Shuttleworth decided to exhibit at easyFairs PACKTECH 2010 with three goals: boosting awareness of the company brand, generating sales leads and making a strategic product launch. And they scored a hat-trick!
Based in Kettering in Northamptonshire, Shuttleworth Business Systems is already the UK's premier supplier of print management systems and it is determined to build upon its reputation as a provider of powerful software solutions.
Paul Deane, Joint Managing Director at Shuttleworth, comments: "One of our main aims is to increase awareness in the packaging sector, where easyFairs' trade shows have built a strong presence. So we decided to exhibit at PACKTECH in 2010."
Paul and his team used the show to launch their new supply chain manager software. He says, "Promoting a new product and ensuring that it reaches our target audience can be a very expensive exercise. Online marketing can only do so much, and there are only a certain number of hours my sales team can spend travelling to and from meetings. I needed something that would get our new product in front of the right people but at low cost!
"Even when you add personnel costs and accommodation to the price of the easyFairs all-in package the show worked out at just £5,500. You would pay the same for a couple of adverts in one of the trade media titles. On the other hand, print advertising doesn't get you talking face to face with key decision makers, which is the real benefit of a trade show.
"Over the two days we acquired eight really hot leads. We have very long lead times in our business, but we are still talking to all eight prospects. If just one of these leads turns into a sale, it will pay for the show stand ten times over."
The 2010 easyFairs packaging shows attracted over 4,000 visitors, many of them from top companies such as Tesco, Heinz, Boots, ASDA , Waitrose and SAB Miller. "It's the quality of the visitors that makes the show so worthwhile," comments Paul. "There are no time wasters; people are there to do business."
Shuttleworth also found easyFairs a great networking event that provided the opportunity to meet not only visitors but also many other exhibitors, some of whom were existing customers or prospects.
As Paul remarks, "The easyFairs format really is focused and easy to use. You don't get drawn into ego-massaging nonsense about how big and fancy your stand is. We now see easyFairs as an essential part of our marketing mix in terms of lead generation and brand awareness. It's also the ideal platform to launch a new product."
At the 2011 edition of easyFairs PACKTECH Shuttleworth will showcase its latest Management Information Systems developments, aimed specifically at carton manufacturers. The package delivers real-time feedback to the production planning system from the shop floor, providing the control that is essential for the modern manufacturing environment.
Paul concludes: "We're looking forward to the 2011 show, and if it's anything like the 2010 event then I'm confident that it will provide a terrific boost to our sales pipeline."