5 Secrets to Successful Exhibition Planning.

Planning for an exhibition can be a stressful and daunting task. It’s no surprise companies with a successful exhibition planning track record are much sought after. However, it’s not an impossible task for you to take a hands-on approach when it comes to planning for an exhibition. The following are 5 secrets that will aid in the planning of your upcoming exhibition.

Secret No. 1: Set your exhibition goals. As you are in the process of planning for your exhibition, ask yourself, what are you primarily bringing to the market? Having a clearly defined goal for your exhibition allows you to draw the line to what products or services can be allowed into your exhibition. Without a clearly defined goal, you risk admitting a jumbled mess of semi-related and non-related products or services, devaluing your exhibition’s power of attraction and impairing your visitor’s experience.

Secret No. 2: Think beyond your current event. Successful exhibition planning calls for a clear and concise plan for the next event. One of the most common mistakes a novice exhibition planner make is to pour all focus and budget into one single event before realizing that a second or perhaps third exhibition is required to turn leads into sales. Even if your scope is to plan for only one event, thinking beyond your single exhibition means incorporating effective follow-ups and re-marketing to the leads generated during the exhibition. Which brings us into the 3rd secret of successful exhibition planning.

Secret No. 3: Budget. Establish a realistic budget by creating a detailed bill of quantities. Costs are incurred at various stages of the exhibition planning, from venue booking to storage space, marketing collaterals, transportation and man-power. By breaking down the budget to the fine details, you will be able to keep a tight reign on the cashflow. Remember, you are not planning for just one event, possibly 2-3 exhibitions after this. By listing out the bare details of the budget, you will recognize what you can and cannot afford and utilize every single Ringgit of the budget to what is really needed. This is what successful exhibition planning is all about.

Secret No. 4: Competitor Research. Too often inexperience exhibition planning neglects to take a step back and look around. One can be too consumed by the novelty of the exhibition and utmost belief in the “guaranteed” success of the event. When the exhibition is less than successful, the realization sets in that perhaps a similar exhibition was held earlier. Effective exhibition planning calls for a thorough sweep of the exhibition industry to determine the success and failures of various exhibitions. By observing and paying attention to past competitor’s events one can avoid making the same costly mistakes and set out for a better chance of success.

Secret No. 5: Shout It Loud! Consider your target market and ascertain the best medium to reach out to them. Digital or traditional mediums? What will the brand imagery be? Successful exhibition planning calls for a consistent, brand-driven marketing campaign through the right channels for best reach and exposure. For example, before you jump onto the digital bandwagon, consider if your target market is internet savvy and has digital penetration. By having a detailed budget summary (Secret No. 3), you will ensure every single Ringgit of your hard earned funds goes to where it is really needed.

So there you have it. The 5 not-so-secret anymore tips to guide you towards a succesful exhibition planning. While there are plenty more tips and guides for successful exhibition planning, we find that these 5 “secrets” greatly aid in setting the framework to ensure your event will be a success.