Attending Your First Trade Show In A While

Indeed, a study undertaken by Enigma research demonstrates that people are eager to get back to live events. A survey of 2000 corporate event-goers showed that 94% of respondents miss attending large conferences and trade shows.
But when you’ve been out of the saddle for a while, planning your first exhibition or trade show may feel a little daunting. So how can you prepare to attend your first exhibition after a long break?

The truth is that things have probably changed a lot since your last trade show or exhibition. Therefore it’s wise to consider what your overarching goals and objectives are for your first event.

As we enter a new period in face to face events, it can feel a little overwhelming to set new goals as using old benchmarks may no longer feel appropriate. After all, no one knows precisely what the impact of the pandemic will have on visitor numbers, buying behaviour and even the mood of events over the next few months or so.

So instead, consider what success will look like for your business right now. Should you adjust your expectations in terms of leads? Does a hybrid model event allow you to reach new audiences? Could the opportunity for face to face networking benefit your organisation?

Be mindful that materials such as your stand design, brochures, and general messaging may no longer be entirely appropriate.

Take time to look at your existing marketing assets with a critical eye. While it may have previously been a case of dragging out your old brochures from that stationery cupboard they live in when not exhibiting, now is the time to check that what you have is still relevant in the current climate.
If what you offer has changed or adapted, an exhibition is a perfect place to announce what you’re doing differently. So consider updating your exhibition stand, marketing materials and messaging to let the world know about what you can offer. Our specialist range of services will take your exhibition design to the next level.

Easily update your Tecna T3 Stand

Whatever the objective of your exhibition stand, Tecna UK can transform your brief into a 3D design visual in just 24 hours for free, helping sell in the benefits of a refresh to your management by showing something tangible. We can create new from scratch to ensure it feels fresh and unique, or simply update what you already have with us, adding new features such as curves or just rebooting graphics. We have many years of experience and can help on advice on the look and finish of your exhibition stand to the best use of graphics to achieve a standout aesthetic.

Budget Track from Day One

Budgeting effectively will help you feel more in control of your costs and achieve a better ROI. Keeping a firm hand on budgets from the outset, covering everything from the cost of the space itself, through to the stand & AV means you can decide easily where to invest extra and where to pare back. It also allows easy view post show on where any savings were made. Don’t forget sundries such as hotel rooms, demonstration staffing and food which can notoriously add up, as these have to be factored for management to see the accurate breakdown, but don’t forget to call out benefits of each decision. For example, booking the premium hotel nearby has the added benefit of reduced travel costs and reduced staff fatigue, as well as more networking opportunities with potential clients who are likely to do the same.

Staff training

While social distancing measures may be lifted, it’s wise to ensure that your staff are mindful of how people may feel about things which, some time ago, may have been entirely usual. Actions such as getting close to a delegate to scan their badge or even sharing a pen may make your stand visitors uncomfortable, so consider how you will tackle this beforehand. Is the whole team up to speed with any revised sales messages or new product launches which may have been missed whilst working remotely. Ensure you have a product & stand deep dive so everyone is clear on the event key sales messages for customers, produce crib sheets where needed for easy reference/pre-show learning.

Design your stand with social distancing in mind

Assess the space and layout of your stand, and consider whether any adjustments need to be made. From adding screens to considering the flow of people onto the stand, identifying potential issues ahead of time will prevent any awkward situations on the day.
With hygiene measures in mind, it’s worth considering whether printed materials such as flyers or brochures can instead be turned into digital materials. Think QR codes to lead your visitors to your documents or showcasing more about what you do via AV on your stand. Don’t forget our product offering designed to help us all back to events safely, TecnaCare , the market-leading service provider for premium social distancing solutions. Offering a variety of bespoke products and services to protect delegates in and around your stand and to add confidence to attendees.