Ecommerce Gateway, Event Management Company

Increase Your Web Site Coversions & Sales

2010-08-11T11:47:00.008+05:00

Tips That Can Increase Your Web Site Coversions And Sales

Create a list of things to check for a particular process related to your business’s topic.
Eg: checklist for creating a web site, skin care survey.
Create an ebook of text transcripts of a related recent event. It can be a seminar, speech, class, interview, etc.
Publish dictionary of terms relating to your specific business industry or subject matter in your Resources section.
Offer a live chat help feature were you can give your web site visitors advice on your business products & help select a product or service you offer .
Create ready-made plans for a particular project your target audience wants to accomplish. It could be business plans, healthy lifestyle plans, etc.
Offer printable, ready-made forms your visitors or customers would use regularly. It could be product category forms, etc.
Publish timely e-mail reports that contains new research discoveries, surveys, and statistics about your related industry.
Finally,Update your web site frequently with fresh content so that every time your visitors come back, they will have something to read on your site. This is the most widely known and most effective method of attracting returning visitors, but this is also the least carried out one because of the laziness . No one will want to browse a site that looks the same over ten years, so keep your site updated with fresh bites!

Thanks to Andy Alagappan VP marketing & business development USA , The Graphics Co (Epromotionz LLC) Top Rated SEO Services

Top 10 Tips for generating high quality sales leads at Exhibitions

2010-06-30T14:58:00.003+05:00

“How to Generate more High Quality Sales Leads at Exhibitions”.
1. Agree the Exhibitions Objectives beforehand and set Measurable Targets
Set company targets and individual targets, e.g. qualified Leads – a 3 day show with a 12 sq/m stand with 3 staff on 7 hours a day. If you target 4 qualified leads per hour per person then you can target 252 qualified leads for the entire show . Estimate the number of people you need to talk to get 1 qualified lead. It will create resilience, e.g. if you know you get one lead from 20, then you are the 19 refusals become more bearable Gather Market Research – have 1 person asking questions.
2. Approach Prospects and invite Customers before the Exhibitions
Ask the event organisers if it is possible to get the pre-registered attendee list and run a direct email/mail campaign beforehand. Give current customers a reason to come and visit you. After the event ask the event organiser if you can get a list of the event attendees’ details to add to the prospect database.
3. Say “Hello” to Everyone
The fact that people have attended an exhibition gives you permission to talk to them. Have someone who “hooks” people onto the stand and then have others converting / filtering / gathering the data. Have your script prepared, especially your opening lines (“what have you come to the show for”). Brainstorm some good opening questions – it takes away the shy factor and helps to qualify visitors.
4. A Busy Stand is a Good Stand
Create theatre to generate interest because people always want to join the gang. Be creative – stimulate the 5 senses (fresh coffee / flowers / donuts); create a controversy board (do market research at the show around a controversial industry theme and share progress daily with the press (they want material to write about)); make it interactive to create interest Be happy – happy people on happy stands have better shows.
5. Match your Stand Design to your Exhibition Objectives
A shallow stand for lots of qualified leads (people walk quickly on and off) and a deep stand for expensive customers (sofas, coffee, bar etc for longer meetings) Make sure stand communicates your primary benefit; use more visuals than words – less is more; use height – organisers cannot charge you for it; width – make as long and narrow as possible; use colours for emotional interaction Clothing – same tie and shirt for everyone (to identify you all with the stand).
6. Record and Classify all leads at the time
Have lots of pens and pre-printed forms for stand staff to complete as they are talking with visitors Qualify leads according to their importance (A,B,C) and what follow up they require(telephone, email, brochure) Only send brochures / information after the event – better to collect prospect business cards to retain control of the follow up process.
7. Have stand rules
This will ensure a consistently professional presentation, e.g. Say hello to everyone Staff cannot sit down without a customer No mobiles on the stand Thank everyone for their time Wear the same uniforms Stay till the end – the most important people turn up late.
8. Agree the Follow Up plan before the show
You need a plan to contact prospects at least 6 times in the following 9 months (the majority of sales success is timing and people) .
9. Secure the right Stand Location
The best sites are at the end of an aisle or junction and in a central busy location. Remember 60% of people turn right after the entrance; everyone goes to the toilet and cloakroom; and never face a wall .
10. Network with the best people
Remember, exhibitions are great places to recruit people .

