Let’s say you’ve decided which trade show you’re going to attend. Now it’s time to focus on how to effectively manage your time while you’re there. Staying organized and prioritizing what’s most important to you will increase the likelihood of your success. Here are four key strategies to getting the most out of your trade show experience:

Plan key meetups ahead of time.
Once the exhibitor list is released by the event organizer, sit down with your team and decide which companies you want to connect with while at the trade show. Reach out to those companies ahead of time and suggest a meetup. Emailing them with suggestions for a meeting time, leaving room for a backup day and time just in case. Make sure you contact them early so they’re likely to have open time slots on their schedule.

Marchon at Vision Expo East

Attract attendees to your booth the right way.
Attendees are sure to be bombarded with posters, brochures, and salesmen. Keeping this in mind, know that another one of these won’t capture the attention you need to reach your goals. Work with an exhibition design company that specializes in creating custom trade show booths to prepare an interactive exhibit that is irresistibly unique. Even if this aspect of your custom exhibit attracts attendees that don’t buy your product or generate a lead, remember that the larger the audience at your booth, the more people will come. Maximizing trade show traffic flow to your custom booth increases your opportunity to make direct sales and generate high-quality leads. Creating a unique and interactive exhibit is an area where the investment is worth it.

Balance giveaways against their potential to generate income.
Attendees love to receive free stuff at trade shows, but when you’re the one paying for these promotional giveaways, you make to make sure you see a return on your investment. Be sure to only gift free promotional items that you can afford to give away.

Network.
Connect with each booth visitor in a meaningful way. Everyone knows someone, and you want your list of potential leads to be as long as possible. Consider handing out an exhibition business card with your custom trade show booth location and number. That way, attendees can easily find you and refer others to your exhibit at the event. Don’t forget to follow up with your list of leads afterwards!

Trade shows can go by quickly, so make sure you utilize your time the right way while you still can!