A lot of investment and hard work is required to host a trade show with a fabulous trade show booth design. However, when done correctly, the benefits can far outweigh this.
From planning and preparation to the day of the corporate event, there is so much to consider.
If you’re a small business owner looking to grow your business, a corporate event is a great way to go about it. However, it’s not necessarily easy, and if you plan poorly, it might negatively impact your business.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- A trade show is an event where businesses showcase products and services to industry buyers, often with demos, seminars, and exhibits (in-person, virtual, or hybrid).
- For trade show success, start with clear goals and a defined purpose (brand awareness, lead generation, partnerships, or hiring).
- Set a realistic trade show budget for booth design, food, venue, and attendee comfort, because a “cheap” experience can hurt your brand.
- Plan early and manage time well; popular venues and vendors book up, so timelines matter.
- Avoid common trade show failures by training engaged booth staff, designing a booth that stands out, capturing lead details, and following up fast after the event.
First, What Is A Trade Show?
A trade show is an exhibition event that brings businesses together to demonstrate their newest products and services to members of the trade and other businesses in the industry. These types of shows can include seminars and how-to exhibits alongside company displays.
These shows can last a few hours or several days. However, many shows today are a hybrid – meaning they are in-person and virtual.
4 Essentials You Need
Here are four essentials you will need to prepare for a business show:
- Software
- Purpose
- Budget
- Time
1. Event Booking Software
Planning something this big can take a lot of time and effort, and you can save yourself a chunk of that by using booking software. Services like rezdy.com let you get your customers booked into your corporate event without manual input.
This makes organizing shuttles and other activities around your event much easier and quicker for you. You can focus on the main event, and let the software handle your guests.
The bigger the event, the more time you’re going to be fumbling with the guest list – this is something you can afford to make easier on yourself.
Here are more things you may need in your software:
- Ticket types
- Attendee limits
- Reminder emails
- Waiver forms
2. Defining The Event Purpose
Of course, the main reason to host an event is to grow your business, but what are you going to do to achieve that? If you’ve got anything big to unveil, now’s the time to do it, while all eyes are on you.
Once you have that plan settled on, you can start working on the best way to improve the experience for everyone else. You want your new product unveiling to be well-received, so make sure the guests are having a great time.
3. Your Trade Show Budget
It’s not easy to predict how much money you’re going to generate from the event you’re planning, which is why it’s difficult to justify overspending. With that said, this isn’t something you’ll want to skimp out on.
Your goal is to impress the attendees, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a decent chunk of money ready to invest in this.
Going to a cheap event is going to put a negative spin on the whole day. The food for your guests, their transportation, and the venue you decide on. Your attendees won’t enjoy your product unveiling if they’ve been standing all day and are hungry and thirsty.
4. Realistic Event Time Management
Planning is often the part that takes the most time, and you need as much time as you can get if you want to plan a successful event. You need time to find the venue, find a quality catering service, transportation, and more.
However, you might not be able to get in line up for quite a while yet. Generally, the more popular services will have long wait times, so the more time you have, the better.
How to Avoid Failure
One of the best things you can do is learn from the mistakes that others have made so that you don’t make them yourself. Your business may invest a lot of products, time, and money in the show, so let’s be sure it is a success!
So, let’s take a look at some of the common errors you need to avoid at your next show.
1. Your Staff Members Are Checked Out
You have one employee who is typing away on a laptop. Another person is talking on the phone. Who will be greeting the visitors?
Would you venture into a trade booth like this? You want your employees to remain focused throughout the show. They should engage visitors and encourage them to enter the booth for your company.
2. Cutting Corners with the Trade Show Booth Design
The design of your booth is paramount. Going for the cheapest solution you can find is definitely not the best approach.
The booth design will determine whether people stop to learn more about your business and products and services, or walk right past you.
You need something that stands out as people walk by your trade show booth. Not only that, but it stands out from other booths, is easy to read, and communicates what your business is about.
