Is Sponsoring a Trade Show Worth It????

I was excited to be quoted in the January issue of Success Magazine.  The article (by Emma Johnson on page 30) talks about how to build business by exhibiting at trade shows.

(I would post a link, but while the magazine is available on newsstands, the December issue is still showing as the current issue at the time I write this post.  But below I am not going to quote the article, but instead give more insite into my feelings about getting more from trade shows)

As an active member of the Meetings and Convention Industry, I am more than a speaker.  I have become and advocate for the power of meetings and I work hard to help organizers, attendees and exhibitors find ways to maximize their investment of time and money to participate in conferences, trade shows, conventions, etc...  I firmly believe that trade shows (and other events) are a great way to build your business and brand, but it will never happen by accident.

Many times there is a disconnect between the attendees and the sponsors.  Too many people avoid visiting the trade show booths, which can cause those vendors to complain to the organizers.  This disconnect however is often the fault of the sponsors, as they do not engage in being part of the whole event.  Organizers do all they can to create traffic into the show, but if there is a disconnect in everyone feeling hey are part of the same "min-society", then the event can miss its potential.

Sponsors must do more than buy booth space, they need to be strategics in how they approach the event before, during and after.  People want to connect when they attend a business gathering, and if they are not connecting with you or your team, the blame may lie with how you approach the human side of the conference . Before complaining about the organizers.... you should first do an honest diagnostic of how your people actively execute the booth, keynotes, social events, and other places where people come together for live conversations.

CEO's and VP's of Sales always .... that is ALWAYS... tell me their team is great at trade shows.  Yet when asked about others who exhibit, they always point out a laundry list of mistakes.  The disconnect is that every executive says his people are good, and it is the others who suck.  Do you see what the issue is here.... maybe they are giving too much credit to their own employees!!!

I believe every company could benefit from paying more attention to how they maximize their trade show participation.  Yes, being a sponsor is a great way to build business, but too many companies are not taking advantage of the opportunities they get from being part of the show.

What are you observations about sponsoring trade shows?

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Thom Singer is known as "The Conference Catalyst". He works with meeting planners and conference organizers to set the tone for a meeting. His presentations educate, inspire and motivate attendees to engage deeper in the event and make meaningful connections. http://www.conferencecatalyst.com