Participation in industry trade fairs is a common element of the marketing and sales strategy for many companies across various sectors, including the transport industry. Trade fairs offer a unique opportunity to network, showcase services, and gain valuable market insights. For MAKO TSL, a leader in the transportation industry, attending such events brings numerous benefits that directly impact the company’s growth and customer satisfaction.
Returning to industry events post-pandemic has been a gradual process for many companies. It is important to remember that while there are many benefits, participating in such fairs—whether as a visitor or exhibitor—comes with costs. Nonetheless, trade fairs and industry events have now almost fully returned to their pre-pandemic state and frequency. The MAKO TSL team in sales and partnership departments frequently attends these events, returning with a wealth of new contacts and knowledge.
Benefit 1: Building Face-to-Face Relationships
One of the most important benefits of participating in trade fairs is networking with other industry professionals. These events attract not only transport companies but also suppliers, customers, and logistics-related institutions. MAKO TSL has the opportunity to meet potential business partners, which can lead to fruitful collaborations, as well as exchange experiences with other companies.
“At the end of September, I attended the REHACARE trade fair in Düsseldorf. It was a perfect opportunity to meet our Clients in person,” says Krzysztof, Sales Director at MAKO TSL. “Participation in trade fairs and networking is crucial to building business relationships and company development. Trade fair trips offer many benefits that directly contribute to sales growth and strengthening our market position.”
There are only a few times a year when representatives of the most important companies in the industry gather in one place, providing the opportunity to talk in a relaxed yet professional atmosphere. Many significant contracts and long-term partnerships start at trade fairs, where face-to-face meetings allow for the building of strong business relationships.
Benefit 2: Showcasing Services and Aligning Them with Market Demands
Trade fairs are an ideal platform to showcase your services, innovations, and new solutions. MAKO TSL can demonstrate its modern approach to transport, efficient fleet management systems, and eco-friendly solutions introduced to the market. Direct contact with clients allows for a better understanding of their needs and expectations, helping to tailor offerings to the market’s realities.
“During our participation in the Industrie Grand Ouest trade fair in Nantes in early October, we had the chance to discuss the key needs of companies related to transportation and logistics process optimization. As a transport company specializing in such services, we presented how our solutions can significantly improve operational efficiency. By offering personalized services, which include optimizing goods flows, better shipment tracking, and more environmentally friendly transportation options, we help our clients significantly reduce logistics costs and shorten delivery times,” comments Benjamin, Business Development Manager responsible for the French market. “Our goal is to improve the fluidity of their supply chain while addressing current challenges such as reducing the carbon footprint and resource optimization. These meetings allow us to precisely understand each company’s needs and propose modern, effective solutions that meet the new market expectations in the industrial sector.”
Benefit 3: Gaining Market Knowledge Directly from the Source
Participating in trade fairs is also a great opportunity to gain insights into current trends in the transportation industry. Many fairs offer conferences, panel discussions, and presentations that cover key market topics, new regulations, and technological innovations. This helps MAKO TSL stay up-to-date, which is crucial for maintaining competitiveness.
A great example of such knowledge-sharing events in our industry is the annual Carrier Meetings in Krzyżowa, organized by the Polish Transport Union. These meetings provide an opportunity not only to build new relationships in the industry or showcase our services but also (perhaps most importantly) to learn about the latest industry trends.
Benefit 4: Building Brand Awareness
Presence at trade fairs is also a great opportunity to increase brand recognition. By exhibiting at these events, MAKO TSL can reach a wider audience, which in the long term contributes to the growth of its client base. Brand promotion through marketing materials, flyers, and interactive presentations draws the attention of attendees and helps build a positive company image.
It is often said that building trust and brand awareness requires multiple interactions with the brand—such as seeing the logo, reading a flyer, or attending a presentation by a company representative. In B2B (business-to-business), regular attendance at trade fairs helps build brand awareness and exposure to potential clients, whom we target with our services.
Benefit 5: No Place Like a Trade Fair to Learn About Your Competitors
Trade fairs are not just a place to showcase your achievements; they are also a great opportunity to analyze competitors’ activities. MAKO TSL can observe what solutions other companies are offering, what innovations they are introducing, and how they are conducting their marketing campaigns. This valuable information can influence the company’s development strategy and help tailor its offering to market needs.
To stay current, many companies continuously analyze their competitors and their offerings. Sometimes this data is publicly available online… but most often, it takes significant effort to learn the details of what competing companies are offering their clients. Instead of spending hours searching the internet or sifting through competitors’ documents, attending a trade fair offers easy access to this information and insight into current industry trends.
Benefit 6: Inspiration for Innovation
Meeting other professionals, discussing industry challenges, and observing technological advancements can be a source of inspiration for innovation at MAKO TSL. Trade fairs often become the birthplace of new ideas that can impact the company’s future development and increase operational efficiency.
The benefit of inspiration for innovation is, in a way, a result of all the previously mentioned benefits. At trade fairs, we can assess whether we are leading the pack among competitors, which solutions will be the hottest topics in the industry in the next 2-3 years, and whether our services meet our clients’ exact needs and where to focus future development.
In Summary
Participating in trade fairs is a very important element of MAKO TSL’s development strategy. Networking, showcasing services, gaining knowledge, increasing brand visibility, competitor analysis, and inspiration for innovation are just some of the benefits that come from such events. In the face of a dynamically changing transport market, actively participating in trade fairs is becoming not just a privilege but a necessity for companies that want to grow and strengthen their position in the industry. Considering these aspects, MAKO TSL will certainly continue to benefit from every trade fair it attends.
