We often talk to clients who know they should be exhibiting, but are unaware of precisely what they should be focused on. In this blog, we look at the biggest goals and challenges faced by exhibitors, and how the right trade show marketing agency can help.

Exhibition stand supplier Display Wizard recently conducted a survey of companies on the pros and cons of this trade show marketing, and found some fascinating results…

1. 83% see meeting potential customers as the biggest advantage of exhibiting at trade shows

   Not surprisingly, connecting with leads is an enormous factor for most companies considering whether to attend a trade show. It’s not enough for them to simply walk past your booth though – exhibitors need to start meaningful conversations, create a good impression and collect valuable contact details to develop these new relationships further.

2. 64% consider attendee quality the most important deciding factor when choosing trade shows to exhibit at

   It goes without saying that trade shows would be pointless without the right attendees. Bearing this in mind, it’s important to have the right people at your booth who can attract and engage with these attendees. That could mean hiring multi-lingual staff to connect with foreign attendees, for instance.

3. 63% see building brand awareness as the biggest advantage of exhibiting at trade shows

   First impressions count, especially in business. Your trade show marketing team is the face of your brand and it’s essential they portray the right message. Whether you’re speaking with new leads or loyal customers, a consistent brand image and reputation can make all the difference to the health of your business.

4. 57% believe that trade shows benefit staff members by boosting their sales skills

   There’s no doubt that attending trade shows can improve your team’s sales skills, but is this the best place for learning, once you’ve invested in a booth and attendees are flocking round? Here at Expo Stars, we provide masterclasses to educate our clients’ staff on trade show marketing best practices before the big day.

5. 40% consider their industry the most important factor to consider when choosing to exhibit at trade shows

   Specialist sector exhibitions are invaluable to companies in search of high quality, relevant and actively engaged leads who can directly benefit from their services. In order to reap the rewards of these opportunities though, your booth needs to be represented by staff who understand the pains, challenges and ambitions experienced by leads in this industry.

6. 63% see price as a top concern when exhibiting at trade shows

   Exhibitions can come with hotel and travel costs, ambitious booth builds and pricey promotional giveaways. As a result, price is a big concern for many exhibiting companies. By working with a trade show marketing agency to source staff local to the event space, however, you can avoid some of the costs associated with lengthy hotel stays and transatlantic flights.

7. 54% are concerned with the struggle to measure ROI from exhibiting at trade shows

   It’s important to understand the results of all your exhibiting efforts. Otherwise you’ll never fully understand whether it was really worth attending the trade show in question. Expo Stars provides attendee engagement strategies which focus on measurement, so clients can fully understand the full process.

8. 38% see time away from the office as a top concern when exhibiting – a trade show marketing agency could help

   By working with a trade show marketing agency, companies can add manpower to their exhibiting team without having to empty out the office and put normal work activities on hold.

9. 64% allocate 10% or less of their annual marketing budget to exhibitions

   A trade show marketing strategy often represents just one piece of the puzzle, with various other activities helping to nurture leads and care for clients. For this reason, it’s important that lead generators collect the right information from the right people to properly complement your overall marketing strategy following the event.