If you think about it, trade shows are a great way to learn from your data. There are often multiple shows a year, in different locations and with different audiences. Data from previous trade shows can help exhibitors connect with buyers and improve for future shows.
And yet, data from all these sources is sometimes ignored or untapped. We can learn a lot from data that remains untapped.
So why does this happen?
Common obstacles exhibitors may face include ever-increasing costs and the need for better data!
Better data, better events
How can live events be improved? How can they become more effective and valuable?
You can do your own data mining as you go by identifying a “control” or something you want to test. You can look at data for the booth as a whole, elements of your booth, or individual products. Then decide what you want to track. You can count how many people enter the booth, which displays get the most attention, how long they spend in front of the display, how many people connect with a staff member, leads, conversions, etc. What would be useful to know? Try to capture more data than you think you will; it might come in handy later!
Create variables by adding a variety of elements to your booth, then start tracking!
But don’t stop there.
The most crucial step is analysis! Don’t skip it. Between shows, compare your date to previous shows and see what comes out. What will you learn? What can you change, adjust, or test next?
Know your target audience better
With your data tracking systems, you can determine who your target audience really is. You can reach out to them directly and continue your research!
To better understand your target audience, analyze your current customers. Learn about their average age, career, gender, ethnicity, interests, challenges, income level, etc. Really get to know them! You may want to consider reaching out to potential trade show attendees who are the majority of your buyers.
Make sure to study your competitors’ customers and know their target audience as well! What are your competitors doing to attract their target audience? You can learn a lot by watching another business do it successfully (or not so successfully). How is your audience different? How is your approach unique?
All of this information gathered from assessing your target audience can be used to choose the best shows, presentations, and strategies in the future. Look for shows that appeal to your ideal client! This will obviously help you reach a larger number of potential buyers. Clearly, some of this data can really start to make all of your decisions easier.
Product Matchmaking
It would be very beneficial for attendees and exhibitors if show management could provide more opportunities for connecting products and experiences. Everyone is there for a reason, brands and people alike. You want to sell and get exposure, they want to buy and solve problems. So why not help connect everyone if we can?
One way to do this might be to survey attendees before the show. It is not necessary to collect all the data during or after the show. Asking the tough questions before the show could help exhibitors (and attendees) save time and money and be able to more effectively focus their efforts BEFORE the exhibit is even set up and paid for!
Conclusion
The power is in the data.
With a little help from show management, pre-show data could help exhibitors better prepare for the needs of show attendees! Who wouldn’t benefit from that? Attendees and exhibitors are the lifeblood of trade shows, and when they’re happy and finding those connections with each other, EVERYONE is happy.