Here’s a startling statistic New York event planners may not know. Recent studies from Hills & Partners suggest that only 34% of trade show attendees are “very satisfied” with their overall trade show experiences. Recognizing that while trade shows continue to be popular and effective, how can you be sure your guests are having the most engaging experiences when you know how dismal these satisfaction rates are? More important to your trade show success, how can you be sure you make a big enough of an impression on attendees that they come back to the next event?
If your New York events need a boost of inspiration to improve trade show floor experiences, keep reading. These are the steps to consider when planning your industry conferences or corporate exhibitions. Don’t just wow them this time. Implement these ideas to make sure they keep coming back.
Trade Show Floor Logistics & Layouts
Start by examining your upcoming trade show’s layout and logistics. Look for ways to funnel traffic in thoughtful, non-bottleneck ways. Bring in some interesting lighting and backdrops that inspire energy. Leave some empty spaces and cozy nooks where visiting guests can mingle and network without restricting the flow of booth browsers. Be creative with your signage, so attendees know how to find key areas and booths they want to see. And be deliberate about focal points, designing main congregation areas to be free-flowing and welcoming.
Trade Show Marketing
Event planning success is achieved through proper management of attendee expectations. How you communicate and market your trade show, including how attractive you’re able to make your trade show, will determine engagement levels. To keep your guests coming back every trade show year, look to change up how you market your conference, highlighting new experiences alongside those trusted, reliable experiences that drew guests the first time.
Consider trying new channels and optics, too, including:
- Brilliantly designed landing pages
- FAQ details on your trade show website
- Engaging and FOMO-driven social media
- Constant communication about event dates and details
- Consistent email marketing campaigns to past guests
- Incentivizing returning attendees and new attendees
- Securing sponsorships that help broaden your audiences
Trade Show Engagement Strategies
Allow your exhibitors the freedom to bring in entertaining interactions that draw people to their booths. But as a New York event planner, you can be looking to bring in additional, more crowd-based entertainment to keep those audiences engaged even when they’re not perusing exhibits. Games, live bands, and interactive contests will ensure your trade show guests always have something to get excited about, especially if there are drawings and prizes in the mix.
Keep these insights in mind as you look to improve your annual conferences this year and keep guests excited about coming back every year. And speaking of trade shows, did you reserve your exhibitor booth yet for The Event Planner Expo 2023? Learn more today and don’t miss out on the #1 events industry conference of the year! It’s your chance to showcase your services, products, and talents to the industry’s leading decision makers.
