Choosing the Best Trade Shows to Attend

Exhibiting at a trade show is an investment. The best way to get a good ROI is by choosing the best trade shows to attend. When you position your products and services in front of the right audience, you are more likely to walk away with high quality leads and increased sales. Luckily, there are some easy ways to narrow down your options and select the trade shows that will meet your goals and objectives.  To determine the best events for your business and booth, follow our tips below.

Define Your Goals 

Start with the goals you hope to reach by exhibiting at the trade show. Do you plan on raising awareness about your company? Increasing leads and sales? Strengthening relationships with customers? Understanding your goals will help you choose an event with the right attendees and environment. 

Do Your Research 

The next step is to find trade shows that align with your goals. You can start researching upcoming trade shows in your area or industry, or use a tool like The Trade Show Calendar to search for events you may be interested in. Some of the most popular cities for trade shows include Las Vegas, Chicago and New York, but you can find them all over. While traveling is always more expensive, most businesses have to do this at some point to reach a wider audience. 

Narrow Down Your Options 

Once you have a list of trade shows that you feel are worth attending, ask yourself how they will help you accomplish your objectives. Find out everything you can about each show, such as its demographics, statistics, vendors, etc. This information can usually be found on the trade show’s website. Based on the data, narrow down your options and ensure that you are choosing an event where your audience will be. Consider how long the trade show has been around, how well publicized it is, and if it has a positive reputation. 

Determine Your Budget 

What budget are you working with? Some trade shows are more expensive than others, so you want to make sure that you can afford an exhibition booth space. If you can’t, there’s no reason to force the numbers. By staying local, you can reduce travel expenses. In addition, choosing a modular or rental display can save on booth staff, shipping and storage. 

Know Your Audience 

Probably most important on our list is knowing the audience that will be at the event. How do they like to interact with your brand? What are their preferred communication channels? Use your buyer personas for guidance. Based on the demographics of the area and the types of attendees the event typically hosts, you can estimate how many attendees actually fit your customer profiles. 

The longer you exhibit and the more networking you do, the more confident you will be in choosing the right trade shows to attend. If you’re considering renting or designing a custom booth for an upcoming show, schedule a consultation with IGE today.