Enhancing Event Engagement: Bridging the Gap Between Attendees and Exhibitors

When it comes to managing an industry event or trade show, the key to success is ensuring that your attendees and exhibitors are gaining value year after year. One of the most effective ways to engage these unique audiences is by placing a heightened focus on fostering connections across the event. 

Content provided by Brett Glatfelter, Vice President of Exhibitor Engagement at Map Your Show.  

Challenges to Connecting Attendees and Exhibitors 

Understanding the challenges that your attendees and exhibitors face before, during and after your event is something every trade show manager has struggled with. May this be managing engagement throughout the show or utilizing a well thought out follow-up procedure after the show. Without an understanding of your audience and their needs, bridging the gap between attendees and exhibitors is challenging. Here are some of the most frequently encountered hurdles to overcome, which can help improve exhibitor and attendee communication and engagement. 

1. Maintaining Engagement 

The clearest barrier to overcome is keeping attendees and exhibitors actively engaged with the show at their convenience. Event management teams will need to ensure there are interactive experiences that cater to participants' diverse interests and schedules. This can include opportunities before, during, and after the show, such as press releases, email templates, and exhibitor video clips. Without it, exhibitors may miss out on potential leads due to ineffective messaging or a lack of messaging altogether. This could be a result of the attendees' lack of interest or poor perception, leading to missed opportunities for both parties. Unless there is an easy and efficient way to plan their experience prior to the show, attendees are likely to miss an exhibitor or session they would’ve been interested in seeing. 

2. Overcrowded Spaces 

When attendees are on-site at a trade show or other industry event, they are often surrounded by a lot of activity, which can make it difficult to navigate and find their way around the show. Exhibitors experience something similar. The busier the event, the harder it is to stand out. 

3. Booth Visibility 

Not every space on the show floor is created equal. Exhibitors are looking for prime spots, such as booth space near scheduled sessions, stages, or experience opportunities where attendees are likely to flock. However, exhibitors may not always get the space they hoped for and instead will need additional opportunities to stand out in the crowd. 

4. Time Constraints 

Exhibitors often face challenges in effectively communicating their message within the limited time that attendees must explore the trade show floor. This limited window of opportunity requires exhibitors to find quick and impactful ways to engage with potential clients while making a lasting impression among the hustle and bustle of the trade show environment. Attendees also face time constraints, as they only have so much time to explore the show floor. 

5. Follow-Up Procedure 

By the time the show is over, attendees have so many business cards that it is hard for one exhibitor to stand out from another. Scarce communication (exhibitor to attendee) and follow-up after the trade show can hinder the process of converting leads into actual sales and business opportunities. 

Addressing Exhibitor and Attendee Needs 

Now that you understand some of the challenges that event attendees and exhibitors may face, it's essential to bring in the right tool to address their needs. In this case, an event mobile app is your key to success. Let’s dive deeper into the reasons why a trade show mobile app is crucial for your event's success. 

1. Enhancing Attendee Experiences  

Each audience member wants to feel like an individual who is a unique and valued member at your trade show. With the right event mobile app and “My Show Planner”, attendees can create a personal agenda where they can browse event exhibitors, sessions, and much more to create their own unique show journey. The app is available to your audience members at any time, allowing for additional engagement before, during, and after the show.  

Real-time updates and push notifications keep attendees informed about schedule changes, important announcements, and special offers, enhancing their overall experience. Interactive maps of the event venue available on the app help attendees navigate efficiently and locate booths, sessions, and amenities. 

2. Streamlining Communication 

When it comes to easing communication, in-app messaging promotes direct communication between attendees, exhibitors, and event organizers, reducing the need for physical information desks and improving response time. Surveys and polls can easily be sent to event audiences via push notifications, allowing organizers to gather real-time feedback and make immediate improvements if necessary. 

3. Data Collection and Review 

When implementing a trade show mobile app, event organizers can gain valuable insights into attendee behavior. The show app can track interactions to identify the most popular sessions, booths, and activities, providing valuable data for future event planning. Additionally, by analyzing app usage statistics, organizers can measure engagement levels and identify specific areas for improvement, ensuring that future events are even more successful and engaging for attendees and exhibitors alike. Exhibitors also gain insights from the app, such as attendee information, to stay connected and improve engagement. 

4. Sponsorship and Revenue Opportunities 

There is no better place to put exhibitor sponsorships than in the hands of attendees. With the right event management technology provider, a trade show mobile app can also be an additional source of revenue. You can excite your exhibitors with new opportunities, such as push notifications, banner ads on different landing pages or a sponsored loading page, also known as a splash screen ad. 

Sponsorship sales can also benefit from utilizing a designated team, adding to your show’s success. Learn more about mobile app design expectations and sponsorships available, here.  

Go beyond sponsorship sales alone by blending in opportunities for on-site booth renewal and exhibitor training. Unlike some event management companies, Map Your Show works with your onsite team to improve the current sales process.  With Map Your Show’s Exhibitor Engagement team, you can bring the best of the best opportunities to your exhibitors. 

5. Push for Sustainability 

Event mobile apps eliminate the need for printed brochures, wayfinding devices, kiosks, and other electronic devices, as everyone can access information on their phones. This not only reduces paper waste but also contributes to a more sustainable event. By incorporating these features into event apps, organizers can fulfill their commitment to environmental responsibility and minimize the event's environmental impact. 

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, bridging the gap between event attendees and exhibitors is crucial for the success of any industry event or trade show. A trade show mobile app can address challenges such as enhancing engagement, managing overcrowded spaces, improving booth visibility, and streamlining communication.  

It provides enhanced attendee experiences, streamlines communication, enables data collection, creates sponsorship and revenue opportunities, and promotes sustainability. Ultimately, the use of a trade show mobile app, such as Map Your Show’s event app, enhances the overall event experience for attendees and empowers event management teams to gather insights and capitalize on new revenue opportunities. 

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Map Your Show  is “Your Trade Show Technology Partner”, offering a wide range of capabilities for your trade show, conference, or industry event, including  Event Floor Plan Mapping Software, Conference Management Software, Event Mobile Apps, Exhibitor Education,  Sponsorship Opportunities, and more. Let us assist you and your team in creating your ideal trade show and event mobile app. Contact us  today for a  free demo.