Trade shows, exhibitions and events are a fantastic way to promote your business and meet future clients, suppliers and potential partners. Putting yourself and your business on a platform for all to see can sometimes be daunting however with thought and consideration the outcome can be incredibly beneficial to any business.
When planning for an upcoming show the first thing to establish is what you want to get out of the event as a business.
Not only will this will help you gain an aligned presence which will resonate through your exhibition space, it will lead to a streamlined day and effortless presence.
Below are some points to that can help when planning an event:

Branding
o Ensuring your brand is strong throughout all aspects of your presence, from your keynote presentation, the design of your stand, giveaways, business cards, perhaps branded t-shirts. Think about every element and make sure your image is consistent

Exhibition space
o Your exhibition space can be the talk of an event no matter what size or position in the room if you get the details right. Research your neighboring exhibitors and make sure your stand ‘stands out’
o The right designer can make planning the layout a dream, sometimes less is more and pushing brand colours and messaging should be at the forefront of your stand’s design.
o Think about what you want to do within the space. For example, if you want to use it as an opportunity to network consider seating and refreshments, the extra thought will go a long way with attendees who are being grabbed for attention from all angles

Giveaways
o Branded giveaways at a conference create a huge difference in your footfall. Consider your industry, your clients and who you want to attract, what you do and how you want to be perceived.
o Creativity is key here and don’t be afraid to think way outside of the box, even if an attendee just wants to obtain freebies for inspiration or a keepsake your branding will be present and it is important to make sure the messaging you want to put across about your business is clear and easy to understand

Team
o Make sure your team is fully behind and supportive of the event and the messaging you are communicating. Group rehearsals and communication of key messaging for all to put forward will help to create slick solidarity throughout

Obtaining data
o With new GDPR regulations in place exhibitors and organisers need to think creatively about how they can obtain data from event attendees however, it is a key part to the build-up. Promoting your attendance in advance to key contacts likely to be at the event can be a great marketing opportunity to your business

Plan B
o Always have a backup plan should anything go wrong. Give yourself plenty of extra lead time with print and production and setting up your exhibition space. It is also key to plan even the smallest of details such as travelling to the event, staff clothing and footwear, a first aid kit, stationery supplies, back-up chargers for phones, tablets and laptops, several print outs of notes and key messaging and even thinking of the weather. All this can really make a difference when preparing your team for potential obstacles. This will only help make your presence at the event seem effortless and efficient and will give a unified, well equipped and relaxed representation of your team and business to attendees.

Finally, it is important to have fun and enjoy the experience and what potential opportunities that can arise from the day – a team drink or meal at the end of a busy event will usually be well received by your team.