Launch Day: Exhibitor Training Video #1 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

Welcome to our new series of video tutorials for exhibitors. We have produced a series of short, 3 minute presentations that explain how to get the most from your business exhibition strategy; how to choose the right event, how to plan for it, and how to engage effectively with visitors before, during and after it. Alongside each video, we’ll be producing a short blog article to summarise the key points. In this first article, we look at what is arguably the most important question of all.

How Do I Choose the Right Expo?

Am I Exhibiting for the Right Reasons?

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Before the Expo, the 6P’s: Exhibitor Training Video #2 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Spend more time on preparations before the event so you can be ready to maximise your ROI at the event.’

When you think about all the tasks you need to complete in readiness for an expo, it can quickly start to feel like a whirlwind. Yes, there’s a plethora of activities to consider, but fear not: we have encompassed all the key areas using a framework called “The Six P’s.” We designed this by placing a strong emphasis on the key priority areas required as part of an overall strategy to help generate the ROI.

We’ll be examining each of the following elements individually in our next few blog posts, but if there’s only one message that you take away today, let it be this:

So what are the Six P’s?

1. Plan
2. People
3. Prospects
4. Pre-Event Promotion
5. Print & Merchandise
6. Paperwork

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Before the Expo, Plan – Why? Exhibitor Training Video #3 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Know your destination before you start your journey’.

Proper planning is fundamental to achieving a successful return. By spending time preparing for an expo, you’ll be able to focus your efforts on the areas that most need your attention and you’ll avoid wasting time on less productive activities. This all helps to maximise your chances of generating a return on investment.

Businesses spend large sums on exhibitions and typically spend a disproportionate amount of time on the creative aspects of the stand design – usually at the expense of other vital issues such as staff training, pre-event promotion, researching the target audience and – most importantly – focusing on what they most want to get out of the event. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Plan – Calculating your ROI: Exhibitor Training Video #4 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘ROI is not sales revenue. To generate ROI it’s important to understand what it is’.

Getting a return on investment from an expo is doesn’t just mean generating leads and converting them. To get a real understanding of ROI, you need first to work out your costs. This includes the costs of the stand space as well as the display stand, merchandise, literature, give-aways, staff time, travel costs, accommodation, subsistence and much more.

Spending time understanding the actual costs will help you determine the profit you need to generate in order to see a positive return. In turn, this will allow you to examine your average lead conversion success rate and determine how many enquiries you are likely to need from the show in order to generate the necessary ROI. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, People: The right staff, the right attitude #5 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Your team members are the face of your organisation. Make sure you select, motivate and train them accordingly.’

Having the right staff is extremely important because, very simply, your people will determine your success at the event. During your preparations, concentrate on ‘TEAM’ values. In other words:

• Trained
• Engaging & Passionate
• Attitude & Mindset
• Motivated & Energetic

Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, People: Staff Training #6 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘80% of stand success is down to staff, so train them.’

Having the right staff is one thing, but having a team that is fully trained, briefed and ready is the main objective when it comes to generating a return on investment from expos. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo: Prospects #7 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Guarantee visitors to your stand by inviting them.’

Exhibitions not only provide a platform for generating unexpected new leads; they’re also a great opportunity to strengthen existing relationships – with established customers, with suppliers and with ‘warm’ prospects. An expo affords a chance to invite people to meet up in a productive, business-focused environment, where attendance delivers benefits for everyone.

It’s often a good idea to alert known businesses and stakeholders to the fact that you’ll be exhibiting, and to invite them along to your stand. But be selective; not everyone will benefit from attending the particular expo you’ve chosen. Remember, you’re asking for them for their time and commitment, so make sure you are adding value; that you’re giving them a good reason to invest that time. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Pre-Event Promotion: Why? #8 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

‘80 percent of companies do little or no promotion of their exhibition ahead of time’.

