Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Trade Shows & Expos: Make Them Pay
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Trade Shows & Expos: Make Them Pay
In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey get practical about trade shows and business expos, how to pick the right ones, show up well, and turn footfall into real pipeline. They cover researching organisers and expected attendance, the pros and cons of giant multi-day shows (NEC/Olympia) versus half-day local expos, and why “looking busy” isn’t the goal, booking follow-ups is. From stand design and messaging to on-the-day behaviour and rigorous ROI targets, this is a field guide to exhibiting without wasting time or money.
Key Takeaways
Do your homework first. Check who runs the event, their track record, and ask for expected attendance. Use last year’s figures as a sense-check; as a rule of thumb, expect roughly half of “registered” delegates to actually turn up.
Pick the right scale for your resources. Big national shows (e.g., multi-day NEC/Olympia events) demand bigger budgets and staffing; local B2B expos (often £200–£500 for a half-day) can be ideal for micros and SMEs.
Qualify, don’t collect. Skip the “business-card in a bowl” gimmicks unless your product truly suits everyone. Use a short sign-up form for genuine enquiries; if they won’t fill it in, they’re not interested.
Set hard ROI targets. Total your true cost (stand, travel, staff time) and aim for ~3× return. Example: if the all-in cost is ~£7.5k, target ~£25k in revenue; if an average client is £10k, you need three wins so aim for five solid leads/appointments.
Don’t try to sell on the stand. The goal is to book the next step, get permission to follow up and, ideally, schedule appointments on the spot from your phone.
Best Moments
“You’re paying for a space someone else has marketed hard; make it work for you.”
“If 800 register, expect about 400 to show.”
“Don’t gather cards for the sake of it, get details only from people who care.”
“Put the chairs away, stand out front, read the badge: ‘Hi Peter, what brings you here today?’”
“Don’t sell on the stand; book the appointment and move on.”
About the host
Doug D’Aubrey, founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy (ETC), leverages extensive senior management experience to help businesses across the UK and Europe. With tailored consultancy packages ranging from short-term projects to 3-year growth programs, Doug aids companies in improving operations and achieving results. Doug’s success lies in his honest communication with leaders, identifying strategies to enhance management skills and optimise service delivery for measurable outcomes.
Take advantage of a FREE 2-hour Business Review with ETC’s expert consultants to identify goals, tackle challenges, and create a clear plan for growth. Visit https://exec-tc.com/ to book your review.
Subscribe, share, and leave a review to stay connected and keep your business journey moving forward!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
View all episodes
By The Media InsidersIn this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey get practical about trade shows and business expos, how to pick the right ones, show up well, and turn footfall into real pipeline. They cover researching organisers and expected attendance, the pros and cons of giant multi-day shows (NEC/Olympia) versus half-day local expos, and why “looking busy” isn’t the goal, booking follow-ups is. From stand design and messaging to on-the-day behaviour and rigorous ROI targets, this is a field guide to exhibiting without wasting time or money.
Key Takeaways
Do your homework first. Check who runs the event, their track record, and ask for expected attendance. Use last year’s figures as a sense-check; as a rule of thumb, expect roughly half of “registered” delegates to actually turn up.
Pick the right scale for your resources. Big national shows (e.g., multi-day NEC/Olympia events) demand bigger budgets and staffing; local B2B expos (often £200–£500 for a half-day) can be ideal for micros and SMEs.
Qualify, don’t collect. Skip the “business-card in a bowl” gimmicks unless your product truly suits everyone. Use a short sign-up form for genuine enquiries; if they won’t fill it in, they’re not interested.
Set hard ROI targets. Total your true cost (stand, travel, staff time) and aim for ~3× return. Example: if the all-in cost is ~£7.5k, target ~£25k in revenue; if an average client is £10k, you need three wins so aim for five solid leads/appointments.
Don’t try to sell on the stand. The goal is to book the next step, get permission to follow up and, ideally, schedule appointments on the spot from your phone.
Best Moments
“You’re paying for a space someone else has marketed hard; make it work for you.”
“If 800 register, expect about 400 to show.”
“Don’t gather cards for the sake of it, get details only from people who care.”
“Put the chairs away, stand out front, read the badge: ‘Hi Peter, what brings you here today?’”
“Don’t sell on the stand; book the appointment and move on.”
About the host
Doug D’Aubrey, founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy (ETC), leverages extensive senior management experience to help businesses across the UK and Europe. With tailored consultancy packages ranging from short-term projects to 3-year growth programs, Doug aids companies in improving operations and achieving results. Doug’s success lies in his honest communication with leaders, identifying strategies to enhance management skills and optimise service delivery for measurable outcomes.
Take advantage of a FREE 2-hour Business Review with ETC’s expert consultants to identify goals, tackle challenges, and create a clear plan for growth. Visit https://exec-tc.com/ to book your review.
Subscribe, share, and leave a review to stay connected and keep your business journey moving forward!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.