Exhibitions and trade shows are a big investment for any business. However, with proper planning and execution, your company can achieve an excellent return on that investment through your exhibition stand. Here are some key tips to maximize ROI when working with an expert exhibition stand builder:
1. Define Clear Objectives:
Before engaging an exhibition stand builder, sit down with your marketing and sales teams to define clear, measurable objectives for the show. What is the primary goal – lead generation, sales, and brand awareness? How will you track success?
Sharing objectives upfront helps the builder design the optimal stand layout and features to achieve your aims.
2. Choose The Right Show:
Not all exhibitions are equal. Research target audiences, competitor attendance, and past results to pick shows where your products/services will resonate most.
A large gathering isn’t worthwhile if attendees don’t align with your business. Share audience insights with your builder to ensure stand elements attract and engage your ideal prospects.
3. Optimize The Layout:
A well-planned layout is crucial for lead generation and sales conversations. Prioritize high-traffic areas for promotional items, demonstrations, and sales discussions. Incorporate comfortable seating nooks or bars where people can relax while learning about your solutions.
Flow patterns should intuitively guide visitors through the experience. Provide input on preferred traffic and branding elements to maximize ROI.
4. Incorporate Lead Capture Features:
Integrate lead capture features prominently and intuitively into the overall exhibition stand design. Options may include an interactive kiosk, a demonstration area with an iPad sign-up, or prize drawings in exchange for contact details.
Make it easy and incentivized for prospects to engage and provide their information. Share collected leads promptly with sales to follow up for conversions.
5. Demonstrate Key Benefits Persuasively:
Hands-on product demonstrations keep visitors engaged and showcase practical solutions. Work with your builder to design an area conducive to live presentations with ample visibility.
Ensure each component reinforces core messages and prompts the next steps like requesting a quote. Testimonials or customer success stories brought to life further cement your value proposition.
6. Optimize Branding & Graphics:
Consistent branding across all collateral strengthens top-of-mind awareness. Large format graphics, banners, and projections at the booth enhance visibility in a crowded show environment.
Provide your builder with approved logos, colors, and key messages to incorporate professionally into the custom exhibition stand design. Visitors should instantly recognize your company through unified visual identity elements.
7. Schedule Staff Strategically:
Proper staffing is critical for consistent lead engagement and conversions throughout each show day. Block out quiet periods for meetings while maintaining coverage during busier traffic.
Brief all representatives thoroughly on objectives, core messages, qualifications, and next steps. Ensure product experts are present during major conference sessions or demonstrations to answer technical questions fluently.
8. Capture Post-Show Leads Promptly:
While on-site conversions are ideal, many true sales from qualified leads occur after the event. Import all captured contact information into your CRM and promptly follow up with personalized communications and offers.
Keep the momentum going – your presence may be temporary at the show but you want engagement to continue digitally thereafter for a lasting impact on the bottom line.
9. Analyze Results & Iterate:
Track metrics like the number of qualified leads, on-site conversions, follow-up percentages, and close rates to measure ROI. Gather feedback from staff and visitors as well.
Review analytics with your builder to identify standout elements and potential improvements. Continuous refinement based on performance data will further maximize returns from future exhibitions.
In Conclusion-
Trade shows provide a valuable platform for generating qualified sales leads and building brand awareness when the right strategies are employed. Partnering with an experienced exhibition stand design company and clearly defining objectives upfront allows a company to maximize its return on this marketing investment. With meticulous planning and measurement of results, exhibitions can significantly boost pipelines and ultimately revenue cost-effectively.
Partner with Mavonorm Exhibits for being well-versed in design, technology, and show logistics. We are among the top trade show booth design company in Europe and can help maximize your ROI from our valuable experience and expertise. Contact us today for your upcoming trade show projects.
FAQs
Q1. How much should a company budget for an exhibition stand?
Budgets can vary significantly based on the size, features, and level of customization required. As a general guideline, plan to spend anywhere for a basic space-only or more for a large fully-built custom exhibition stand with extensive graphics, furniture, displays, and interactive elements.
Q2. What are some ways to generate qualified leads at an exhibition stand?
Some effective lead generation ideas include running prize drawings for business cards submitted in a drop box, hosting interactive product demos or presentations, providing branded giveaways or free samples, incorporating a touchscreen kiosk for contact details, conducting a customer survey with an incentive, collecting business cards at a promotional “concierge” desk, or offering a free consultation or needs assessment. The key is making it effortless and worthwhile for prospects to stop and engage.
Q3. How can companies track ROI from exhibition participation?
To track ROI, set KPIs in advance like quantifiable increases in website traffic, social followers, sales qualified opportunities (SQOs) in the pipeline, closed deals attributed to show leads, or % increase in annual sales targets. Collect contact information from all leads and tag appropriately in your CRM. Then track conversion rates from initial capture to meetings booked to proposals submitted and ultimately deals closed over the following 3-6 months. Analyze which activities contributed most to that pipeline and ROI. Monitoring metrics pre- and post-show provides clear performance data.
Q4. What makes for an engaging and memorable exhibition stand experience?
Some elements that tend to catch attendees’ attention and leave a lasting impression include interactive trade show booth displays that encourage participation, large eye-catching graphic panels, staff wearing branded attire who enthusiastically engage visitors, convenient signage and wayfinding, strategically placed seating areas, giveaways or free samples, compelling multimedia presentations, snack/refreshment offerings to prolong visits, and creative lighting effects, especially after hours. Ensuring smooth traffic flow and a memorable experience helps convert leads into brand advocates.
