Custom Trade Show Exhibit Designer, Gilbert, Lays Out the Most Important Steps in Trade Show Planning

Custom trade show booth design company, Gilbert, explains how to plan for success at your next trade show.

Success at a trade show boils down to planning and attention to detail. Gilbert breaks down the most important steps in the planning process:

1. Start early. The more time you have to prepare for a trade show the better. Ideally, you want to leave yourself as much time as possible to plan for the event. You want to begin this process at least 4-6 months in advance to ensure enough time for proper planning. This amount of time gives you room to coordinate every detail to perfection.
2. Research. Research your options. You want to attend the trade shows that will put you in front of your target audience. You can email the trade show event director for more information regarding the event. Looking over data from the previous years’ shows can be very informative. You can usually find out how many people attended, the companies they represented, and whether the trade show was successful. To decipher whether a show was successful, look at year-to-year attendance. Growing attendance is a good sign, while declining or stagnating attendance is a red flag. Consider how long the event has been around and how well it has been publicized. You should also be sure to investigate the show organizer’s reputation. Ideally, the show you attend will have strong attendance trends, be well publicized, and organized.
3. Hire a trade show booth designer. Creating a custom branded environment for your trade show space is nearly impossible if you’re unfamiliar with how to do so. The best thing most businesses can do is hire a professional to help them create their space. A professional exhibit design company will know how to create a theme for your booth that reflects your brand and helps you achieve your goals. Many of them can also handle fabrication, shipping, installation, dismantling, and storage, making your entire trade show experience simpler and more enjoyable.
4. Prepare a CRM. You’ll need a way to collect contact information at the show. Directly inputting attendee information into a CRM as they share it with you is typically the easiest way to collect this kind of data. When data gets put into a CRM, it’s easier to organize and utilize following the trade show.
5. Select and train staff. Plan to bring your best sales people to the event. Brief them on the purpose and goals of the event, while providing any additional training as needed. It’s usually a good idea to provide staff with uniforms for the event so your team will be easily recognized in a crowd.
6. Arrive early. Plan to scope-out the event space a few days early. Even if a trade show booth design company is delivering and installing your booth, it’s still best to get a feel for the event space prior to the big day. Arriving early also frees up time to confirm the meetings you’ve scheduled with other attendees and plan your schedule for the event..

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