For every industry, there is a wide range of trade shows your organization could attend throughout any given year. Each trade show has its benefits, but it can be costly to attend every show. Capital Association Management’s team of experts is here to help you decide how to choose a show to attend and how to maximize the benefits to your organization when you’re there.
Do Your Research
Do your research on trade shows and analyze the costs versus benefits. Consider the number of attendees at the show and how your organization’s audience will be represented. Many shows offer additional benefits to exhibitors — ask about unlimited expo passes so that volunteers can help at the booth and complimentary conference passes so that volunteers can get their CEUs while exhibiting.
Consider how strict the show is: do they allow exhibitors to leave their booths to walk around and meet other exhibitors? Does the expo hall open while educational sessions are going on, or do they have dedicated time for attendees to visit the exhibits? During sessions, there will likely be fewer attendees on the exhibit floor. Knowing the anticipated foot traffic can help you choose one show over another.
It’s also important to consider the travel requirements of attending a particular show. How far will your representatives have to travel, and what are the costs? The length of the show will also make a difference when determining hotel and travel costs.
Preparing for the Show
Once you have chosen the trade show you’d like to exhibit at, there are several important and easy steps to take to make sure you make the most of the experience. Make sure you update your profile on the event’s website and in the app to include your logo, website link, and any resources if available.
Familiarize yourself with all aspects of the event: learn about the educational and technical sessions that will be offered and make note of any that you’d like to attend. Do the same with the exhibit hall: determine which of the other exhibitors you would like to connect with while you’re there.
If the show offers any extras for exhibitors, like a passport contest to encourage attendees to visit multiple booths, digital assets to promote your participation on social media, or the option to invite customers to attend at no cost, take advantage of these. This can increase your exposure among attendees and encourage more people to stop by your booth.
Also think about the design of your booth. Consider something eye-catching like a wheel to spin for giveaways and a variety of promotional items to share with attendees. Useful giveaway items like lip balm or phone chargers are great for shows, and they provide an opportunity to share your branding or even a URL or QR code with more information. Giveaways are also a great way to get attendees to stop and engage—they may let you scan their badge for follow-up or strike up a conversation about your organization. Check out this Business.com article about popular giveaway items to learn more.
Once you know what city the event will be held in, reach out to your organization’s members who are local to that area. Recruit a few volunteers to help staff the booth. Organization staff can answer questions about eligibility requirements and organization involvement, but member volunteers can provide firsthand information about the experiences and benefits of using your product, earning your certification, or joining your association.
When possible, fly nonstop to your destination to avoid any delays, and try to stay in the host hotel room block to meet other people from the show. Consider arriving a day early to make sure everything is set up correctly in the booth: boxes delivered, requested furniture placed, and any electricity, floor padding, or audiovisual equipment installed. This will set you up for success when the show officially starts.
During the Show
On the exhibit floor, be open and engaging when interacting with attendees and other exhibitors. Smile and be friendly to everyone. If the booth is a stage and the exhibit staff are the performers, attendees are the audience. Don’t turn your back on the audience to check your phone or engage in chat with team members. Instead, face outward and look like you’re ready for a conversation.
But don’t just wait for prospects to come to you. Seek out conversations as people walk by. Your booth may be eye-catching, but signage alone isn’t always enough to draw people in. Ask attendees what they’re hoping to learn at the event or in the exhibit hall specifically, or just ask them what they do.
Most importantly, scan leads and take notes. Whatever your method of lead retrieval, make note of everyone who stops by and everyone you talk with, both attendees and exhibitors. Take lots of notes during the show to remember conversations afterwards, and add your leads to your marketing database for additional follow-up.
Follow Up
About a week after the show, follow up with every scanned contact. This is where your notes come in handy — send each contact a personalized message and try to reference something you talked about during the show. This adds a personal touch that can lead to greater connection.
Want to know more from our team of association management experts? Reach out today at camwdc.com for help planning your next event, improving your marketing strategy, and more.
This article was co-written by Karen Shunk, Account Executive, and Cassie LaJeunesse, Editor & Publications Specialist, at Capital Association Management (CAM).
