Exhibitor Training Should your trade show offer it?

“Why is this our responsibility?”

Show Organizer

Because, without exhibitors, there is no show floor.

If exhibitors are not successful, they will likely not return

year after year.

Timeline

Exhibitor training should take place starting seven months before the show.

Timing is everything…

That is the lead-time needed if you are giving effective training that will actually help the exhibitors.

Training on the show floor a day or a couple hours before the exhibit hall opens is a complete waste of time.

What information are you giving exhibitors, at the

last minute, that they can benefit from?

?

You wouldn’t start training for a marathon the day before or a couple hours prior to the race would you?

“What type of training should we

offer?” Show Organizer

If you’re holding etiquette classes you’re not adding value.

Etiquette tips belong in an email, not an in-person class.

Exhibitor training should be about providing information exhibitors need to be successful.

Information like… How to communicate with your attendees in their pre-show marketing. What kind of content and activities to deliver in their booth. How to prepare their booth staff so they are more effective.

How to use social media effectively.

How to take advantage of tools the show provides its exhibitors.

“But we already offer training and no one shows up.”

Show Organizer

Does the content you offer have meat to it?

Take a look at the content of that training and ask yourself,

is this going to help make them successful?

You need to help your exhibitors rise above all the

noise.

Perhaps the problem is the format you are delivering your training.

Training should be offered in multiple formats. In person training is fantastic but not all your exhibitors will be able to take advantage of it. Offer training via:

Webinars

On-demand video

Podcasts

If you don’t currently offer training, bring it up in your

next planning meeting Ask… “why don’t we offer it?”

If the answer is, we’ve tried it before but no one showed up. Ask how the training was delivered, when was it delivered and what did it cover?

It’s possible the reason no one took advantage of it, is because it was not relevant, not valuable, not timely?

?

For More Info and ideas

For more information on the training options the Trade Show Institute offers show organizers, check out our online offerings as well as our in-person presentations.

BY TRACI BROWNE.

@TraciBrowne