Let’s be real—exhibitions aren’t exactly cheap, and figuring out whether they’re worth the investment can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. Marketers have been grappling with this for years. You know you need to be at these events, but how do you justify the cost? Will it actually bring in new business? And most importantly—how do you measure success?
Before you sign off on that pricey sponsorship package, let’s make sure you have a solid plan in place. It’s not just about showing up, scanning a bunch of badges, and hoping for the best. A well-thought-out strategy is what separates a winning expo booth from one that’s just burning budget.
Here’s the good news: by approaching your exhibition with a clear strategy, you can turn it into one of your most powerful marketing tools. Whether you’re aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, or closing sales on the spot, these tried-and-tested strategies will help you squeeze every drop of value from your next event. Here are ten surefire ways to maximise your ROI exhibition strategy and to utilise exhibition brochures as effective on-stand graphics to make those big decisions with confidence.
What is ROI exhibition and why is it important for businesses?
ROI exhibition stands for Return on Investment exhibition. It’s crucial for businesses as it helps measure the effectiveness of their participation in events, ensuring that the resources allocated to exhibitions generate a positive return and contribute to achieving their marketing and sales objectives.
1. Define Your Success Metrics
Success means different things to different businesses, so get clear on what your goals are before the event. How many leads do you need to make it worthwhile? How many should convert into actual sales? Break it down:
- Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) → Sales Accepted Leads (SALs) → Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) → Sales Won
- Best practice benchmarks:
- MQL to SAL: ~21% conversion
- SAL to SQL: ~59% conversion
- SQL to Sale: ~22% conversion
Once you have a clear picture of what success looks like, you’ll be able to measure your exhibition efforts effectively and determine if you should return next year.
2. Pre-Event Marketing is Key
You can’t just rock up to an exhibition and hope people magically appear at your booth. You need to let people know you’re going to be there and give them a reason to visit. Get the hype going well before the event!
- Use social media to announce your presence and share teasers about what you’ll be showcasing.
- Send an EDM (email direct marketing) campaign to your database with an invitation to visit your booth.
- Take advantage of exhibition display services, such as advertising on the event’s website or sponsor newsletters.
- Have your sales team mention the event during their calls and emails.
- A small but effective trick? Get your sales team to add the event to their email signatures. The more visibility, the better.
3. Location, Location, Location
Where you set up shop on the expo floor can make or break your event. Avoid dark corners, dead-end spots, or areas right in front of speaking rooms (trust us, no one’s in the mood to chat after sitting in a dark room for an hour). Prime real estate? Near coffee carts, catering areas, or high-traffic entrances.
If you’re not sure where the best spot is, speak to your exhibition organiser and get a copy of previous floor plans to see where foot traffic was heaviest.
4. Stand Out with Custom Exhibition Stand Design
If your booth merges into the background at a trade show, you’ll struggle to attract the right crowd among other exhibitors. Invest in a custom stand design to showcase your exhibition display stand that makes an impact. Bright colours, interactive tech (think VR or touchscreens), fun activities—whatever works to draw people in.
- A bespoke exhibition stand should reflect your brand’s personality and values while making a visual impact.
- Freebies are always a winner! Think gourmet doughnuts, ice cream, or unique branded merch.
- Add a fun element, like a spinning prize wheel or a photo booth, to encourage engagement and social sharing.
5. Give People a Reason to Visit Your Expo Booth
Competitions and giveaways are crowd magnets. The trick is choosing a prize that genuinely excites your target audience—something like the latest smart gadget or an exclusive experience. And don’t just collect business cards; use a simple digital entry form on a tablet to make data collection and follow-up easier.
Bonus tip: Engage with visitors before they walk off! A quick chat could uncover a hot lead.
6. Train Your Team on Lead Qualification
Not all leads are created equal, and scanning everyone isn’t the answer. Before the event kicks off, have a team briefing. Show them how to qualify leads properly and use the badge scanner effectively. Many scanners allow you to pre-set questions and add notes, so take advantage of this!
- Train your team to ask the right questions to determine if a lead is a good fit.
- Set up a rating system (hot, warm, cold) so your sales team knows which leads to prioritise post-event.
7. Choose the Right Team for Your Booth
Your expo booth team in Brisbane is just as important as the stand itself in the Australian market, including the Gold Coast, and Melbourne, and can be considered industry leaders in this competitive field. With years of experience, they need to be knowledgeable, friendly, and approachable. A mix of sales reps and subject matter experts is a great balance—because there’s always that one delegate with a super technical question. If your team doesn’t have the answer, your competitors will.
- Choose staff who are confident, engaging, and great at striking up conversations.
- Have branded uniforms so your team looks polished and professional.
- Rotate staff to keep energy levels high—no one wants to talk to someone who looks exhausted!
8. Follow Up (and Do It Fast!)
You’ve spent all this time and money on the event—don’t let those hard-earned leads go cold! Have a follow-up strategy in place before the event.
- A quick ‘thank you’ email is a great first touch before your sales team starts making calls.
- Include clear next steps, like booking a demo, signing up for a free trial, or claiming an event-only discount.
- Use marketing automation tools to track responses and keep leads engaged post-event.
9. Track, Record, and Measure Everything
If you’re not tracking results, how will you know if the event was worth it? Use your CRM and automation software to log every lead and follow its journey.
- Tag leads to the campaign and monitor how many convert over time.
- If your CRM allows, add the event cost so you can calculate ROI accurately.
- Regular check-ins with your sales team will help you stay on top of progress and refine your strategy for the next event.
10. Learn and Improve for Next Time
Every exhibition is a learning experience. After the event, hold a debrief session with your team to discuss what worked and what didn’t. Did you attract the right audience? Were your giveaways effective? Did your booth stand out? Use this feedback to improve your strategy for future exhibitions.
Final Thoughts
Every company has a different sales cycle, so ROI might not be immediate. But with the right strategy, you’ll have clear data on whether an exhibition was a hit or a miss—and whether you should book again next year.
If you need help designing a bespoke exhibition stand, planning your expo display stand, or simply want fresh ideas on making an impact, we’ve got you covered. Contact us now!