The importance of pre-show marketing cannot be stressed enough. Incomm Research showed that 76% of trade show visitors plan their schedule in advance, meaning they already know which exhibits they want to visit.  Meanwhile, a study carried out by the Trade Show Bureau found that 45% of attendees are attracted to a company’s exhibition either through pre-event marketing or direct invitations.

In short, it’s not a good strategy to appear at an exhibition expecting to rely solely on passing trade. If you aren’t publicising your presence in advance, the chances are that you’ll be missing out on some big opportunities. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Pre-Event Promotion: Online? #9 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Use free digital platforms to attract the right visitors to your stand.’

Many online digital platforms are free to use, and you should certainly consider using them to promote your presence at your next event. There is no shortage of available channels, so the challenge is to choose the right ones – those that offer the best penetration within your target markets.

It’s normally a good idea to use blogs, e-newsletter campaigns, videos and platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Gauge which of them are best used by your target markets and develop a simple communications plan. You can then schedule your activities accordingly. Remember to be consistent in your messages, and note that some channels require daily activity while, for others, fortnightly or monthly activity may be enough. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Pre-Event Promotion: Online? #10 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

‘Choose the marketing channels that most effectively reach your target audiences.’

‘Offline marketing’ has become a catch-all term referring to more traditional (non-digital) promotional platforms. These can include things like direct mail, sales letters, business networking sessions and printed or broadcast media. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to choosing your promotional channels but for certain events and target markets, some of them can be surprisingly cost effective.

There is a preconception that some forms of promotion are prohibitively expensive; TV and radio advertising, for example, are often regarded as channels that struggle to deliver a worthwhile return. However, the reality is more complex. It all depends on your audience.  Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Print & Merchandise: Print #11 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘‘Have the right literature for the expo so visitors can take something tangible about your organisation away with them’

Print & Merchandise is the fifth of our Six Ps – the six key factors to bear in mind when planning to earn a meaningful return on your exhibition investment. In this post, we’ll look at the first part of that category – the printed items that you’ll want to produce in readiness for your exhibition.  Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Print & Merchandise: Merchandise #12 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Don’t expect a visitor to turn into a customer just because they took a pen from your stand. Why have it? Because it gives you a presence after the event.’

Print & Investing in promotional goods might seem like an unnecessary cost when you’re trying to control your expenditure, but if you set clear objectives and select the right merchandise for your target audience, it can generate a valuable return on investment.

Most exhibitors will have pens on their stands; others will spend more on items such as coasters, mugs, mints, USB sticks, car air fresheners, bags and trolley coins. The question is: are these things worth the effort?  Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Print & Merchandise: Stand Display #13 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

‘’A visitor will typically take three seconds to view your stand before they pass by. In three seconds, your display must convey your company name, what you do and at least one customer benefit.’

Stand design is important to the success of your event. Whether you are re-using an existing display or starting a new design from scratch, there are some important considerations to bear in mind. .

Stands come in many forms: bespoke, pop-up, pull-up and more. Some even feature interactive screens. Whatever form it takes, the ‘3 second rule’ will always apply.  Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Print & Merchandise: Layout Design #14 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

‘’When it comes to designing the stand layout, keep SOLID in mind: Storage, Openness, Location, Inviting, Draft Design.’

Planning your stand is about more than just the display you erect. The whole space should be planned to encourage visitor engagement and to make life easy for your exhibition staff. Good layout design means thinking about how people will actually use the space. The acronym SOLID shown above is a useful tool to keep in mind. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Paperwork: What do you need? #15 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Paperwork is not a ‘necessary evil.’ It’s an essential tool for making sure you plan well, keep things organised, and maximise your return on investment.’

In today’s tutorial, we’ll be covering the 3 pieces of paperwork every exhibitor needs to have for the show; Staff Timetable,  Checklist, Data Capture Form. Read the full blog here

Before the Expo, Paperwork: Data Capture #16 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Contact details are vital. As a minimum, you should record a full name, company name, position, email and telephone number. A business card will provide most of this information. Make sure they have agreed for you to make contact.’