Thankyou to eMarketing Experts

5 Key Reasons To Invest In Pakistan

2009-10-09T16:28:00.005+06:00

Five Key Reasons To Invest In Business In Pakistan

Reason - 1: Geo-strategic Location

Located in the heart of Asia , Pakistan is the gateway to the energy rich Central Asian States, the financially liquid Gulf States and the economically advanced Far Eastern tigers. This strategic advantage alone makes Pakistan a marketplace teeming with possibilities.

Reason - 2: Trained Workforce

Here the people are mostly English proficient, hardworking and intelligent. They have …. lesser costs.

Reason - 3: Economic Outlook

Pakistan is one of the fastest growing economies of the world having touched a GDP growth rate of 8.4% in 2005. Today Pakistan has 160 million consumers with an ever growing middle class. Foreign investment has risen sharply from an average of $400 million in the 1990s to over $ 3.5 billion in 2005-06. Fiscal deficit has declined from an average 7% of GDP in the 1990s to around 3% in recent years. And FOREX reserves have increased from $3.22 billion in 2000-1 to $13.14 billion in 2005-6.

Reason - 4: Investment Policies

Current investment policies have been tailor made to suit investor needs. Pakistan 's policy trends have been consistent, with liberalization, de-regulation, Privatization, and facilitation being its foremost cornerstones.

Reason - 5: Financial Markets

The capital markets are being modernized, and reforms have resulted in development of infrastructure in the stock exchanges of the country. The Securities and Exchange Commission has improved the regulatory environment of the stock exchanges, corporate bond market and the leasing sector. Whilst the Central Board of Revenue has facilitated structural reform in tax and tariffs and the State Bank of Pakistan has invigorated the banking sector into high returns on investment.

Courtesy:
Steam Concepts
SEO Guru, eMarketing Expert in Karachi & Dubai

Tradeshow marketing - The Original Direct Marketing is still effective! Part 1

2009-08-18T12:37:00.008+06:00

Trade Show Dos and Don'ts
Principal Brand Mechanic – The Ecommerce Gateway (pvt) Ltd.

Planning to exhibit at a trade show soon? Many businesses find that trade shows can be one of their best sources of new business. But exhibiting at trade shows doesn't come cheap. The cost of booth space, drayage, product literature, airfare, shipping and hotel costs, and meals can take a significant toll on a small business' bottom line if they don't get the hoped for sales from the show. No single thing you do can guarantee you will have a profitable show. however, there are a number of things you can do to increase ROI.

1. Check Out The Show History Is it a show that regularly attracts large crowds? Will the show be held in a place that's easy for attendees to find and reach by car and by public transportation? Will the show be adequately promoted to your potential customers? Have vendors who have participated in the show in the past done well? What has past attendance been?

2. Prepare A Professional-Looking Display You don't have to have the biggest, flashiest booth on the trade show floor to attract attendees. But you do need to have some type of display that lets passersby know what it is you are selling. Signs, photographs of products or other elements used in the display should look professionally prepared. Unless you're working a crowd that's attracted by the possibilities of bargain basement prices, vinyl banners propped up against a backdrop will make you look unprofessional and make prospects question the commitment to the success of your product.

3. Have Sufficient Literature Ready To Hand Out Have professionally prepared brochures made to distribute at the show, and have them prepared well in advance of the show. If you wait until the last minute to prepare you'll wind up paying unnecessary rush charges.

4. Make Sure You HAVE a Product If your product doesn't work, or doesn't work properly, or not ready to go to market, you'll lose more customers than you'll ever gain.

5. Do Pre-Show Promotion Experienced trade show exhibitors don't wait for the show to start to try to see customers and make new contacts. This could be done differently based on the show or audience but may include:

• Dimensional Mail campaign
• Pre-event email
• Include announcements in invoices prior to the event
• Personal invitations by phone or mail to your most important clients

The Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan (pvt) Ltd. can help you target the most important prospects, design an environment that will draw them in and a plan to be sure they don’t get away. We work as your partner to execute your brand in the tradeshow space effectively, efficiently and with an interest in increasing your tradeshow ROI.

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Tradeshow Marketing - The Original Direct Marketing Part 2

Trade Show Dos and Don'ts Part 2
Principal Brand Mechanic – The Ecommerce Gateway (pvt) Ltd.

