How to Spend Your Time Prior to the Reopening of Trade Shows

Are you ready for when trade shows open again?

We’ve seen outlines for the planned launch of shows and events in South Korea, Germany, and other countries and are waiting for more information regarding the plans in Alberta and the rest of Canada. 

If you are in the event industry or rely heavily upon the opportunities that arise from trade shows, you will be hoping that this is a sign that trade shows will be back in business soon as well to drive the economy forward.

It may be awhile still before this becomes a reality. So what do you do in the interim? Now is the perfect time to assess your trade show health. 

Program assessment

Take a look at your trade show calendar. Review the list of shows that you’ve been attending. You may feel like you already know which shows aren’t proving to be the most valuable. You may have noticed over the last few years that the audience has changed. However, analyze the data from all your shows. For each show, are the demographics the same now as when you first signed up six years ago, or has the audience shifted? Do each of the shows on your schedule still reach your target market?

Question and research

Look more in-depth at the data and ask yourself about your goals and objectives. What is your purpose for going to each of the shows?

Look at your ROI from the past five years. A lot has happened in the market place over the last five years. Have any of your objectives shifted? Are they changing again as a result of COVID-19? Confirm whether or not your goals and objectives need to be updated. If they have changed, are there additional shows that might better suit your needs? Is your existing trade show calendar still relevant? 

Need some help choosing your trade shows?  How history will help you choose a trade show.

Attend to the plan

Once you have looked at the past and present, take a look at the future. You’ve determined some new shows that you would like to attend, and you may have identified some that aren’t relevant to your goals anymore. What does your budget look like for the rest of the year and into the next? Are there any restrictions imposed by governments or your company that will restrict travel to these shows? Looking at the rest of the list, are there any scheduling conflicts? Have any of the show dates changed?

Ask yourself if you have everything ready for the first show on your calendar? Is there anything that you need to prepare for attendees? Will they be prepared to see what you have to offer by your first show? Is there more that I need to do to prepare them in their journey to become a customer? What about my physical trade show assets? Does your display and marketing materials need a refresh? Has the message changed compared to your new vision? 

Conclusion

If you take the time to assess, research, and implement your trade show program, you will set yourself up for even greater success.