It’s conference season again, and everyone’s looking to make new friends and get some hints and tips from the best of the best. To make sure you make the most of your conference schedule, read on for ZPB Associates’ Good Exhibitor’s Guide.
More is (sometimes) more
In these times of austerity it can be tempting to slash costs in order to boost profits, but in the long run this can be counterproductive. Investing in a decent-sized exhibition stand in a central location will get you far more hits than being squeezed into a poky, cut-price stand hidden behind a pillar. However, don’t spread yourself too thin across multiple events. Pick a handful of highly relevant conferences that are aimed at your target audience, and do them well instead.
Prepare your team
Your stand team have got just minutes to make a good first impression, so they need to have their two-minute elevator pitch nailed. Make sure they understand the company’s objectives and whom they should be targeting so that they don’t waste 20 minutes talking to a student nurse about your highly innovative integrated management solutions.
Set some challenging but realistic objectives
Exhibiting at a conference is an investment and it is right that you want to see a return on your money. Set your team a target. For example, they need to generate X number of sales leads each, and then make sure they follow up in the next few days.
Write an exhibition plan
Your plan needs to include:
Timelines (the deadlines for providing bag inserts and logos are often weeks in advance of the event)
Transportation and logistics
Space requirements
Objectives and metrics for the team
Budgets (include all associated costs like accommodation, transport, production of marketing materials etc.)
Staffing levels and training
Pre and post-show PR activity
Be a social butterfly
The dinners and drinks parties are brilliant networking opportunities and can be almost as useful as the exhibition itself. Beg, borrow and steal your invite to the hottest post-exhibition parties, grab yourself a well-earned drink and get talking.