As we noted in our previous article, we need to give serious consideration to the information we plan to collect at the event. So, what data should we collect and how do we capture it? Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS #17 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘A useful acronym, SELFLESS is designed to help you get the most out of every expo.’

You’ve arrived at the expo, and today is the day. So, how will you spend your time? And what do you need to do to make the expo work for you? To help with this section of the training, we have created a framework called SELFLESS. Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Stand Appearance #18 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Imagine you are running a shop. Your exhibition stand is your shop window; your opportunity to encourage visitors to come inside.’

So how do you make that stand display as attractive and appealing as possible? Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Engagement with Visitors; Eye Contact and Body Language #19 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘Non-verbal communication cues can make a real difference to your success in engaging with visitors. It pays to think what your face and body might be saying.’

The simplicity behind making eye contact, smiling, and being welcoming cannot be underestimated when it comes to visitor engagement. Yet, how often do we pass stands where the exhibitor is on the phone or simply showing no signs of interest? Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Engagement with Visitors; Making Conversation #20 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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‘There are three key things to remember when developing conversations with visitors: ask open questions, talk about the visitor’s needs, and keep things concise.’

Talking about the weather or the journey to the venue can be an easy, neutral conversation-starter but if we’re going to be able to identify whether visitors are potential prospects, we need to have a meaningful dialogue with them. So how do we encourage a flowing (and useful) conversation? Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Engagement with Visitors; Games, Competitions and Prize Draws #21 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

‘A great way to increase visitor interaction is by using games, competitions, prize draws, food and merchandise at the stand. This will help build a rapport and could lead to a meaningful dialogue.’

As we discussed in the previous blog, an enthusiastic approach and some basic communication skills can play an important role in breaking down barriers and encouraging visitor engagement. However, there is a lot more you can do. Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Lead Qualification & Data Capture; Asking the Right Questions #22 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

You will get many visitors to your stand. Some will come with the sole aim of selling to you. How do you separate the window shoppers from solid prospects? It’s about asking the right questions, so remember:

‘SLICK: Solutions-focused, Listening, Investigating, Closing, Key next steps.’ Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Lead Qualification & Data Capture; Collecting Accurate Data #23 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

You will meet many visitors at the Expo. You will have conversations with them at your stand, during refreshment breaks, in seminars, at networking events or even when visiting other stands. If you collect accurate information at the show, then you’ll find it quicker and easier to remember those conversations afterwards, and to execute the follow-ups effectively. So how do you ensure that you collect accurate data? And how should you record the information you receive?

Answer: by keeping it SIMPLE.

”SIMPLE’: Simple form, Information recall, Maintain consistency, Process agreed, Logging
data and Extras. Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Food and Fluids #24 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

In this presentation, we’re looking at the ‘F’ in SELFLESS: Food and fluids.

”Expos can be very long days, so make sure you drink enough fluids and eat well. You need to maintain positive energy throughout the expo so that you’re ready to engage with every visitor and make the most of your time at the show.’ Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Love the Show #25 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

‘Love the show’. What do we mean by that? Quite simply, this is about making the event enjoyable for yourself and your team. Exhibiting is work; it has a commercial objective, but making it enjoyable is a great way of maintaining your energy and working at your best.

‘Having fun at expos not only makes it enjoyable; it plays a vital role in creating a positive, vibrant environment. It also helps create a great mindset for exhibitors.’ Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Exhibitor Networking #26 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

Most exhibitors fail to take advantage of meeting fellow exhibitors at the show. This is usually because exhibitors are busy managing their own stand. But there’s a lot of potential in this sort of networking, so how do you create the opportunity to meet and talk with other exhibitors?

‘Start by getting to know fellow exhibitors before the show. Most events publish exhibitor listings. If not, then contact the event organiser and try to find out who else is exhibiting.’  Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Show Offers #27 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

Continuing our exploration of the ‘SELFLESS’ acronym, we’ve reached ‘S’ for Show Offers. This is all about encouraging prospects to purchase from you within a specific timeframe.

