Whether you own a small business or work for a large corporation, tradeshows are an excellent way to increase brand recognition and get your company’s name out for all your potential clients and customers to see. According to the Global Exhibition Industry, there are approximately 13,000 tradeshow exhibitions each year – clearly, there is an abundance of opportunities to showcase your business. How do you make the most out of these opportunities? Here are some tips to plan the perfect tradeshow exhibition:

1.  Find a Great Show. Finding a tradeshow that matches your product, service and audience is important. Choosing the right tradeshow to attend takes planning. Luckily, there are resources such as Expo Database and Trade Show News Network to help you find the perfect one. However, there are some things you should do before you choose which show you will attend, which brings me to the next step.
2. Do Your Research. Once you have a list of shows compiled, do a little more research. Sometimes the tradeshow with the most attendance doesn’t always yield the best results. Find some statistics from their past tradeshows to see if there will be prospective customers for your product or service attending. It is always important to find out a little about the promoters too. Are they reliable? Do they have a proven track record?
3. Reserve Your Spot. When you find the right tradeshow, don’t hesitate to reserve your spot! Booth space can fill up fast, so don’t procrastinate. You don’t want to end up on a waiting list, hoping someone drops their reservation just so you can attend.
4. Set Goals and Objectives. Now that you’ve reserved your spot, your next step should be setting some goals or objectives to get the most out of the show. Your goals should be clearly defined well before the day of the show so everything from your booth design to handouts are created with a purpose and can be evaluated.
5. Deliver A Strong Message. It is important to focus your message to the appropriate audience. Find a few key ideas that you want to deliver during the show.  Ask yourself what matters to your target audience. You may need to explain what your products are as well as their features and benefits before you can deliver your message to prospective buyer. Think about the first few seconds an attendee is at your booth. Don’t overload your exhibit with too much information, but keep it simple. Think of your exhibit as billboard, not a brochure.

Follow these five tips, and you are guaranteed to have a successful event! Need more valuable tradeshow advice? Check out these other links:

• Simple Tips for Attending Your First Tradeshow
• The Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid Making at Your Next Tradeshow
• 4 Tips for Tradeshow Giveaway Success