When foreign companies seriously consider entering the Japanese market, they should try to find business partners and potential customers on-site. One effective way to do this is by having their own booth at a business event in Japan.Many Japanese business people, from executives to staff members, attend business events to learn about business trends and gather information about potential business partners. Especially in large cities, there are a bunch of industry-specific events are held weekly.I have seen many companies succeed and many fail. It is not just successful exhibitors have strong products and services, they prepare thoroughly before the day of the event.Unfortunately, it seems that foreign companies who haven’t experienced business events often do not follow the same strategies as Japanese companies, which can result in low attendance and insufficient lead generation.In this article, we will discuss five things that exhibitors should do to maximize the opportunities before a business event. If you have experienced disappointing results from a business event in the past, this article can be beneficial to you and help you succeed at your next event.To-do ListThere are five things you should do beforehand. It is best to complete all five, but some may be difficult, so do as many as you can.Mail MarketingJapanese exhibitors do mail marketing before a business event. While meeting potential customers at the exhibition, it is also effective to reach out to potential customers to come to the event for negotiations before the event with mail marketing.If it is an industry-specific event, it is relatively easy to get an appointment rather than create an opportunity for a meeting in person. The response rate is higher than usual sales emails.It is recommended to conduct mail marketing about a month in advance and guide your potential customers and business partners to the booth. Then follow up a week before to make sure they come to the booth.Announcement (Website, Social Media)Many companies fail to announce in advance that they will attend an event and have their own booth. Given that this is a great opportunity to promote the company, even simple details should be announced in advance on the news section of the website and on social media.Press ReleaseIt's a good strategy to increase your presence by sending out press releases (it mention the event) to promote. Of course, the press release is written in Japanese and intended for your targets in Japan. Some companies exhibit new products and services in line with the timing of the trade show.The flow is to receive inquiries from the press release and smoothly bring them to the event. Considering that the press release can reach hundreds to thousands of targets, it's a very cost-effective way to promote your business. Many visitors who see the press release come to your booth.Contact All Relevant Business ConnectionsIt is also a good idea to contact your all connections in Japan even ones who did not lead to contracts, as it is unclear where to lead to business. Some of them could visit your booth. Even if it does not directly lead to business, it can appeal to other participants passing by near your booth. This is because exhibition participants tend to visit popular booths.Invitation LettersInvitation letters are formal letters that are sent to invite someone to attend a meeting, event, or occasion. These letters usually include details about the purpose of the event, the date, time, and location, as well as any other important information the recipient needs to know in order to attend.In Japan, business etiquette places high value. While digital communication has more prevalent in recent years, physical communications are still highly valued and considered more formal and respectful in business.I think Japanese executives could be impressed if you give them a printed invitation letter. It should be done 1 month or 2 weeks before.In conclusionPreparing for a business event in Japan requires careful planning and execution. By following these five tips, exhibitors can increase their chances of success and generate more leads. Mail marketing, announcement on website and social media, press releases, contacting all related to your business, and sending invitation letters are all important steps that can help make your business event a success.Remember to start planning ahead of time, and don't forget the importance of Japanese business etiquette. With these tips in mind, you can make the most of your next business event in Japan.”BETTER TOGETHER”