Trade shows and expos are one of many great opportunities business have to meet new customers and to gain media exposure. Exhibitions offer fantastic chances to develop relationships, close deals, and gather leads, among other things. But when it comes to exhibiting at a business exhibition, trade event, or consumer show, there are some definite dos and don'ts to take note of to get the most out of your investment.
Planning for an expo could be worrisome and time-consuming. To ensure you make the most of your time exhibiting in an event, here is our list of important dos and don’ts to have a flawless expo experience.
Do
1. Set a budget
First, you will need to determine your expo budget based on your business strategy and marketing budget. Many businesses forget about a variety of unforeseen expenses when getting ready for an expo, so creating an in-depth budget plan that factors in space for unexpected costs will help you be prepared. Ensure you consider how many expo’s you plan to attend in the year and allocate the budget for each one based on your predicted ROI.
As a guideline, ensure to set aside 30–35% of your budget for purchasing your stand space at the event and any new stand material you may need.
2. Engage with visitors and exhibitors
Networking is mainly the focus of exhibitions so do not be afraid to engage with attendees and fellow exhibitors. Research if the event you are attending has its own personalised app, this can help with building connections and identifying leads of interest prior to the event.
Many of the exhibitors, trade associations, and supporting media are there to conduct business. You can benefit from having a direct and honest discussion about how you two might be able to collaborate or support one another's business.
Once you’ve got visitors to come over to your stand, you need to captivate them instantly. By digitalising your expo stand footfall and engagement at your stand will be higher. Also, stands that provide visitors the chance to win fantastic prizes by competitions typically do quite well.
3. Research other exhibitors
Prior to the event, it is wise to research what other exhibitors are attending the expo event. This will help identify any potential competitors in the same industry and with similar offerings and products, giving you time to adapt and improve your stand and conversation starters. Competitors attending the same event as you are not always a bad thing, it means that there is a healthy need for your type of business within the market and could be good for market and competitor research.
Reviewing what other exhibitors are attending the same event also gets you a chance to forward plan your day, so you can identify if there are any exhibitors you wish to speak to.
4. Train your exhibition staff
During the event, it is important that your staff are able to speak confidently with potential consumers. They represent your organisation; therefore, they should have the skills to talk to potential leads and represent your brand accordingly.
Run mini workshops with staff so they can practice conversation starters as well as go through their expectations on what the event will involve helping to build confidence and training staff.
Read more about preparing your staff for events here.
After learning what to do to succeed, let's look at some mistakes to avoid making while you get ready for the expo event.
Don’t
1. Book too many meetings
It is a known fact that exhibitions are opportunities to build business relationships. However, scheduling too many meetings could hinder rather than help as it can shorten your time at your stand, meaning you could be missing important conversations. Within your own personal schedule of the event, ensure there is time for organic conversations with attendees that pass by.
2. Sit on lead information
Expo events can be a great place to generate leads within your market, it is important to make sure you follow up on leads and make further connections with potential clients. Ensure you have a plan to follow up with leads after the event, the longer you leave it to follow up the less likely a business relationship and potential sale is to happen.
While at the event, consider how you will capture these leads as this could impact time spent on following up on the leads and ensuring you have captured the correct information. For example collecting emails via pen and paper will take large administrative effort rather than collecting the data within a leads generation application or other digital format.
3. Overlook your stand location
Where your stand is positioned will determine the number of visitors that come your way. Usually, the first few exhibitors that reserve their space often have the option to select the precise location of their stand.
Some organisers charge a premium to have a better location close to the event's entrance, so analyse if this additional cost will be more beneficial for your expo experience.
If your event allows you to choose a stand location, steer away from speaker areas and stages where there may be lots of noise and may interrupt conversations. Research shows that the busiest booths are typically those near the food areas and entryways.
4. Forget to enjoy the event
We understand that the primary purpose of organising exhibitions is for building business relationships, networking and driving potential sales.
Nevertheless, have fun. An expo event is meant to be enjoyable and engaging for all that are attending, including exhibitors. Plan into your event schedule time to experience the expo for yourself and walk around the expo hall and attend speaker sessions. Also remember to take photos of your day, stand or staff to reflect on the event on social media.
For more helpful tips for exhibiting and event planning, visit ExpoBeacon Insights and news.
