3 of 36: Before the Expo, Plan – Why?
Number 3 of the thirty six free exhibitor training videos, with the written version that went out alongside it.
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.
‘Know your destination before you start your journey’.
How Should You Spend Your Time Before The Expo?
Creating visually engaging display stands, purchasing merchandise, booking accommodation and travel... These are all important tasks, but if you haven't identified a clear and achievable goal at the outset, such investment can be aimless, unfocused and ultimately ineffective. You need to understand your objective and commit to it well in advance.
Booking your exhibition stand space early really helps with planning and making the most of the show. Having six months to plan for a national or international event is good, and for local and regional exhibitions, giving yourself a minimum of three months is definitely advisable.
In our experience, too many businesses under-prioritise the activities that need to be completed before the expo. Instead, they start late and then plough lots of time and effort into equipping themselves for the day of the show itself. That last-minute rush is a recipe for mistakes, compromises and lost opportunities. In any competition it’s the training and hard work before the event that prepares you for the day. Having the right mindset, the right attitude, the right team and the right strategy does not happen overnight. So give yourself the time to make it happen.
Develop Your Own Checklist
Events can be very different and they can demand different strategies, but they will have enough in common that it's worth developing a basic checklist. You can save yourself a lot of time by drawing up a standard list of event-related roles, tasks and materials - even noting simple things like the locations of important documents and artwork. Each event is an opportunity to learn lessons that will help you improve the next one, and your checklist can be an important part of this process. The Six P’s provides an excellent framework for such a list. They will help you and your team prepare for every event, and ensure that your organisation is ready and equipped to generate a worthwhile return on investment.
The First 'P': PLAN A
vital step in planning is defining what ROI you need to be aiming for. It's a figure that takes a bit of working out.
In Our Next Presentation...
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So, in our next presentation, we’ll be taking a closer look at the elements you'll need to consider when making that calculation. What exactly does your investment need to deliver?
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