There are 2 main aspects that create a highly successful conference. One, you need to make it great for attendees (duh). Two, make it great for exhibitors so they keep coming back. Sounds simple, right? There is a lot to consider when trying to make it great for both exhibitors and attendees.

This post will help you figure out the exhibitor part.

You might be wondering, Why do I need to make it great for exhibitors? Well, mainly because you need exhibitors and the fees and sponsorship dollars they bring to offset the cost of hosting the conference. Another reason is because your attendees need a break, and providing them a way to spend that break time to learn new techniques, see new products in action, or score a show special on the products they already use is definitely a no-brainer.

When it comes to exhibitors, they are measuring success by Return on Investment (ROI). This is effected solely by traffic to their booths, and traffic that is interested in their product or service.

Do you find you have to recruit new sponsors and exhibitors every year? Or do you have a good number of repeat vendors?

A successful conference will have a fair amount of repeat exhibitors. These are vendors that have attended previously, and regardless of their cost to attend, saw a ROI enough to warrant their return to the conference.

Here’s a few tips to keep your exhibitors coming back year after year:

• Provide your exhibitors with all the information they need to make their decisions. This includes a professional and complete prospectus, booth layout, sponsorship options, deadlines and more. Present this information clearly on your website and always keep it updated.
• Supply your vendors with a way to contact the conference attendees. This may be a mailing list before or after the conference, or an opportunity to contribute to an email marketing campaign prior to the meeting.
• Schedule ample exhibit hall hours. Be sure the exhibit hall breaks are scheduled mid-morning, lunch and early afternoon to capture the traffic that might arrive late or leave early. Make sure any special events are scheduled outside of exhibit hall hours.
• Offer customizable sponsorship package options. Consider offering “A La Carte” options to meet the exposure and budget goals of your exhibitors.

Oh ya, this one seems pretty common sense, but I’ll say it for good measure:

Do not lie to your sponsors and exhibitors!

Don’t inflate your attendance numbers and be sure to answer all your exhibitors questions honestly. You don’t want your vendors to be mad at you for misrepresenting the value. Your conference has value! Even if you aren’t showing registrations of more than 300 attendees- you still have plenty to offer. Encourage your attendees to spend quality time in the exhibit hall and explain the benefit of having the suppliers there. I’ve had plenty of exhibitors tell me the number of attendees isn’t as important as the quality of attendees.

I hope you found this post insightful. As a former exhibitor and tradeshow coordinator for a podiatry device manufacturer, I am able to offer a unique perspective on how to make your meetings more exhibitor friendly. Reach out to me today if you have questions or would like to chat!

Ann Dosen
ann@cloverconferences.com

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The information provided by Clover Conferences, LLC or Ann Dosen on www.cloverconferences.com or via email is for general informational purposes only. All information is provided in good faith, however, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information we provide. Basically, we are not responsible if you take our advice and it doesn’t go well for you.