If you and your team have decided to organize your first trade show, you very well may have more questions that answers. The reality is that a properly conceived and organized tradeshow can provide a myriad of benefits to vendors, presenters, attendees, and even your own organization.
You do not need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to planning and organize a trade show. There are 11 tips to follow in the planning of your first trade show.
Start Planning a Year Out
One of the most fundamental tips to bear in mind when planning a tradeshow is that you cannot rush the preparations for a larger scale event. You should start the process of planning a tradeshow at least one year before you intend for the event to occur. You need to start everything from developing a budget for your tradeshow to engaging a venue a year in advance.
Select the Proper Venue
In selecting a venue for your tradeshow, considerations include the anticipate size of the event, the theme, and the target market of vendors and attendees. Once you identify a venue that works for your tradeshow, book it immediately. These venues tend to book early.
Plan Booth Layout
Another step that you need to take early on when planning a tradeshow is to plan or design the layout of the tradeshow floor. You need to map out the locations for booths, including where premium locations will be situated. These typically are locations at the end of aisles as well as those that have ready access to electricity.
Recruit Sponsors
Sponsors assist in underwriting the costs associated with a trade show. In return for financial support, or the provision of goods or services at little or no cost, sponsors obtain promotion during a tradeshow. In addition, they might also be provided a prime booth location.
Recruit Vendors
You need to start early in the process to recruit vendors to fill up the booth spaces at your tradeshow. Seeking out vendors close to a year in advance is not too early. Provide potential vendors with basic information like event theme, a layout of the floor plan as well as details about the overall setup. You will also want to give potential vendors detailed information about the types of attendees that are likely to be on hand at your tradeshow.
Book Appropriate Entertainment
Another step in planning a successful tradeshow is to book appropriate entertainment. You must never discount the importance of activities and presentations, including entertainment, the supplement what goes on among the tradeshow booths. For example, having a social gathering of some sort the night before a tradeshow official kicks off can be a solid way of opening the doors to a successful event.
Obtain Catering
Meal and beverage associated with a tradeshow depends on a variety of factors. With that said, your tradeshow will have a team overseeing its operation, entertainers and presenters, and others who will need food and drink while on site at your tradeshow. Working out a deal with a catering services tends to be the best course to take to satisfy these needs.
Prepare Comprehensive Marketing Materials
You will also want to be proactive in preparing comprehensive marketing materials for your tradeshow. This includes printed material, videos, and a plethora of digital marketing pieces. You will want to optimize your use of social media in marketing your tradeshow.
Create an Exhibitors Kit for Vendors
You need to make sure that your vendors have ready access to all of the information they will need to participate in your tradeshow. You best accomplish this objective by providing each vendor with a comprehensive exhibitors kit for vendors. In this day and age, a vendor’s kit can be presented digitally, and readily accessible through a mobile device.
Design Maps and Event Guides
You want to make sure that all elements of your tradeshow are easy to find and readily accessible. This is accomplished in part be creating detailed and easy to use maps and comprehensive event guides. These are steps that can be taken fairly close in time to the actual tradeshow to ensure that nothing gets left out of these informative pieces.
Train Your Team
You need to make sure that your tradeshow team properly is trained. There will be a number of different types of tasks undertaken by members of the tradeshow team. These different roles demand proper training, and that instruction needs to occur at a decent interval in advance of your tradeshow.
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Faxage a leading company that provides Internet fax service for individuals and businesses.
