How do you find the show that best suits your brand?
Here are some tips you might find useful when considering which show to attend :
- Location : Where is the show, not only in relation to your office, but also to your prospects/customers? You will also need to consider your staffing and planning the accommodation for the team. Make a list of all logistical considerations when choosing the location of the show you choose to attend.
- Frequency : If you choose to attend the (for example) a Spring show, and they repeat the same show in the Autumn, does your budget allow you to be present at both with the same impact. Our advice is to do one show really well, rather than dilute the impact across two if there are budget restraints.
- Footfall : How many people do the organisers commit will visit the show over the number of days the show is open? Ensure that number excludes the exhibitors and their staff and also multiple times one person might enter the show. How is the organiser qualifying those visitors and is that data accessible to you after the event.
- Demographic : Are those visitors the right demographic for your brand? You should be able to ask this from any viable exhibition organiser that should be able to give you this information in detail.
- Partners : Who else is exhibiting? Could you collaborate with partners to create a larger stand with more impact?
- Competition : If your competitors are going, then find out the size of their stand and the location. There are benefits to being next door, but also to being in the next hall!
- Budget : What is your budget for the event? You should factor in staff expenses and hotels, and other anomalies that are not necessarily known when exhibiting at a new show. (Remember that the inclusion of AV, video, and onsite services will increase your expense considerably). Also consider any point of sale, hostessing, cost of accommodation and transport for the team, and sustenance. Other countries have different costs associated so for example will your budget allow for the transportation of the components of the stand to another country and those additional shipping costs. If in USA then drayage should be factored in on top
Be at the right show – at the right time – in the right location – with the right budget.