Exhibitor Updates

Increase Your Return on Investment with Measurable Objectives for the Show

Before you start your marketing and communications effort for a show, pinpoint what your company wants to accomplish by exhibiting. Knowing your goals and objectives will make each step easier.

Make all your objectives SMART — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented and Time-bound.

To track your progress and define your successes, measurable objectives must be:

1. Aligned with your company’s overall marketing plan
2. Targeted to the type of buyers who visit your booth
3. Specific, so that after the show you have hard numbers reflecting:

• Number of visitors to your booth
• Visitors within your target audience, broken down by accounts, industry, title, etc.
• Number of one-on-one meetings with key accounts
• Number of qualified new leads
• Number and value (dollar amount) of sales confirmed
• Number of international distribution deals completed
• Amount of media coverage received

Be sure your sales force is involved in creating these objectives and executive management agrees with them.

Plan your marketing budget accordingly.

Use these objectives to guide all of your decisions regarding:

1. Pre-show marketing and PR efforts
2. The exhibit’s theme, graphics and floor plan
3. Products and services to spotlight in your booth
4. Premiums and literature to distribute at the show
5. The design of your lead-follow-up campaign

Remember: SMART objectives pay off.

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