Time and again, I hear comments from customers and other exhibitors after attending major trade shows and events, such as:
- “I expected more from this,”
- “Overall, disappointing,”
- “There are hardly any potential customers here,”
- “The customers here have no potential.”
But what went wrong at these events? Is it the organizers’ fault? Or could exhibitors have prepared better? With good preparation, exhibitors can make almost any event a success.
When does it make sense to participate as an exhibitor at trade fairs or events?
Start by asking yourself what you aim to achieve by participating as an exhibitor at this particular event. Are you looking to:
- secure a specific number of leads or even direct new customers,
- hold as many conversations as possible to gauge market reactions to your solutions,
- or simply capture the attention of visitors?
Once you have clear goals, you can define the value the event brings and whether the costs—booking, marketing, and staffing—are justified.
As an exhibitor, you essentially have two key responsibilities to maximize marketing spend for events:
Assess the Potential of the Event or Trade Show
Choosing the right trade shows and events is critical. Do the participants match your target audience, and if so, how large is the potential audience in relation to your planned expenses? This can often be gauged by examining the attendee groups targeted by the organizer. If your target audience isn’t attending, it will be difficult to generate leads.
For instance, the multichannelday in Cologne is particularly suitable for engaging smaller online retailers who primarily sell on marketplaces. The E-Commerce Berlin Expo is ideal for generating leads among mid-sized online retailers and brands, while Dmexco is better for acquiring larger e-commerce companies.
Determine if Trade Show Expenditures Are Worthwhile for Your Business
Consider whether potential customers might be reached more effectively through other channels, such as online marketing, co-marketing, or co-selling with influencers and technology partners, for example, directly through their software backend. If a booth seems too costly, consider renting one with a partner, which can also allow you to share leads. A cost-benefit analysis beforehand will help you identify necessary measures to ensure success both before and during the event.
Below is a sample table comparing the key cost and benefit factors of booking a trade show as an exhibitor:
| Costs | Potential Benefits |
| Booth rental and setup | Direct access to target audience |
| Team travel expenses | Lead generation and new customer acquisition |
| Booth construction and design | Brand recognition and visibility |
| Promotional materials and giveaways | Networking and partnership-building |
| Pre-event marketing and promotion | Competitive advantage and market positioning |
Generate Viable Leads and Follow Up
Prepare your lead generation in advance. Inform potential customers and companies that you will be exhibiting and actively offer to meet, for example, through special promotions related to the event. Have your sales team pre-arrange face-to-face meetings with potential A-list customers on-site. This generates traffic to your booth, which in turn creates a positive impression on other visitors who see the activity and become interested.
Ensure Motivated Employees
Your team should be motivated and trained to use the entire active event time to engage visitors who show interest. This maximizes opportunities to start new conversations during quiet periods.
Exchange Insights with Other Exhibitors
Connecting with other exhibitors and building potential partnerships with multipliers or providers of complementary solutions can be another lead-generation strategy. Such collaborations often lead to interesting joint marketing opportunities. This could involve offering combined packages that provide greater customer value or gaining access to each other’s existing customer bases. For this, partnership-focused team members should have time to explore the event and meet interesting co-exhibitors.
Keep Your Marketing Messages Simple and Emotional
A successful trade show hinges on the clarity and emotional impact of your messages. The communications you share before the event and the content you display at the booth are crucial in capturing your audience’s attention. Simple, concise messages based on a clear position attract visitors and make a lasting impression. When your messages resonate both intellectually and emotionally, you create a distinct advantage—and your trade show experience becomes a success.
Evaluate Your Trade Show Success
After the event, it’s essential to systematically assess success. Analyze which goals were achieved, the number of valuable contacts made, and which activities were most effective. This evaluation not only reveals the event’s ROI but also helps you refine strategies for future events. Thus, each trade show experience becomes a step forward.
Follow Up on Your Leads!
Post-event follow-up is crucial to turning initial conversations into real opportunities. Reach out promptly to your leads to deepen their interest and agree on the next steps. A personalized approach and reference to on-site discussions demonstrate your interest and increase the likelihood that a trade show contact will turn into a valuable business relationship.
Conclusion
If potential can be unlocked in this way, costs are reasonable, and responsible team members are committed to making the event a success, exhibiting is worthwhile. Only then do you have a clear expectation and an idea of how those expectations can be met.
In the future, I expect to hear more comments like, “This is what I envisioned,” “The event exceeded my expectations,” “We’ll return next time,” and “We have promising partnerships in sight.”
When you work with us, we’ll support you in strategically selecting and preparing for suitable events in Germany and Europe based on your unique positioning.
