When preparing for a trade show, there is information beyond your industry and services that you will need to know. In fact, many presenters at trade shows are very underprepared, which leads to a much less effective trade show compared to those that fully scope out what the event will entail and where it will be located.
Having an edge on the competition is vital. While everyone hopes to have the best product, attendees will be looking more for interaction and to learn something as opposed to buying something while on the floor. Of course, it is more than possible to close a deal on the salesfloor, but the goal of a trade show centers more around networking and establishing a presence with those who could later become a customer or business connection.
Measurement of Attendance and Presence
Knowing the impact you have made or planning the impact you would like to make at a trade show can be even more important than having the best product. Every company counts leads at any event, but there are other factors to consider when deciding how successful your trade show display was. Among the more important measurements is measuring the number of marketing impressions made.
Similar to knowing how many people have viewed your ad that is online or in a magazine, impressions are a great way to measure whether the time and effort made to be in the trade show was truly worth it. Working with the organizer of the event can be helpful. It can also be a good measure to keep track of how many people pass by your display. For instance, if you are located near a door, keep track of how many people enter through that door and therefore have seen your display. That number can be as important as actual leads.
Research the Host and the Venue
If you are going to have an exhibit in a new city or at a venue you have never been to before, it can pay to know the lay of the land. For instance, the rules and regulations could be vastly different between two cities. Even further, there may be ways to better target the demographics of one city or venue as opposed to another. If you are in an area that sees very little sun, it won’t make too much sense to put your marketing in sun-related imagery or messaging.
If you know your trade show but don’t know where to start, we can help. Contact us today to get a full-service sign shop on your team.