Published on October 11th, 2019
This year only (2019), the US is set to host over thirty-five thousand trade fairs and exhibitions. With this staggering number, you must strive to outshine your competitions if you are to leave a lasting impression on your customer’s minds.
Planning an expo requires different skills ranging from marketing to strategic planning, and events planning. You must deal with attendees and vendors at large scale. These five tips will help you organize a successful trade fair.
1. Make Sure Your Location Is Convenient
You must have heard this before, but we have to mention it again because it’s that vital; location is everything. Look for a venue that’s accessible for both attendees and vendors.
Book beforehand and minimize the chances of mishaps while trying to book a good location last minute. A convenient location is also essential if you will be having industry professionals flying in to attend your event.
Think of everything your guests will need to be comfortable during the event. For instance, you can hire people to clean the washrooms or talk to Sanitation Solutions, Inc. for portable loos for your special guests. Each detail is vital.
2. Plan As Early As Possible
Give yourself enough time to implement your event. You risk running crazy if you wait for the last minute. Plan at least a year in advance and allocate ample to book your location, identify and reserve entertainers, create and adjust a marketing plan, craft contracts, and perform post-show follow-up.
You also need enough time to attract attendees and vendors. You must show the vendors how they will benefit from the fair in your marketing efforts.
3. Work With A Team
Creating a tradeshow by yourself is a headache and frankly impossible. The different and non-related task will overwhelm you and stress you out. You must work with a team either by hiring them or outsourcing services. Outsourcing usually saves you money and lowers your financial risk.
Hiring makes it easy to create momentum. You can balance things out by hiring people to tackle items you consider valuable and outsource those you don’t hold in high regard.
4. Find The Main Sponsor
Getting the word out is daunting for a lot of expo organizers. What most pros do is look for a sponsor who is well known in the industry or one who your target market considers a role model and expert.
Getting involved with a partner will help your marketing efforts immensely by creating curiosity and interest among both vendors and attendees.
In return, offer you sponsor exposure during and after the event. Some sponsors require a token of appreciation which is still okay. Discuss how much you are willing to part with beforehand.
Organizing a tradeshow is not a walk in the park, but it’s an exciting journey. The only way to make it easier for you is to plan ahead of time and to always start early. You will have time to face challenges and overcome them without going crazy.
