This article covers the 7 things every business needs to know to prepare for the Dubai Expo 2020.
World Expos are unrivalled among international events for their impact. With visitors, exposure, and boost to the economy; it’s imperative for businesses to take advantage before the opportunity passes. The event is expected to generate revenue of up to $35 billion. And also the foreign investments of up to $150 billion are likely to come to Dubai.
Develop a Plan for Expo 2020
First and foremost, you should conduct an assessment as to how Dubai Expo 2020 will impact your business. Your plan will include things such as how you can make Expo visitors aware that you exist. Let them know about your services or products. Work on highlighting your unique selling points. Let people know how you stand out amongst all the other businesses in Dubai.
Networking
Expo 2020 in Dubai provide the perfect opportunity for you to build contacts and network within your given niche. Such events lead to partnerships, ancillary services or new clients. As of now, 190 nations from across the world confirmed their participation at Expo 2020. Prepare in advance for the Expo by researching the companies that are scheduled to have an exhibit as well as any other firms that are sending delegates.
We recommend that you register your company in the Dubai Expo online marketplace. Here you’ll have the opportunity to join the Expo buyer and supplier network. With the power of LinkedIn, you can reach out to key people within any visiting organisation to schedule a meeting when they arrive. Businesses will try to make the most of their time in Dubai, therefore, book in advance.
Work on Perfecting Face-to-Face Contact
For many B2B companies, business development consists largely of e-mail, and telephone-based sales. Face-to-face contact with relevant business owners, can often prove a refreshing change. Use Dubai Expo 2020 as an opportunity to up your business development game. Building solid relationships is what the business world is all about. If your interpersonal skills are not up to par, make sure you and your team get the necessary training now.
You will encounter people from various cultures with a variety of business norms and practices. Become familiar with what practices deliver results. Meet with expat business associations in Dubai now, so you are ready to perform when the Expo is here.
Recruitment and Training for Dubai Expo 2020
If you are a B2C company, your company needs to have a strategy on how to handle the surge of tourists that will come to Dubai as a result of the Expo. Do you have people that are multi-lingual and can cater to the needs of Chinese, Russian, Japanese, or Brazilian consumers? Are you fully staffed to deal with a sudden surge of clients? Dubai expects 25 million visitors over six months! The entire population of the UAE is 9.5 million for comparison. Create a plan that will provide you with the right number of trained staff as you only get one chance to make a good impression.
Marketing
As a business, you have perfected your pitch. You know what your clients want, and you have the perfect solution to meet their needs. While the vast expat population of Dubai makes it the ideal laboratory to test out marketing techniques, have you truly done a deep dive into what marketing resonate with specific audiences?
If you look at online marketing, for example, Google is supreme in the MENA region. You may have optimised your web presence on it. However, did you know that Baidu is the leading search engine in China or that Yandex is more popular than Google in Russia? How do you rank when it comes to these search engines? You ought to work with a digital marketing firm today so that when the Expo 2020 Dubai comes around, you have a strong presence on international search engines and social media outlets.
When it comes to the offline world, ensure that your marketing items such as brochures are written or translated by a native speaker of the language. There is nothing more embarrassing than having a shoddy translation on a business prospectus.
Payments and Logistics
Cash is not always king. With a surge of customers from all over the world, will your business be able to accept a variety of payment methods? You may have to cater to clients that have credit cards issued by UnionPay, a Chinese based payment network that is bigger than Visa or Mastercard. Can you handle cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or old-fashioned traveller cheques? Are you able to offer payment on delivery? Speak to your bank now, so don’t get caught off guard.
You might get clients that want products shipped to their home country. Do you have relationships with logistics firms that can ship around the world? If you cater solely to a domestic market, don’t be surprised by the admin work and cost in getting your product delivered to certain jurisdictions. Expand your knowledge base and reach out to a logistics agent now, so you know what’s involved in getting your product to major destinations across the world.
Don’t Wait, Practice Now!
Dubai is home to dozens of world-class business events year-round. From GITEX to the Arabian Travel Market, there is no shortage of events that draw people from all around the world. If you don’t participate in these events, this is the time to start attending them, so you are ready for the biggest conference (Expo 2020) in Dubai’s history.
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