Next, provide comfortable seating so people can sit down and engage at your booth. You want to stick around, learn about your business, and become your next client.
Therefore, have great leave-behind products you can give away at your booth. You will want to be sure your logo stands on the products you give away. For example, you could give away light-up pens, pretty calendars, or hand sanitizers.
You want your booth guests to feel at ease, and that means knowing where everything is. Make sure you have someone manning the front-of-house or back-office who knows what they’re doing so people don’t get lost in a sea of freebies!
3. Not Following Up
This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when hosting a booth at a trade show. Nothing diminishes your return on investment more than failing to follow up with people after the show is over.
Your small business will want to collect email addresses, cell phone numbers, and addresses so you can market to them after the show.
Timeframes for contacting leads may have passed, and information could be lost. This is why it is critical to plan a follow-up and make sure you actually follow through.
4. Failing to Plan Ahead
This may sound obvious, but you would be surprised by just how many inflated budgets and missed deadlines there are when it comes to hosting a trade show.
You need to make a plan at the start, then a backup plan, and then go over these plans several times. Check out these #1 trade show exhibits for inspiration.
Not only do you need to plan for the day(s) of the show, but also for afterward. Plan follow-up calls and emails to generate new business.
5. Not Defining Any Goals
What is your reason for hosting a booth at this trade show? What do you hope to achieve? If you don’t set any goals, how will you measure your performance?
Your goals could include:
- Brand Awareness
- Lead Generation
- Relationship Building
- Developing a New Market
- Finding New Employees
How will you know if the trade show was a success without having your goals defined?
6. No Social Media Engagement for Trade Show
Finally, a lack of social media engagement is a big mistake. Social media presents the perfect platform for promoting your participation at the trade event.
From blog posts to short videos and photos, there are many ways you can promote your company to social media users.
All of your social media posts should include the booth number for your trade show booth. This will ensure people can find you quickly and visit your booth.
Lisa, Small Biz Tipser
7. Consider a Virtual Option
Since many people have gotten used to doing shows online, you may want to consider both a virtual and an in-person show. You can run the show streaming online for those that can’t make.
Some companies have a digital booth on their website that clients can visit permanently. With today’s inflation, not everyone can afford to attend these types of events.
Trade Show Goals
Here are some goals to keep in mind before you attend a show:
- Brand awareness (booth visits, social mentions).
- Lead generation (qualified leads, booked demos).
- Hiring (applications collected).
Conclusion: Trade Shows and Corporate Events
If you can avoid the mistakes mentioned above, you will give your business the best chance of hosting a successful trade show.
Remember to plan, follow up, and ensure your booth looks incredible, and you can grow your business from the event.
Do you have any trade exhibitions coming up in the new year? I’d love to hear from you if you’ve been to one in your area or recently been to one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trade Show Success for Small Businesses
What is a trade show?
A trade show is an exhibition event where businesses present products and services to other businesses and industry members. Many trade shows also include seminars, demos, and how-to exhibits, and they can run for a few hours or several days. Some events are hybrid, with both in-person and virtual options.
What are the most important things to plan before a trade show?
Start with the event purpose, budget, and timeline. Next, map out how you will handle attendee logistics like registration, transportation, and catering. If the event is large, booking software can help you manage sign-ups and scheduling.
What are common trade show mistakes that hurt results?
Common problems include distracted booth staff, a booth design that blends in, and skipping follow-up after the event. You can also run into issues when you don’t plan, don’t set goals, or don’t promote your booth number on social media.
How can a small business get more leads from a trade show?
Collect contact details during the show (email, phone, and mailing address), and follow up promptly. Also, design your booth to invite conversation, use clear signage that explains what you do, and offer simple branded giveaways that people will keep.
Should small businesses consider a virtual trade show option?
Yes, a virtual option can help you reach people who can’t travel or can’t afford to attend. Some businesses also keep a “digital booth” on their website so prospects can revisit the materials after the event.
