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Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

  • 1.  Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-12-2023 11:40

    Happy Wednesday everyone! Let's kickstart with our next edition of the Tip of the Week discussion! Hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. B2B trade show market plunged to $3.9 billion in 2020 but bounced back in a big way to reach $10.2 billion two years later in 2022. That speaks to how critical trade shows are for many B2B companies.  

    In the bustling world of commerce and competition, trade shows are more than just corporate gatherings-they are arenas of opportunity, acting as the nexus point for innovation, collaboration, and growth.  

    Both in-person and virtual trade shows provide a vibrant platform for interaction, negotiation, and mutual learning  

     Benefits of Participating in Trade Shows 

    • Lead Generation 
    • Brand visibility 

    • Product Demonstrations 

    • Networking 

     

    • Competitor Insight 
    • Immediate Feedback 

    • Educational opportunities 

    • Building Customer Relationships 

     

    Tips to know while Planning for Your Next Trade Show 

    From pre-event planning to post-event follow-ups, here are some essential tips to ensure your trade show participation is a grand success and contributes significantly to your business objectives.  

    Plan 

    The key to a successful trade show lies in extensive pre-event planning. Start early for your team to secure cost-effective travel arrangements and timely accommodation. Beyond logistics, crafting a compelling pre-show campaign is critical.  

    Equip Your Teams 

    Ensure everyone involved-marketing, sales, and executives-are in sync and updated with all the necessary information. Creating a comprehensive logistics document aids in setting clear expectations. 

    Arrange Booth Meetings in Advance 

    The most rewarding trade shows involve pre-set meetings with prospects, customers, and partners at your booth. Setting an achievable goal for your team based on previous data and gradually increasing it is a good strategy.  

    Stay Active on social media 

    Create consistent and engaging posts on social media before, during, and after the event to foster a sense of anticipation among attendees.  

    Offer Enticing Giveaways 

    Fun giveaways can drive more footfall. It's worth spending a little extra on an intriguing giveaway or activity.   

    Prioritize Badge Scanning 

    Before the trade show opens, ensure your team knows the booth layout, promotional activities, and how to use any trade show solutions, like a simple badge scanner. The badge scanner can prove invaluable for collecting details of every visitor to your booth, eliminating the risk of losing potential leads.  

    Follow Up and Learn from the Experience 

    Arrange a post-show debrief call to review the event's success and identify areas for improvement. This feedback is valuable for planning future trade shows.  

    Questions for you: 

    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? 

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? 

     

    As always, feel free to drop in your suggestions in the comment section below! 


    #MeetingsManagement
    #ExecutingStrategicMeetingsManagement

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    Megha Jetley
    Manager
    Cvent Marketing Department
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  • 2.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-13-2023 10:26
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? The Westin Tampa Bay is a great partner/venue to host trades shows.  

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? Cvent Connect Las Vegas



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    Colleen Beck
    Director of Sales & Marketing
    The Westin Tampa Bay
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  • 3.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-13-2023 12:43
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows?  Annually

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend?  Amex GBT inter[ACTION] - an internal event with preferred suppliers



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    Julie-Michelle Davis, CMP
    Meetings Manager
    Amex GBT - USA
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  • 4.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-17-2023 14:55
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? we don't ever host tradeshows

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? we attend a lot of tradeshows as a company, our next upcoming is Google Cloud Next.



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    Rachel
    NJ
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  • 5.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-14-2023 08:22

    Hi Megha,

    We do not host trade shows, but we do sponsor conferences in our industry, and those sponsorships may contain sponsorship benefits such as a booth, speaking presentations, promotion in the mobile app, etc. In our booth, it is standard practice to have a giveaway, and offer some sort of prize drawing to encourage lead capture if the event does not have a lead capture process in place for all vendors. 



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    Lori Wildman
    Marketing Director
    DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.United States
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  • 6.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-14-2023 08:29
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? We host Trade Shows on a quarterly basis.

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? I have not yet attended a trade show but hope to attend one in the near future!



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    Leslie Daloia
    Events Specialist
    Corning IncorporatedUnited States
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  • 7.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-20-2023 14:08
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows?  We actually do not do trade shows as we are a higher education unit. 

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend?  Last similar event to a trade show I've attended are our RHMP events, for local meeting planners. There are sponsors showcasing their products. No true trade show in the past 10 years due my current role.



