Julia Start is the Marketing Director at events agency Bray Leino Events, part of the marketing agency group Bray Leino.

How to leverage conference marketing and exhibition strategy for your brand: Part ONE

Need to give your new-business strategy a kick? Got some budget for event marketing? Ironed your networking trousers and polished your comfortable shoes? Sounds like you’re ready to take on an industry exhibition.

Event marketing trends show large and small brands across B2B and B2C sectors, from oil and gas to fashion and retail, expending increasing amounts of time and effort on these large-scale networking jamborees; building stands, strategy, and industry profile.

But there’s more to exhibition strategy than simply turning up with a pop-up banner, a caffeine-fuelled sales pitch and a big goldfish bowl for collecting business cards. Events can be hard-wearing on people, time and budgets; so consideration of the following issues can help you strategise your way to expo-ROI heaven.

Why are you attending this event?

When developing your events strategy, don’t just get sold space by some overzealous sales rep, check the profile of the show visitor attendance and work out how established the show is. See who exhibited last year and don’t be afraid to call them and ask for feedback.

Selecting the wrong show is a very expensive mistake. Will this event help you increase sales or reinforce market share? Will it help you connect with potential leads; launch a new product or help reposition your brand? Which of these is most important to you? Make all decisions, objectives; stand design, staff training, everything, with this in mind.

Selecting your stand space

A well-placed stand can mean the difference between securing a turbo-charged footfall-fest, and a tumble-weed strewn backwater where delegates fear to tread. Do your homework. Ask for an up-to-date copy of the event floor plan, complete with exhibitor information. Assess how the exhibition traffic is likely to flow around the venue. You know your industry and you know which brands are likely to draw the biggest crowds, so your proximity to these could also be very important.