‘Show offers are different from a prize draw, which appeal to every visitor and usually produce just one winner. A Show Offer is an incentive linked to your product/service offering. If a visitor is to take advantage of your Show Offer then he or she must act within a fixed period.’ Read the full blog here

During the Expo, SELFLESS – Social Media #28 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

The final part of our exploration of how to maximise return on investment on the day of the expo concerns a well-known topic: Social Media. This is the final ‘S’ in our acronym SELFLESS.

‘Social media presents excellent opportunities to promote your organisation on the day of the event and to invite visitors to your stand.’ Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB #29 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

You used the 6 Ps to spend time doing all the right things before the expo: you did your planning; you brought the right people together; you invited prospects; you promoted the event beforehand; and you invested in print and merchandise.

On the day of the expo days, you ticked of the SELFLESS list. You engaged with visitors by offering merchandise; you involved them in prize draws or competitions; you qualified each lead; you captured accurate data, and of course, you had plenty of fun.

So what next? (Clue: you can expect another acronym.)

.

‘Now the event is over, you need to make the Expo FAB: Follow-up, Analyse / debrief, and Book early.’ Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB, Follow-up; How and Why? #30 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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Companies attend expos to win new business. So how could that figure possibly be so high? Well, people who fail to follow-up mainly do it because they lack something – either:
• The time to do it, or
• The knowledge of how to do it.

‘According to industry figures, 75% of people never follow-up on the leads they receive at exhibitions’ Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB, Follow-up; Warm Prospects #31 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial and download a copy of the full blog for this tutorial.

You’ve had meaningful conversations with visitors, you’ve qualified them properly and as a result you have generated some exciting leads. So how do you now follow these up? Use the acronym PRAISE!

‘When it comes to following up leads, especially hot and warm ones, use PRAISE: Permission, Recording data, Arrange meeting, Invest time, Secure order, Everlasting relationships.’ Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB, Follow-up; General Leads #32 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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In addition to having hot, warm and interested prospects, you will have general data made up of other visitors who came to your stand. So, what do you do with this data? The aim is to stay connected and to keep the door open to them. How do you do that? Use the acronym TAG.

‘Thank them, Add value, Gain consent.’  Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB, Analyse & Debrief; Revisit Costs #33 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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At the end of the project it is a very good idea to look at the costs you incurred.

‘Knowing exactly how much you spent and how you spent it will help when planning for subsequent expos.’  Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB, Analyse & Debrief; Staff Debriefing #34 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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It’s important to take the time after each event to consider what worked well and to learn lessons for the future. As a framework for considering how you can improve the human dimension of your events, use the acronym DEBRIEF.

‘DEBRIEF: Data generated, Evaluating costs, Best moments, Reviewing improvements, Input from team, Exhibition protocols, Feedback from visitors.’  Read the full blog here

After the Expo, FAB, Book Early #35 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

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The advantages of booking early for expos are usually overlooked. If you enjoyed your last event and generated a good ROI, then why not book early and start your planning? In this post, as well as covering the benefits of booking early, we also want to spend time explaining the importance of thanking everyone and how you can use social media to complete the project.

‘By booking early, not only do you benefit from a discounted price – you get priority on choosing the location of your stand. Importantly, it also gives you maximum time to plan for the next event.’  Read the full blog here

Bonus Video #36 of 36

By Mubarak Chati, MD, 1 Events Media.

Watch the video for this tutorial to learn why we did the videos and what happens next.

‘There’s 21 years of experience in those exhibition training videos that’s been put together, shared with no cost, simple for one reason and one reason only, to benefit mankind and to change the world. Why? Why not. Knowledge is not power, unless that knowledge that you have is shared, put back in the eco system and people benefit and continue to share so that other people continue to benefit. That’s when knowledge becomes powerful and that’s why we did those exhibitor training videos’.