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    Lesley Irminger
    Events Manager, College of Public Health
    George Mason - Office Of University EventsUnited States
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  • 8.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-21-2023 11:21

    Questions for you: 

    • How often does your company host Trade Shows?  Once a year

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? CVent Trade show



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    Becky Mulle
    Legal Assistant
    CertaPro Painters, Ltd.United States
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  • 9.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-24-2023 07:01
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? - Sorry, I'm not sure

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? - Planning to attend "Medicall Expo - Chennai 2023"



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    Vijayathivakaran Mathialagan
    Web Analyst
    AstraZenecaIndia
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  • 10.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-24-2023 13:36
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? Visit Savannah attends all the major tradeshows (IMEX/PCMA/ASAE, etc.)

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? ASAR in ATL!



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    Virginia McCoy
    Sales Associate
    Visit Savannah
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  • 11.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-24-2023 14:33

    Planning a successful trade show requires careful preparation and attention to detail. Here are some tips to help you with trade show planning:

    1. Set Clear Objectives: Define specific and measurable goals for the trade show, such as generating leads, increasing brand awareness, or launching a new product. Your objectives will guide all other planning decisions.

    2. Choose the Right Location: Select a trade show venue that aligns with your target audience and budget. Consider factors like accessibility, foot traffic, and nearby amenities.

    3. Plan Well in Advance: Start planning as early as possible to secure prime booth locations, negotiate contracts, and ensure ample time for marketing and logistics.

    4. Create an Attractive Booth: Design an eye-catching and engaging booth that reflects your brand identity. Incorporate interactive elements, product demonstrations, and visuals to draw attendees in.

    5. Train Your Staff: Equip your booth staff with proper training to interact with attendees professionally, answer questions, and generate leads effectively.

    6. Pre-Show Marketing: Promote your trade show presence through email campaigns, social media, and targeted advertising to attract attendees to your booth.

    7. Offer Incentives: Provide incentives for attendees to visit your booth, such as exclusive discounts, giveaways, or contests.

    8. Network with Other Exhibitors: Build relationships with other exhibitors, as they might refer potential leads to your booth, and you can also learn from their experiences.

    9. Collect and Follow Up on Leads: Use lead capture tools to collect attendee information, and promptly follow up after the trade show with personalized emails or calls.

    10. Monitor Budget Closely: Create a detailed budget and track expenses throughout the planning process to avoid overspending.

    11. Arrange for Shipping and Logistics: Plan the logistics of transporting your booth and materials to the trade show venue well in advance.

    12. Provide Comfort for Attendees: Offer seating areas, charging stations, and refreshments to make attendees feel comfortable and encourage longer interactions.

    13. Leverage Technology: Utilize event management software, mobile apps, and digital tools to streamline registration, check-ins, and data collection.

    14. Evaluate and Learn: After the trade show, analyze your performance against the set objectives, gather feedback, and identify areas for improvement for future events.

    By following these tips and being well-prepared, you can enhance your trade show planning and make the most of the opportunities the event presents for your business.



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    Tyler Manoukian
    Event Producer
    Northeastern University - AdvancementUnited States
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  • 12.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-25-2023 11:59
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows?  Once a year

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend?  Cvent Connect 



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    Kayla Sisco
    in_person
    Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Inc.United States
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  • 13.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-25-2023 18:09
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? Never - but we attend them or have booths at them. 

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? I attended an apartment complex trade show, to network my hotel for displaced tenants. 



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    Teresa James
    Director of Sales
    Aloft Gainesville University AreaUnited States
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  • 14.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-26-2023 10:31
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? When we have a new product launch or internal rollout we love hosting trade show events for our teams. We do these both in person and virtually.

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? Not sure at this time on the next one I will be attending. 



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    Megan R.
    Internal Events
    S&P Global
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  • 15.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-26-2023 11:12
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? - We use Cvent to plan conferences, not trade shows

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? - I don't have any upcoming plans to attend a trade show but I would be very interested in attending one!



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    Teresa Holliday
    in_person
    Dow Jones and Co., Inc.United States
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  • 16.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-27-2023 15:57
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? n/a

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? Cvent Connect virtually



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    Hilary Grider
    ConferenceDirect
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  • 17.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-31-2023 09:28
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? I have been to one. We haven't hosted a trade show

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? 2023 Cvent Connect

     



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    Jonathan
    NY
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  • 18.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-31-2023 13:54
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? I have never planned a trade show but we often have exhibit booths as part of a conference. 

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend?  a small state wide trade show for subscribers to a regional event planning magazine. I need to research and attend something for some more current trainings. 



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    Erica Lovercamp
    in_person
    Curators of the University of MissouriUnited States
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  • 19.  RE: Tips to know & follow before planning your next Trade Show

    Posted 07-31-2023 16:51
    • How often does your company host Trade Shows? We attend 3-4 tradeshows a year.

    • Which is the latest Trade show you attended or are planning to attend? IMEX



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    Dan Sadler
    Senior Sales Manager
    Margaritaville Hotel San Diego
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