Top 5 Reasons to Avoid Exhibiting at Trade Shows

Sure, trade shows are a great way to showcase your products and services to a wide audience; but, have you ever stopped to consider if trade shows are a good fit for your business?

Considering the money and time that goes into this kind of investment, it’s worth going over a few things before you decide on exhibiting at a trade show.

So, should I exhibit at a trade show?

Here are our top 5 reasons you should avoid exhibiting at a given trade show:

1. Audience Mismatch

Not every trade show is going to be filled with your target audience. For example, if your target audience is high-tech millennials, then old-school industry trade shows are generally not going to have the right attendees. Or, if you are only looking to franchise, then going to a non-franchise focused trade show is probably not going to yield the leads you desire.

2. COMPETITION COPYCAT

If you see your competition constantly going to a trade show, that does not necessarily mean trade shows are right for you (even if your business is slightly different). Before you invest thousands, do your research, look up the history of the trade show and its typical attendees, as well as how many leads or business deals can be expected. Think smarter than your competition.

3. Time Conflict

If the timing of a given trade show is in conflict with customer meetings, a pre-scheduled business function, or, even another trade show that’s more compatible with your line of business, you might be better off skipping that trade show.

4. Cost

If you are a startup or a small business with little budget for a trade show, maybe, wait a few years before you attend a trade show. Once you have the budget allocated, then foray into the trade show waters.

5. Lack of Preparation

Many times, businesses sign up for trade shows at the 11th hour. A lot goes into coordinating the booth, trade show displays, chairs, tables, marketing material, etc., which is why you do not want to rush it. If the show is in 2-weeks and you sign up today, you are going to be incredibly stressed.

We aren’t saying you should never exhibit at a trade show. Trade shows can offer value to every business, in every industry. But, if you feel like you are not ready, don’t rush it! Throwing money at the wall is often not a wise idea. Take your time, do your homework, and you’ll know when the time is right.

… and, when you are ready to exhibit at trade shows, use ExhibitDay to plan your trade shows and collaborate with your event team to get things done.

Get Email Reminders About Your Upcoming Trade Show Tasks

To help stay on top of your tasks and get everything done on time, we’ve added email reminders for upcoming tasks in ExhibitDay. You can get reminders for your tasks 1, 2 or 3 days prior to their due dates.

How to Configure Your Trade Show Task Email Reminders

To configure your task reminder preferences, click on the top menu, then click [My Profile & Preferences]. From the [Email Preferences] tab, select [Update My Task Management Email Notification Preferences].

Sign up for a free ExhibitDay account to stay on top your all the tasks for your trade shows and Collaborate with your Event Team to get things done.

ExhibitDay – Official Launch

Today, ExhibitDay’s Beta program ended and ExhibitDay.com officially launched as a trade show management and collaboration tool for trade show managers, exhibitors and event teams.

Press Release:

Download the full Press Release (.docx)

In the upcoming months, we plan to focus efforts on developing new features and increasing integrations with third-party tools.

Sign up for a free ExhibitDay account and start planning your trade shows and exhibits.

Annual Budgets and ROI Calculations for Your Trade Shows in Spreadsheet Format

You can now Export the Annual Budgets, Analytics and ROI Metrics for your trade shows to Excel (.xlsx spreadsheet format).

How To Export Budgets and ROI Metrics to Spreadsheet

Click on the Annual Budgets (all events) link in your ExhibitDay Workspace. Then, click the [Export to Excel] button under the [Allocation Breakdown] and [Analytics & ROI Breakdown] tabs to export to .xlsx format.

Example Spreadsheet Exports

Sign up for an ExhibitDay account and start tracking the budgets for your trade shows and exhibits.

Maximizing Trade Show Value: How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

If you’ve decided to invest money into your very own booth at an upcoming trade show, chances are, you’re wondering how you can maximize the value of this event. Trade shows aren’t exactly cheap, which is why you’re probably feeling pressure to meet as many existing customers, find as many new leads, and meet as many business objectives.

Well, luckily, there is plenty of prep work you can embark on now to guarantee maximum value if you’re doing a trade show on a budget.

Here’s how:

1. Send Out Emails

There’s no harm in drumming up a little excitement! Send out an email to all customers within the proximity of the event, letting them know about your booth. Try and secure them complimentary tickets if available through the organizer. Many times, the event organizers will help you any way possible to make your event a success.

2. Schedule Appointments

Make it known on social media and through other channels that you are accepting appointments during the trade show. Contact your top accounts and promise them an exclusive demonstration of your product or service at the event. Everyone likes to feel special.

3. Host VIP Events

Consider hosting a happy hour or some kind of cocktail meeting after the exhibit hours to show some of your key customers how special they really are to you.

4. Go the Extra Mile

Did you know many of the convention centers have conference rooms where you can further explain and demonstrate products to potential clients? This is a great way to go above and beyond, really taking time to go deep with your product for the right potential buyer.

5. Say Yes to Extra Marketing

Event organizers want to find ways to drum up excitement for their event as well. Volunteer to take part in any workshops, discussions, and seminars that take place before, during, and after the exhibit hall hours. This is a free way to get exposure through their network.

6. Extend Your Stay

If you think you have made some invaluable connections for the future trajectory of your business, then do not hesitate to extend your stay and really nurture the lead. It will show them you are a serious contender and determined to make it work. Additionally, if a potential client reaches out to you before the trade show, consider arriving a few days early to close the deal before the show even begins!

Every business could stand to cut down on unnecessary costs in a given fiscal year, which is why the 6 tips above can help maximize the value of your next trade show.