Trade Show Insights Marlys K. Arnold

Lifestyles have changed since the “Great Pause,” and stamina is a big part of that. While event attendees used to be willing to be booked solid from sunup to sundown (and far beyond), that just doesn’t fly anymore.

Savvy trade show organizers and exhibitors are learning to integrate wellness into all aspects of the event – from the overall schedule to meals to in-booth activities and more.

In this episode, wellness consultant David Stevens goes beyond the buzzword of wellness and shares strategic ways to integrate well-being into events by:



* Becoming mindful of the attendee experience

* Incorporating wellness elements in your booth

* Designing after-hours events that won’t burn people out

* Understanding what “wellness washing” is & how to avoid it

* Pacing yourself and your team to make it through the entire show



Related links:



* Connect with David Stevens on LinkedIn

* Return on Wellness podcast (hosted by David)

* MyConferencePro.com – rating & reviews site for trade shows



About David Stevens

David Stevens is a Silicon Valley native with more than 20 years’ experience in the corporate events industry. He’s worked in various capacities including agencies, non-profit associations, experiential marketing, incentives, concert and tour production. He co-founded Olympian Meeting, a wellness consulting firm for events, meetings & conferences, to help clients create impactful and meaningful experiences that drive engagement, awareness and revenue. In addition to being a fitness enthusiast and popular speaker on the topic of wellness, he also hosts the Return on Wellness podcast.

 

(Transcript coming soon)

 

Certain topics are getting lots of buzz these days: staffing challenges, budgets, sustainability, AI. But too often that’s all they are – buzzwords.

So for this episode of Trade Show Insights, I invited one of my trade show BFFs to join me for a conversation that goes beyond the surface of these topics to what should be on everyone’s radar.

You see for several years, Rich Vallaster and I have scheduled frequent touch-base calls to analyze what’s happening in the trade show industry, what’s working, and what needs to change. Now you have the opportunity to listen in as we discuss:



* How staffing shortages at all levels can affect exhibitors

* What show managers can do to make things easier for new exhibitors

* Why shows need to reward loyalty for both exhibitors and attendees

* How there’s a big disconnect around the topic of sustainability

* When and how to put AI tools to use



Related links:



* 5 Key Takeaways from NRF Big Show by the Trade Show Wonk (video recap)

* Mastering AI Prompt Engineering for EventProfs (video)

* Shaping the Events Industry: Event Professionals Share Their Predictions



About Rich Vallaster

Rich Vallaster, CEM, DES, is the Director of Marketing, Live Events & the Trade Show Wonk at A2Z Events–Personify. He has spent the bulk of his career in the events business, from large-scale outdoor experiences to some of the largest trade shows and conferences in the U.S. He is an appointed member of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) Council and an active member of the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA).

Rich has been quoted and published in numerous outlets regarding events industry topics. He also serves on several advisory committees and regularly speaks to association organizers, exhibitors, and attendees at events such as IAEE’s Expo! Expo! In 2024, he was appointed to the IAEE CEM Commission and teaches regularly in the IAEE Certified in Exhibition Management program.

He also wrote the foreword for the updated edition of Build a Better Trade Show Image.

When you hear the word “sponsorship,” what do you think of first? The welcome reception … or tote bags … or a gazillion banners hanging all around the convention center?

Sure, that’s what most shows do. But you don’t want to be like most shows, right?

Time to makeover the sponsorship menu with options that stand out and benefit everyone involved – attendees and exhibitors, as well as the show’s bottom line.