Here are a few more items to consider:

6. Have A Giveaway Or Traffic Builder Your goal is to attract people who would be interested in your product to your booth. This can be integrated with the pre-show dimensional campaign, sponsorship of the events lanyards, bags or other materials or a Brand-relevant Promotional Product that really spreads the buzz about your company. The giveaway or traffic builder doesn't have to be big or elaborate. Samples of your product given away at intervals during the show are ideal. Having a chair massage available at the booth, a contest for an iphone, subscription to Netflix or a Plasma screen give away… Use your imagination if there aren't sufficient funds for expensive giveaways.

7. Take Notes You will have conversations with dozens of people during a trade show. Many of them will give you their name or a business card. In the past exhibitors jotted notes on the back of cards. Get a digital voice recorder and quickly record the name, company and topics of discussion of key contacts while they are walking away so you never look like you are busy working when you should be busy WORKING the show!

8. Train Booth Personnel Choose your booth staff carefully and be sure they know how to deal with the public. Among the faux pas to avoid (all seen at recent trade shows), are booth personnel who:

• Pick their nose while talking to prospects
• Look unkempt and/or unwashed
• Bad-mouth competitors
• Talk to each other or talking on a cell phone – No cell phones or laptops allowed PERIOD!
• Delight in garlic-laden lunches (or breakfasts)
• Sit at the back of the booth and wait to be approached Your booth staff should be dressed well, preferably in branded apparel or something that is relevant to your business.

9. Play to the Crowd Plan demos so more than one prospect at a time can view them. If booth personnel are tied up giving a demo to one or two people, and that demo can't be seen by other passersby, you limit the numbers of potential leads and customers you will attract. If at all possible, use movie screens or projection screens, or large screen computers and have demos done with the demonstrator facing the any audience or the aisle of the trade show. Touch screen kiosks, looping presentations or videos and a properly designed environment can help to guide visitors through the area towards you.

10. Follow up! Have a plan in place for following up on leads as soon as you get home from the show. Don't wait a month or two to get around to sending information to those who stopped by your booth. By then, the hot prospects are likely to have become good customers for one of your competitors. Over 79% of leads never get followed up on. Plan ahead using your voice recorder or use a target prospect list prior to the show. If the booth staff is too busy to follow-up – get someone back at the home office to quickly follow up – within 5 days of the show or before the next weekend.

The Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan's #1 Event Management Company (www.ecgateway.net) can help you target the most important prospects, design an environment that will draw them in and a plan to be sure they don’t get away. We work as your partner to execute your brand in the tradeshow space effectively, efficiently and with an interest in increasing your tradeshow ROI.

Thanks to Jason Mallin for nice article.

Event Management Business

2009-08-04T10:53:00.003+06:00

What is Event Management?

Event management refers to methods of outsourcing business occasions, social occasions, or a combination of both. There is no limit to the business development ideas for an event management business. It is possible to organize every kind of event ranging from wedding to a political rally. An event management team can be retained for any type of business meeting.

500 Billion Dollar Industry:

Last 15 years have witnessed a tremendous growth in the field of event management. If we add the amount of money spent on event management all over the world in one year it comes to a whopping 500 billion dollars. Gone are the days when we could do with hiring only a small catering team that supplies the food for a business event. If you wish to make an impression on your potential clients today, hiring a meeting management company is a necessity.

Events of Any Range Can Be Managed:

If you wish to start an event management business and you are looking for business development ideas for it then you will be happy to know that you can start this business for any range. It is possible to manage an event for only a small group of people. On the other hand, you can manage mega events for five thousand people and more.

People prefer to choose an event management team that is known for its expertise in this field. When you plan an event, it not only consumes your valuable time but also produces much stress. Event management business owners have contacts in this field and they can offer you the best possible services at the most competitive prices.

Manage Accommodation and Entertainment:

As an event management business, when you organize an event involving five thousand people for a whole day, you should not assume that catering is the most difficult thing to manage. Accommodation and entertainment are also very important for managing such large events. You also require sufficient and efficient staff for the event. Moreover, you also have to plan about the size of the room, seating arrangements, and the total budget of the event. If you do not have enough expertise to deal with all of these factors, you may face difficulties in running event management business successfully.

