This is our eighth video to our series “Wise up with Fitwise”. To view all our videos visit our YouTube channel or video page of our website.
Exhibition and Sponsorship Sales
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First steps to launching a trade exhibition
It is important to have a current and up-to-date database of existing exhibitors and any new prospects. Make sure you spend time researching your market, reading the latest journals and news articles, attend similar meetings and keep your database up to date with contacts.
You will want to provide any potential exhibitor with a clear prospectus outlining the opportunities which are available for them from a commercial point of view. This includes information on things such as pricing, floor plans, and sponsorship opportunities.
Look to see the types of exhibitors you are engaging with. Are you going to look after key groups first, such as corporate members or specific sponsors? Make sure they receive the appropriate level of attention that they would expect.
Promoting the exhibition and sponsorship opportunities
This comes from the sales area of the business. Set up some form of online platform such as an email to go out to all potential exhibitors or sponsors. Look to distribute this to as many companies as possible.
Face-to-face meetings help develop these prospects. These meetings are invaluable as you can sit down with these companies and go through the opportunities available to them.
Note that hard copy mailings can be made as well; it is costly but effective.
You can then look at other ways of engaging with potential exhibitors. For example, customer call out campaigns from existing clients to new potential clients.
Key objectives of trade exhibitions:
The first and foremost objective of any exhibition is to generate revenue for the organisers of the event. In the healthcare industry, generation of revenue is key to the sustenance of the association’s activities and maintaining that education throughout the year.
Another objective is creating the appropriate commercial activities for companies. They are there to ultimately achieve new business.
You want to also provide the appropriate environment for delegates and exhibitors. You want to create the necessary buzz where they get what they are looking for: the delegates get the education they are looking for and the exhibitors get the opportunities to engage with the delegates.
The exhibition must be the best representation of the products or services within the industry. Bring together all the key stakeholders offering education and peer networking for those involved.
Key ingredients for success from an organiser’s perspective
- To generate footfall throughout an exhibition. Footfall is the lifeblood of any exhibition.
- Utilising floorplans carefully before and during the event.
- Managing footfall via the catering stands and stand competitions.
- Well planned sponsorship opportunities which place the companies and their products in the best possible context.
- Creating the right buzz and environment: this can be done through careful promotion and activities during the event such as stand competitions.