In this episode, brand activation and sponsorship strategist MK Granados from Gen City Labs explains how to:



* Tap into unique opportunities hiding in plain sight

* Use sponsorships to solve problems for attendees

* Show exhibitors you care about their needs too

* Make the arrival experience memorable



Related links:



* The Sponsorship Playbook (MK’s newsletter on LinkedIn)

* Creating Win-Win Sponsorships (previous TSI episode)

* Maximizing Sponsorships (previous TSI episode)

* Taking a Closer Look at Sponsorship (TSI interview with Nancy Drapeau from CEIR)



About MK Granados

MK Granados is head of marketing for Gen City Labs, a creative technology studio that works with brands to craft interactive experiences at events, pop-ups, briefing centers, and more. Previously, MK led brand activation strategies at Gartner, as well as sponsorship and media opportunities at ReedPOP, the producers of New York Comic Con, PAX, and Star Wars Celebration.

MK develops creative strategies for clients by drawing on her background in theatre, exploring storytelling throughout every step of the customer journey. She recently graduated with her MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler, and has developed fan engagement and gamification strategies for global brands, including Chevrolet, Amazon, SYFY, DIRECTV, and Monster Energy.

When I ask exhibitors about their goals for a particular show, the most common answer is either brand awareness/visibility or generating leads.

While these are valid reasons for exhibiting, they’re what I call “squishy goals.” That’s because there’s nothing definitive or measurable about them. So how can you prove you were successful if you don’t have a way to measure your results – especially if someone in your company (sales manager, VP of Marketing, or whoever) must be convinced that trade shows are worth the investment?

But that’s a topic for another episode or blog post.



Today I want to help you use your goal as a North Star to guide all your trade show decisions: what your exhibit should look like (what it should or shouldn’t include), how to promote it, what to give away, and even how to craft your follow-up strategy.

For example … if your goal is to build brand awareness, you’ll want to make as big of a splash at the show as possible. That could include big and bold graphics (maybe even an LED wall or hanging banner), and perhaps a high-visibility sponsorship in addition to your booth. Incorporate a clever theme and layer in a bit of gamification to draw people to your booth. Give away fun prizes that reinforce your brand and that attendees will want to keep and use. (Which provides added visibility after the show!)

But if your goal is to have quality one-on-one conversations with a few key high-level prospects, you’ll want to create a space for those within your exhibit. Instead of promoting to the masses, zero in on your specific target audience with personalized VIP invitations. Craft an upscale booth experience that inspires feelings of exclusivity and trust, then present them with a thoughtful executive-level gift (instead of some run-of-the-mill tchotchke).

And when it comes to a follow-up strategy, that also needs to align with both your goals and the experience in your booth.

If you featured a fun, high-energy vibe and collected lots of leads, be sure to have some kind of ranking system so you know which ones need more in-depth follow-up within a short time frame. Import everyone into your CRM and begin a drip campaign to nurture those leads.

But if your goal was to only generate leads from an elite group of highly-targeted prospects, make sure your follow-up reflects that level of exclusivity. Don’t waste any time before taking that conversation to the next level.

No matter how you choose to follow up, make sure it reminds attendees of their positive experience in your booth and reinforces why they want to work with you!

When you place your goal at the center of your exhibit marketing strategy and know what you want to accomplish, it helps everything else come into focus.



Want to reprint this article in your blog or enewsletter?

You may do so as long as it is reprinted exactly as written, and it includes the copyright notice plus the author bio (below).

© 2023 Marlys K. Arnold

Ever faced an exhibiting challenge – like unreasonable costs – and didn’t know where to turn?

That’s where The Exhibitor Advocate comes in!

In this episode, Jessica Sibila shares what The Exhibitor Advocate is and how to access the resources provided to help exhibitors:



* Address rising costs and potential solutions

* Work with show management to set up an Exhibitor Advisory Council

* Know where to watch for unexpected or hidden fees

* Calculate return on their exhibiting investment (ROI) with established metrics



Related links:



* Learn more about or join The Exhibitor Advocate

* Access the Maxbi tool to measure exhibit success

* Download the template for setting up an Exhibit Advisory Council

* Listen to our previous Trade Show Insights episode with Jessica Sibila



About Jessica Sibila

Jessica Sibila

Jessica is a seasoned marketer and social impact professional with a unique collection of experiences ranging from event marketing, community engagement, philanthropy and corporate branding. Jessica has over 15 years’ experience leading the development of strategic social impact programs and corporate event strategy for leading brands in the natural and organic industry. Jessica is a CTSM (Certified Trade Show Marketer), CMP (Certified Meeting Planner), and holds certifications in corporate social responsibility from Boston College and the University of Colorado. She most recently led the corporate event and community engagement strategy for WhiteWave Foods and Danone North America, the largest certified B Corp in the world. She started her consulting business, Jessica Sibila Consulting to extend that expertise to support companies in developing strategic events that elevate their impact.

In addition to her consulting work, Jessica leads The Exhibitor Advocate as the Executive Director. The group is an offshoot of the Advocacy Committee from TSEA (the Trade Show Exhibitor’s Association), a group that has been advocating for exhibitors for over ten years. Jessica has held positions on both the show management, attendee, and exhibitor side of the trade show industry. She understands the unique challenges of each stakeholder and believes that collaboration between all stakeholders in the industry will uphold exhibitions and events as a valuable and irreplaceable marketing channel. Jessica is passionate about exhibitor advocacy and excited to be leading The Exhibitor Advocate, amplifying the exhibitor voice to ensure a sustainable future for face–to–face marketing.

 

(transcript coming soon)

 

At one point in my childhood, I wanted to be an architect. I loved the idea of creating a space that connected with people’s emotions and created a feeling of excitement, intrigue or peacefulness.

While I didn’t pursue that career path, I’ve continued to be fascinated by architecture. Several years ago I discovered (and now follow) one of the most forward-thinking, award-winning architects focused on using smart building design to create experiential environments that inspire and delight.

Her name is Maria Lorena Lehman, founder of Sensing Architecture, and while I don’t have her as a guest on the podcast today (maybe someday!) … I did want to share some inspiration from one of her latest newsletters with you.



The topic is the principle of transition. Of course she’s talking about intentionally designing how a person moves from space to space or room to room within a building.

But the same holds true around the trade show floor or inside a booth space. Are you crafting a traffic flow that tells a story? Or are you consciously designing that flow at all? Where should an attendee’s journey in your space begin and what comes next? These are all valid questions to consider when you’re designing for the show.

But it doesn’t stop with the “architecture” of the space. Guiding the transition is important when considering booth staff too. Do you have a smooth way to hand a guest off between areas in your exhibit? Or perhaps guiding them through the entire in-booth journey? I mean … it’s sad when an attendee is left to fend for themselves with no direction inside an absolutely stunning exhibit.

As Maria Lorena says, “You can give them hints about what is to come, or you can minimize what awaits them to ultimately give them a grand surprise.” Either strategy can work on the show floor, but the key is to know what your strategy is, then educate each booth staffer on how to put it into practice.

She goes on to talk about helping people synthesize what they are experiencing, so they form memories that will linger long after they’ve exited the space. Now isn’t that exactly what you want your exhibit (or event) to accomplish?

Finally, she says, “The key is to think about transition as a means of preparation for what is next.”

In a trade show booth, that means guiding them on the journey from a lead or badge scan all the way to becoming a customer and advocate for your brand. You won’t accomplish that by accident! It takes a carefully-structured plan for follow-up after the show. Nurture your leads and help them to recall the experience they had in your booth. Help keep that positive memory alive!

If you’re intrigued to read more insights from Maria Lorena Lehman, I’ve curated a few other posts from her blog below … because you always want to take advantage of opportunities to learn from visionary thinkers, both inside and outside your industry.

More of Maria Lorena Lehman’s blog posts to explore:



* Transition is as Important as the Grand Gesture Within Your Design (the one I quoted from)

* Top 5 Ways to Spark Your Initial Creative Design Idea

* 10 Ways to Use Play in Architecture to Make it Stick

* a title="What if Architecture Fused with Game Design?" href="https://www.marialorenalehman.