Exhibiting your company at a trade show can be an exciting experience, but the planning and attention to detail can overwhelm even the most seasoned exhibitor. Last month, we discussed determining your goals and nailing your strategy. This month, we will discuss the best practices for planning your trade show and offer strategic planning tips to make your event a success.

Put Your Audience First

Before you begin planning anything for your trade show, knowing your audience is key. What does your target audience want to see? What are their pain points that you can help solve? What will get them to stop and take interest in your products or services? You most likely determined the answers to these questions when you initially set your goals and strategy, and now it’s time to really put them into practice. Plan your booth display, booth staff, and what you’ll promote at your booth by what your ideal audience will want to see.

Select Your Booth Location Early

Just like with every real estate investment, location makes all the difference! If your booth is tucked away in a corner where not a lot of people wander, there’s a big chance that you won’t get a lot of traffic, even if you have the nicest booth. So how do you avoid getting the short end of the location stick? By planning ahead. We’re talking about planning an entire year in advance if you really want to get your top booth choice. There are a lot of exhibitors vying for the same prime locations, so be sure to secure your sponsorship as early as possible. This way, you’ll get high up on the list to select your booth ahead of other exhibitors.

Know Your Deadlines

Typically, a trade show’s exhibition services company will provide a detailed calendar of important dates and deadlines. Be sure to keep this list handy to eliminate unnecessary stress and miscommunication. This list will have important dates such as: warehouse deliveries, on-site deliveries, electricity and furniture rentals, when to order post-show pick-up, and so on. For deliveries, be sure to track your shipment so that you’re aware of exactly when everything will be delivered (or if there are any delays in shipping).

Think Like Designers

Create an experience for your target audience that will empathize with their problems and motivate them to take action. Working with an expert trade show solutions partner can help you develop a customized experience for your audience that will help you connect with them on a personal and memorable level.

Contests and Promotions

People get excited about entering contests or promotions. There’s nothing quite like winning a prize, right? And a chance to receive instant savings? That’s even more motivating. Be sure to clearly and strongly promote any specials, such as instant savings if people make purchases of your products and services right there at the show. This is one way to attract visitors to your booth and reach an untapped market.

Plan for the Unexpected

As much as we wish for shows to go off without a glitch, there’s always the possibility of something going wrong. Designate part of your budget for an emergency fund for any unexpected expenses (such as a last-minute monitor rental if the one you shipped has been damaged, or renting an extra table if you realize you need additional meeting space). Having a backup plan or an alternative course of action can bring you peace of mind when the unexpected happens.

At the end of the day, planning your trade show well in advance will gear you up to putting your best foot forward and make your trade show experience a lot more fulfilling and easygoing.

Need help establishing and sticking to an effective trade show plan? Contact us today to speak to one of our experts!