External Factors Affecting Event Management Business:

Several external factors also affect the growth of the event management industry. Some of these factors are the rate of the growth of economy, lifestyle, and changing characteristics of the people living in the area. Tourism and branding activities like festivals and corporate activities such as conferences, product launches, award ceremonies, and gala dinners are under the scope of event management business. Key factors for the success of an event management business are reputation, network, service promotion, links with the suppliers, and high quality managerial skills.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexander_Gordon

Events & Exhibitions Success Tips by Ecommerce Gateway

2009-07-01T17:57:00.000+06:00

Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan’s # 1 Events Organizor provides marketing and sales opportunities to reach your audience. Exhibit with Ecommerce Gateway Pakikstan, we’ll help you move your technology to market.

Reach prequalified buyers
Establish alliances with vendors
Learn about your industry’s future
Build product and brand awareness
Differentiate your offerings
Test market new products
Stay ahead of your competition

Why Exhibit? Exhibitions are one of the most effective mediums for establishing and maintaining customer relations. In an increasingly digital age, they are the only media where buyer, seller and product physically come together – a potent force for business.

Highly targeted With their tightly focused profiles and carefully targeted audiences, trade exhibitions are highly cost-effective sales and marketing platforms. ECG Exhibitions is committed to delivering business contacts that create value for each and every customer. Through buyer clubs, appointment setting systems etc, and on-line visitor planning services, we match the needs of buyers and suppliers ever more closely.

Flexible Exhibitions provide a highly flexible environment in which a wide range of sales and marketing objectives can be achieved, from generating sales leads and launching new products, to building brand image, maintaining customer relations and appointing new agents. With a wealth of exposure opportunities, from stand presence and sponsorship, to seminars and competitions, and awards, together with our web sites, ECG events provide a dynamic environment for your sales and marketing activities.

A two-way communication process Unlike magazines and direct mail, exhibitions involve a two-way communication process. Visitors can question, challenge and debate. Exhibitors can give and seek information. Most importantly, business is conducted face to face – the most persuasive form of selling, and of building customer relationships.

The buyer comes to you Exhibition visitors are pro-active rather than passive recipients of your sales and marketing messages. They make a conscious decision to attend, and set aside valuable time to do so. Many are specifiers and influencers who it might otherwise be impossible to identify.

Neutral sales environment The buyer feels under no great pressure to buy, while the seller is not apprehensive about visiting the buyer on his home territory.

A three-dimensional media Whilst an advert, direct mailing or web page may say a product is the fastest, quietest, smallest or most advanced on the market, at an exhibition, buyers can see, taste, touch and try your product for themselves. Nothing beats the impact of a live demonstration.

Fast market penetration You can reach a large proportion of the market in a short space of time. Whether you are looking to raise your company profile, change market perceptions or generate sales leads, you can achieve more in four days at an exhibition than you might otherwise achieve in months.

Exhibitions are also one of the quickest and most cost-effective means of exploring and entering new export markets.

Individually, the benefits listed are not unique to exhibitions but what is unusual is their combination in a single, highly flexible promotional tool. Exhibitions combine the mass-reach of advertising, the targeting of direct mail, the persuasive power of face-to-face selling, and the networking benefits of the Internet, to create a unique environment in which a wide range of sales and marketing objectives can be pursued, either singly, or side by side.

Why Visit?There are many ways of sourcing product and supplier information, but only exhibitions allow you to put a suppliers’ claims comprehensively to the test easily and cost effectively – by examining the products for yourself, questioning their creators, and comparing and contrasting their performance. Specifically, visitors attend exhibitions to:

See what’s new Exhibitions are a recognised launch pad for new products, and an extremely time-efficient way to keep up to date with the latest innovations.

Evaluate products and suppliers You can compile a wide range of competitive information on products and suppliers in a concentrated period of time. According to the US Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), decision-makers are more likely to name trade shows as an ‘extremely useful’ source of purchasing information than any other media.

Keep abreast of industry and market developments Exhibitions are a rich source of new ideas and applications and, as such, play an important role in strategic planning and business generation. ECG works closely with sponsoring trade associations and the media to ensure our events are at the forefront of developments.
To network/develop business contacts Exhibitions are a focal point for industry, attracting a broad cross-section of representatives, from buyers and sellers, to trade associations and the media. A full programme of associated activities at ECG events provide a wealth of additional networking opportunities from seminars and social events, to competitions and award ceremonies.

Other common reasons for attending exhibitions include:

To consolidate business relationships
To solve specific problems
To find new markets
To appoint agents/seek principals
To discuss specific terms/conditions/pricing
To obtain technical knowledge
To discuss business needs in a neutral environment