How to Attract & Keep Exhibitors for Your Trade Show

Here’s a snippet from our article on maximizing visibility and generating interest for your event!

From the Map Your Show team to yours, we understand the long process of developing a trade show. Here are some quick recommendations for your team to not only keep your current exhibitors, but to continue growing as well.

Identify the Right Exhibitors.

As an event organizer, knowing who your target audience is and what they need from an experience is key to identifying the right exhibitors for your trade show. You can begin researching potential exhibitors by studying their websites, searches on social media through hashtags or related fields, and more.

Craft an Engaging Pitch.

When crafting a pitch, make sure to emphasize how exhibiting at your trade show can help exhibitors reach their goals, whether that’s increased brand visibility, access to new customers, or something else. While keeping this in mind, ensure the overall voice of your messaging is correct for your audience. For example, agricultural shows may prefer a more "down-to-earth" approach (pun intended!).

Reach Out to Potential Exhibitors.

Reaching out to potential exhibitors is essential for gaining interest in your trade show. However, establishing this connection is only the first step. When reaching out, provide them with valuable information about your event, such as details on the venue, speakers, activities, or even special offers available at the show.

Utilize Marketing Strategies.

Send personalized emails that include information on your upcoming event and how it can benefit them to exhibit at your show. Keep this email short but informative enough so readers understand what's being offered, even if they skim the email.

Leverage Connections.

Some of your contacts may already be familiar with your brand or know about similar events. Ask those within your network if they know anyone who would be interested in exhibiting at your trade show—and offer incentives like discounts or exclusive access, if possible, as this will encourage more people to participate in the event.

Promote your Event.

Utilize social media platforms and create a community around your event! LinkedIn specifically is a great go-to for the trade show and conferencing industry. Here, you can ask the "tough questions," allowing your audience to engage with one another.

Focus on Content Creation.

Develop a customized website for your show. This will give visitors easy access to all the information they need, in one centralized area. Timing is critical. Ensure your webpage is available a few months before and after each show.

Overall, gaining exhibitors for your trade show is an important part of event management. With these steps in mind, you can be sure that you are taking the necessary steps to gain and keep exhibitors for your next trade show.

Are you looking for a way to create an engaging experience for your exhibitors? Map Your Show's comprehensive event, trade show, and conference management technology is designed to create a great experience between your exhibitors and your upcoming event. Interested in reading the full article or scheduling a demo? Visit us at mapyourshow.com!

Source: Bizbash.com