How to Attract and Keep Exhibitors for Your Trade Show

Are you looking to gain exhibitors for a trade show? How about maintaining your current exhibitors? Having the right strategies in place is a great way to start. Knowing how to identify great exhibitors for your show, create an attractive offer, and effectively reach out to potential participants are all key components of successful trade show management. With this blog post, check out the recommended tips on how to maximize visibility, generate interest in your upcoming event, and attract more exhibitors.

Table of Contents:

• Identifying the Right Exhibitors
• Reaching Out to Potential Exhibitors
• Utilizing Email Marketing Strategies
• Leveraging Existing Network Connections
• Generating Interest in Your Trade Show
• Promoting Your Event on Social Media Platforms
• Creating Content for Your Website
• Maximizing the Visibility of Your Trade Show
• Conclusion

Identifying the Right Exhibitors and Identifying Your Target Audience

As an event organizer, knowing who your target audience is and what they need from an experience as an exhibitor is key to identifying the right exhibitors for your trade show. You can begin researching for potential exhibitors by studying their websites, searches on social media through hashtags or related fields, and more. Finding these companies or exhibitors and developing time researching them will help you to better understand their needs. This creates a higher likelihood that the voice you create for your audience will resonate.

Once you have identified potential exhibitors, you can begin crafting an engaging pitch that highlights the benefits of participating in your event. Make sure to emphasize how exhibiting at your trade show can help them reach their goals, such as increased brand visibility, access to new customers, and more. While keeping this in mind, ensure the overall voice of your messaging is correct for your audience. For example, agricultural shows may prefer a more "down-to-earth" approach (pun intended). 

Reaching Out to Potential Exhibitors

Reaching out to potential exhibitors is essential for gaining interest in your trade show. However, establishing this initial connection is only the first step. When you begin reaching out, you’ll need to provide them with valuable information about your event, such as details on the venue, speakers, activities, or even special offers available at the show. 

Utilizing Email Marketing Strategies:

You can utilize email marketing strategies when reaching out to potential exhibitors by sending personalized emails that include information on your upcoming event and how it can benefit them to exhibit at your show. Make sure you use an appropriate subject line and perhaps include an emoji for attention, so readers are more likely to open up your message. Keep this email short but informative enough so readers understand what’s being offered, even if they skim the email.

Leveraging Existing Network Connections:

Leveraging existing network connections can also be beneficial as these contacts may already be familiar with your brand or have knowledge of similar events. Ask those within your network if they know anyone who would be interested in exhibiting at your trade show and offer incentives like discounts or exclusive access if possible, as this will encourage more people to participate in the event.

By creating meaningful relationships with potential exhibitors, building an effective email marketing strategy, and leveraging your network connections, you can successfully reach out to prospective exhibitors for your trade show. Now let's look at how we can generate interest in the event.

Generating Interest in Your Trade Show

Generating interest in your trade show is essential for success. Promoting your event on social media platforms is a great way to reach potential exhibitors and attendees. Posting interactive and engaging content, such as photos, videos, and stories about the event can help build excitement and anticipation.

Promoting Your Event on Social Media Platforms:

Utilize social media platforms such as LinkedIn (LinkedIn specifically is a great go-to for the trade show and conferencing industry), Twitter, and Facebook to reach out directly to prospective exhibitors. There, you can share content about upcoming events or promotions related to your trade show on these platforms and can generate interest among potential participants. Go a step further and create opportunities for experienced exhibitors to engage with one another as these experienced exhibitors are often industry experts.

You can also create a community around your event. While social media may be known for those who go viral overnight, there is a long-term tactic as well. This can help to foster healthy relationships within your industry. One way that you can do this is by creating a platform for your unique event. On this platform, you’ll have the opportunity to ask tough questions and allow your audience to engage and interact with one another. With social media, you will surely increase the overall ROI for your exhibitors and your event. 

Creating Content for Your Website:

Developing content for your website is another important step in generating interest in your trade show. This could include informative blog posts about topics related to the event, interviews with speakers, or exhibitors that offer insight into what attendees can expect from attending the conference or trade show. Additionally, creating a landing page specifically designed around promoting the event will give visitors easy access to all the information they need in one centralized area.

When creating and implementing your event’s webpage, timing is critical. Ensure your webpage is up and ready to go a few months before and after your show. This provides your event with engagement leading up to and following the event. Plus, exhibitors are able to better prepare for your show as information is now centrally located. Creating this also allows individuals who are interested in your focus to easily find your page on search engines, like google.

By utilizing the strategies outlined above, you can create a successful marketing plan to generate interest in your trade show. Now let's look at how to maximize the visibility of your event and attract more exhibitors.

Maximizing the Visibility of Your Trade Show

Investing in advertising and promotional opportunities is an essential part of maximizing visibility for your trade show. From print ads to digital campaigns, there are many ways to reach potential exhibitors and attendees. Utilizing targeted marketing strategies can help you ensure that your message reaches the right people at the right time. Additionally, investing in promotional materials such as flyers, banners, or online ads can also be beneficial when it comes to increasing awareness about your event.

Creating an effective PR strategy is another crucial component of ensuring your trade show stands out from the competition. Developing relationships with industry-related media sources and utilizing press releases can help spread the word about your event quickly and efficiently. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting exhibitors for your trade show is an important part of event and trade show management. With these steps in mind, you can be sure that you are taking the necessary steps to gain and keep exhibitors for your next trade show.

Are you looking for a way to create an engaging experience for your exhibitors? Look no further than Map Your Show (MYS)! Our comprehensive event, trade show, and conference management technology is designed to create a great experience between your exhibitors and your upcoming event. Get started today and see how MYS can revolutionize the way you plan for your next show!