Did you know that 40% of all trade shows in the world take place in the U.S. each year?
There are approximately 13,000 trade shows annually and many more outside the U.S., which makes choosing the right one quite the daunting task. One of the best things about trade shows is that they are the second-largest source of B2B revenue in the U.S.
What this means is that you cannot afford to miss the most crucial ones for your business. The question is, which ones do you take advantage of? Choosing trade shows doesn’t have to be hard with these tips we have listed below to help you out.
- Start By Establishing Your Intent
When choosing trade shows, the first thing you need to consider is your intent. Your trade show objectives will be the key element to your success, so before you start listing what shows you want to attend each year, you must define your objectives and intentions clearly.
Everyone on the team needs to understand why you’re choosing to exhibit in a given trade show and what you’re trying to achieve.
Your intentions could be anything from building brand awareness, launching new products or services, strengthening relationships with existing customers, or attracting new customers.
When your intentions are clear, it’ll be easy for you to tell which trade shows will help you achieve those goals. Don’t forget to put into consideration your brand requirements, such as the type of stand you’ll need, space required, and displays needed.
- Highlight Your Budget
Developing a trade show budget is essential when choosing trade shows because it would help you determine if you can attend trade shows out of the country. If there’s one thing you need to understand about trade shows is that exhibitions can be super expensive.
However, you also need to factor in that they can be extremely beneficial when it comes to the success of your business.
Develop your budget carefully before booking a trade show to determine whether you can afford it. Factor in all costs involved, including the registration fees, your space, display, travel expenses, marketing and promotions, giveaways, and any other on-site expenses till the end of the trade show.
It’s vital to plan ahead everything you’ll need before and after the show as it’ll help you avoid surprises.
- Research Available Options
With your clear objectives and budget in hand, choosing trade shows will be a lot easier. Conduct thorough research on all the available trade shows you would like to attend and categorize them by industry, date, space, price, state, or country.
Only consider choosing trade shows that you can afford and avoid those that go above your budget.
It’s imperative to consider all trade shows going from large industry shows to small local events. All of them can have a different impact on your business. Gather all the information you can about the trade show and how it could contribute to your objective.
Make sure you learn everything about the trade show, such as the location, demographics, attendee numbers, previous participants, and performance. .
Before you make a final decision, it’s important for you to know who will attend the trade show. Check where it will be advertised, what industry it’s targeting, how big it is, whether it’s established, and whether it has a good reputation.
- Consider Your Target Market
When choosing trade shows, you should consider your target audience because your consumer demographic will play a huge role in your success. Research your target market to find out which trade shows they plan to attend. Never make the assumption that they’ll only be attending large industry events.
You may be surprised to find that some of your key customers attend smaller local events that are not necessarily industry-specific. Most businesses never consider this fact, but smaller trade shows can offer a great opportunity to gain exposure and increase your ROI.
It’s more important to attend a trade show with a high percentage of your target market than attending a large event that may not yield results.
- Consider Timing
When choosing trade shows, it’s important to consider what other trade shows will be taking place in the same area or at the same time. They could impact the attendance of your target market.
Check to see what other conflicting events you may have already planned to attend because it may blow out your budget if they’re too close to each other.
Check the events happening in the same country or state at the same time, even if they’re not trade shows but related to your business. An influx of people at the same place always means hiked plane tickets, hotel rates, and high expenses.
Beyond that, consider whether the events will affect your customer buying patterns. Also, whether you’ll have new products or services to launch during that time.
- Evaluate Press Opportunities
When choosing between different types of trade shows to attend, consider what other opportunities they offer. What are the possibilities of sponsorship opportunities or educational seminars that could benefit your business?
Check the previous years’ press list and the current press attendees for the show. With the list in hand, contact the media houses and send them information about your brand. Capitalize on a great marketing opportunity to boost your ROI.
- Attend the Place in Person
Before the trade show, visit the show before the exhibition to see everything for yourself if possible. Check out the display areas provided, walk the show floor, and talk to other exhibitors to gauge their perspective.
Apart from the show itself, this is a good time for you to check out the surrounding areas, the hotels, transportation, and much more. This will help you prepare for your own exhibition.
Choosing Trade Shows the Easy Way
Choosing trade shows can be quite easy as long as you consider all the important factors. Once you research all crucial factors, check out all available trade shows, and compare to see which one will benefit your business the most.
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