in Japan. However, the most important events are located in and around Tokyo, where the population is concentrated.
- Regional exhibitions
- If your Japanese subsidiary is located in western Japan, then you may wish to exhibit first at a regional trade show closer to home to control logistics issues and expense which increase proportionally with distance.
- Exhibition information sources
- Your Japanese sales team and distributors may have some idea of suitable shows. You should also consult the various show organizers and B2B marketing service suppliers to determine whether the show is a good fit for your exhibiting objectives. A good idea is to test new shows with a minimal presence to set a benchmark for performance for subsequent exhibition activity.