When Are You Ready To Exhibit At A Trade Show?

Deciding to participate in a trade show and construct—and staff—an exhibit is a major commitment of time, employees, and funds. For someone just starting in a small business, this type of expenditure is not advised in the first year of operation, although the benefits of attending a trade show are many.

So when is the right time to commit the considerable resources required? When do you know you’re ready? Here are the crucial questions you should be asking yourself.

Budget

Above all else, the first thing you should look at is your budgetary allowance. Trade shows aren’t cheap, though you can save some money by having a smaller exhibit or cutting back on features for that exhibit, such as less expensive promotional items or even none at all.

However, as with anything, the more you are willing to invest, the higher return you’ll likely receive. In this case, the return would be more business leads, establishing new client/customer relations. But you must look at the costs and see if your business can tolerate the financial requirements.

Choosing The Right Show

Just as important as committing adequate resources is making sure those resources are going to the right place. Your product or service will get more attention and business growth if you exhibit at the right trade show for it. If you have experience attending a specific trade show and are already familiar with the nature of the event, this can help inform your decision.

If you’re not familiar, you should research the trade shows available. It’s also highly advisable to attend a trade show and get some visitor experience yourself, so you know how to plan for your own exhibit.

Focusing On Goals

If you want a measurable return on investment, you must first know what kind of returns you hope to get. Trade shows can do different things for businesses, and much of this depends on what you hope to achieve by exhibiting.

Do you want to demonstrate a new product or service in hopes of getting more attention? Are you here to meet and sit down with potential clients and customers for more in-depth business meetings where detailed negotiations occur? Are you hoping to find new investors or partners to expand your operations? These goals all require very different approaches.

If you’re thinking of taking part in a trade show and want to plan your exhibit, we can help. Contact Lighthouse Exhibits, and we can assist you with designing and constructing your trade show exhibit.