What You Need to Figure Out ASAP for In-Person Trade Shows
Published on June 16th, 2021
in Uncategorized
After a chaotic year of ups and downs, you now find yourself staring down the long journey back to “business as usual.” Among the many steps on that journey is the return of in-person trade shows.
After months of virtual events, approaching these shows might feel more intimidating than it has in years past, which is why we’ve created this guide to help you figure out the things you need to get sorted before tackling an in-person event.
When Is the Trade Show?
Now more than ever, event schedules are changing. So it’s important to be realistic and flexible – and that doesn’t mean breaking out the yoga mat. Considering alternatives and moving quickly on decisions like booth size and location will help. So will determining absolute deadlines for:
- Event Registration
- Show Service Orders
- Production Timelines
- Delivery to the Show
- Event Set-Up and Breakdown
What Is Your Budget?
A number of factors, including shifting company trade show budgets and increased costs due to supply chain disruptions, have contributed to the fact that prices have changed dramatically.
Consider examining different investment options and ensuring that they line up with your company’s budget.
What Are Your Goals?
Identifying the things you hope to accomplish will allow you to approach the event with confidence. Are you hoping to generate leads? Make sales? Increase brand exposure? Debut a new product? If so, these focal points should be central to the design and planning of your booth.
Who Is Attending and What Are They Looking for?
Getting the pulse of potential attendees is a great way to equip yourself for the trade show. Advance surveys can serve as tools to help you get a better idea of who plans to attend and what type of products or services they may be interested in.
Additionally, what other engagement opportunities can you offer? Aside from meeting on the trade show floor, setting up private meetings at nearby restaurants or other destinations could make a strong impression.
Should You Purchase, Rent or Go with a Hybrid Exhibit?
When considering how to approach a trade show, each of these three options has its pros and cons. Renting reduces costs but can potentially limit customizability, while purchasing does the opposite. You may find a combination of both purchased and rented materials offers a more ideal solution that fits your budget and needs.
Where Is Your Booth and What Are the Dimensions?
Once again, change is the name of the game when it comes to this consideration. Booth sizes and footprints have shifted, and attendees might not be as comfortable with face-to-face interaction as they have been in the past. Flexible, accommodating, custom designs will be more attractive to potential customers.
What Are You Planning to Display … and How Much Is Shipping?
This might not be the year to put all your heavy-duty equipment on display.
That’s because high shipping costs aren’t expected to level out anytime soon. Instead, think about how you might bring some pizzazz to your booth through video demonstrations, augmented reality and other forms of digital marketing.
Does Your Exhibit Partner Have the Right Capacity to Help You Execute Your Event?
Due to the pandemic, many firms that cater to the event industry have lost some of their high-quality employees and have not found adequate replacements to handle demand. Be sure that your supplier has the capability to help you succeed in your event execution.
For additional information about jumping back into the trade show scene, visit:
