8 Things To Consider Before Your First Trade Show

If you’re exhibiting at your first-ever event and you’re unsure where to begin then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’re going to be selling your products or demonstrating your new releases, you need to ensure you’re as prepared as you can possibly be when it comes to exhibiting. Your first event can be overwhelming and stressful and if you don’t plan ahead, chances are it’s going to be much harder than it needs to be. Luckily, there are lots of questions you can ask yourself to make it as easy as you possibly can.

With that in mind, here are 8 things to consider before exhibiting at your first-ever trade event: 

Do You Have An Overall Budget For Attending The Event?

One of the first things you need to consider when it comes exhibiting at your first-ever trade event is your overall budget, as this will ensure you’re not over-spending. Exhibiting at an event can be incredibly expensive and if you’re not planning a budget in advance, chances are you’re going to end up spending more than you actually need. 

If you’re struggling when it comes to setting your budget, you need to think about each individual aspect of the event. From the cost of stand space to the cost of getting all of your products to and from the venue, the more you’re thinking about the better. Once you have a maximum budget for each individual aspect, you can put together a budget for the whole project. Make sure you follow a guide to setting budgets as a business, to make it as easy as possible.

How Much Space Do You Need?

Another important thing to consider is how much space you’re going to need. When it comes to exhibiting at an event everyone will buy a certain amount of space, depending on what they’re planning to do at the event. You can bring a couple of tables and some products, or you can design a whole free-standing stand for people to walk around. As it’s your first event, you’re more than likely going to want a small amount of space to test the waters.

What Products And Equipment Do You Need To Take With You?

Once you know how much space you’re going to have, you can think about the products and equipment you need to take with you. If it’s an event where people are able to purchase your products, you’re going to want to take enough stock to last you the duration of the event. In most cases, it’s better to have too much than not enough.

Will You Be Hiring Event Staff?

You may also want to think about whether or not you’re going to be hiring event staff, or if you’re going to be taking your own team members. Either way, they need to be friendly and approachable.

Be sure to follow a guide to hiring event staff, to avoid the most common mistakes. 

How Will You Get Everything To And From The Event?

One of the hardest parts of exhibiting at an event is knowing how you’re going to get everything to and from the event. If it’s nearby, you may want to do a couple of journeys in a company vehicle. If not, you can hire a van or logistics company to help you.

How Will You Attract People To Your Stand?

Once you’ve planned your stand and the products you’re going to be taking, you need to think about how you’re going to get people to visit your stand. Whether you set-up a competition or give away free food, it’s important you’re doing all that you can to bring new customers to your exhibition stand.

Do You Need To Buy Promotional Items?

A great way to get people to your stand is to create branding promotional items. From promotional pens to keyrings, and USB sticks, there are lots of things you can be handing out to potential customers. Although not everyone will be purchasing something from your stand, those there to collect a promotional item may think of your business when they do need you. Just be sure to link to your home page. 

Do You Have A Contingency Plan In Place?

Finally, you need to think about having a contingency plan in place. Although everything is likely to run to plan, knowing what you’ll do in the event of an emergency is important.

This is a contributed post.