Give Your Exhibitors What They Need and When They Need It

August 6, 2016

David Lawton

David Lawton, EVP of Sales at Convention Data Services has over 20 years of experience in the tradeshow industry with 6 of those years as an active exhibitor at numerous shows each year. His diverse background also includes experience in sales, customer support, design and product development. ConventionDataServices.com. 

I recently attended an industry event where I listened to a panel of five exhibitors speak to a room full of show managers. The exhibitors all strongly agreed that their number one need was communication and education.

Communicating information about what tools to use and creating educational opportunities for your exhibitors to understand the usage and benefits will help them to maximize the value of your event and fulfill their company’s exhibiting goals. By giving your exhibitors what they need and when they need it you are helping them to succeed and ensuring that when you call to sell booth space for your next event, they’ll sign up again.

Here are some tips to help you give your exhibitors what they are asking for and what they need to have a successful event:

1.  Create and use a timeline

Using a timeline can make all the difference in the world. Exhibitors are inundated with emails from you and your vendors in preparation for your event, and many things can get lost in the shuffle or go unnoticed. By giving your exhibitors a timeline specific to your event you are easily communicating to them what needs to be done and when.

·         Begin with a structured plan and schedule for your timeline so you do not send too many emails or newsletters and overwhelm your exhibitors.

·         Consolidate all communications for your event into one email or newsletter with a timeline of dates and vendor deadlines. Also include a snapshot of all exhibitor educational sessions that are available to help them get ready for your event.

·         Start sending your communications and timeline well in advance of your event. Leading up to your event, begin sending them out monthly and increase the frequency to weekly as it gets closer to your event.

2.  Communication

Share information about your event and give your exhibitors multiple ways to access that event information.  

·         Post your newsletters and event communications on an exhibitors only section of your event website so your exhibitors can easily access the information and find it if they cannot locate the original email.

·         Create online versions of your manuals to give your exhibitors an event reference they can keep at their fingertips and access on their mobile devices.

·         Form an Exhibitor Advisory Committee or Exhibitor Task Force and at a minimum, hold annual meetings or calls to provide an opportunity for your exhibitors to speak with other exhibitors, discuss best practices, learn about new innovations and share successful strategies. These meetings are more effective when they are held during the year at times other than onsite at your show. In an onsite setting, the exhibitors are in “show mode” and cannot take the time to focus on the discussion items.

·         Use social media and a unique show hash tag as another way to communicate with and inform your exhibitors.

3.  Provide educational opportunities in multiple formats

Your first point of education should be to inform your exhibitors of what is available to them. In your monthly communication materials, promote your educational opportunities and how to access them in the various formats. Emphasize the value of this education and how it can impact your exhibitors’ success.

·         Webinars and podcasts help your exhibitors get the most from their exhibiting experience. Create sessions on tips for pre-event marketing, along with strategies for driving booth traffic, capturing leads and a successful follow-up. Schedule webinars that include your vendors (i.e., lead retrieval, decorator, registration, A/V). Record your webinars and don’t forget to post them to your event website in the exhibitor section so your exhibitors can access the webinar content at any time during the event cycle.

·         Our industry thrives on face-to-face interactions. Organize workshops or exhibitor “boot camps” in a central location where exhibitors can attend and take a crash course to learn about everything available for your event and receive one-on-one assistance. This provides exhibitors with the opportunity to create marketing materials, a lead strategy and prepare for your event.

·         Work with a lead retrieval vendor who provides one-on-one demos and training on their lead retrieval equipment to ensure your exhibitors and their staff are prepared for the opening of the show floor. Also encourage exhibitors to take advantage of onsite training in their booth for a quick reminder on the use of the equipment and a chance to ask follow-up questions.

·         Provide a success kit for your exhibitors that includes tips on collecting, managing and following up on their leads.

Remember, communicating with and educating your exhibitors not only benefits them but it also benefits you and your event. Their success translates into a successful event for you.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact