The success of a trade show relies on the collaborative efforts of both event organizers and exhibitors, who play integral roles in driving booth traffic and creating a dynamic event atmosphere. For exhibitors, achieving a significant return on investment (ROI) is essential, as it demonstrates their success in meeting their business goals. In fact, 52% of business leaders believe that trade shows and events deliver the highest ROI compared to other marketing channels. This success then directly impacts the ROI of the event organizers. Let’s take a closer look at how and why.

Why is Exhibitor ROI Important?

According to the Content Marketing Institute, in-person events have been identified as delivering the best results for organizations, underscoring their effectiveness in driving ROI and engagement. Exhibitors participate in trade shows primarily to achieve a favorable ROI, which is a key indicator of their success in reaching crucial business objectives like acquiring new leads and boosting sales conversions. 

Assessing ROI involves analyzing various metrics, such as the number of qualified leads generated, conversion rates, and revenue earned. While event costs can be a concern, they can be mitigated by securing high-quality leads. However, it’s important to note that revenue from high-value B2B industries such as aviation and maritime, is often not realized immediately at the event. Deals in these sectors can close months after the event, making it challenging to measure an investment in events solely on immediate sales.

To gain a more comprehensive understanding of success, it's important to also consider the return on objectives (ROO). ROO emphasizes the importance of quality alongside quantity, as it evaluates how well an exhibitor achieves specific strategic goals beyond financial returns. This can include goals such as  building brand awareness or networking. According to Freeman, exhibitors have long used leads as the sole indicators of a successful event, but the future is about measuring the quality of connections, not the quantity of them. 

For trade show organizers, ensuring that exhibitors succeed is paramount. Successful booths not only generate high ROI for exhibitors but also contribute to the overall ROI of the event. When exhibitors are satisfied, they are more likely to return in subsequent years, fostering long-term partnerships, encouraging repeat participation, and attracting more attendees. This holistic approach, which considers both ROI and ROO, ultimately contributes to the overall success of the event.

The Role of Exhibitors vs. Organizers at Events

Exhibitors

Exhibitors are essential partners who contribute significantly to the event’s success. They attract attendees and drive engagement, directly impacting the overall success of the event. Their ability to draw and maintain audience interest is vital to the vibrancy and effectiveness of a trade show. With 69% of exhibitors believing that receiving an attendee list before or after an event would offer added value, it's clear that pre-event preparation plays a crucial role in their success.

Organizers

Event organizers play a crucial role in creating an environment that facilitates meaningful interactions between exhibitors and attendees. They are responsible for curating a mutually beneficial experience by matching exhibitors with the right audience and vice versa. Freeman highlights the importance of designing for ROO, suggesting that organizers create opportunities for both exhibitors and attendees to set up meetings ahead of the event and redesign networking to increase the chances of high-quality connections. 

Promoting the event effectively is another vital role for organizers. This includes targeted marketing to increase the right attendance and attract key visitors for exhibitors, such as hosted buyers. Organizers can enhance the visibility of the trade show and drive higher foot traffic to the exhibition.

Strategies for Both Exhibitors and Organizers

Maximizing exhibitors’ ROI requires a concerted effort from both event organizers and exhibitors themselves. Organizers are tasked with setting vendors up for success, while exhibitors must come prepared and strategically capitalize on the opportunities presented.

Organizers

• Lead Generation: It is essential for organizers to facilitate effective lead generation by ensuring the right leads are directed to the appropriate booths, focusing on not just the quantity but also the quality of the attendees for exhibitors.
• Attendee Journey Mapping: By mapping out the attendee journey, organizers can identify opportunities to enhance the attendee experience and engagement.
• Vendor/Exhibitor Education: Educating vendors on how to effectively connect with attendees before and during the event is crucial for maximizing engagement.
• Event Tech Adoption: Implementing event tech solutions can foster interactions and provide valuable data for insights and reporting. These tools enable exhibitors and attendees to begin connecting before the event, allowing them to schedule meetings in advance. Features like lead capture and smart matchmaking offer useful data for informed decision-making, enhancing the overall event experience. Organizers should educate both exhibitors and attendees on how to make the most of these tools to increase their adoption rates and boost event engagement.
• Sponsorship Opportunities: Offering sponsorships can provide additional marketing and engagement opportunities for exhibitors.

Exhibitors

• Booth Design: Having a well-designed booth catches attendees’ eyes and can effectively draw people in, enhancing the return on objectives by attracting more meaningful interactions and connections, maximizing the potential for valuable leads.
• Pre-event Engagement: Exhibitors should start event activities early, connecting with potential and current clients using the available attendee lists. Many exhibitors don’t fully leverage this opportunity, so taking that initiative to engage before the event can lead to a stronger chance of standing out and making an impression.
• Utilization of Event Tech: Don’t skip out on using event tech tools to improve engagement. Event tech offers personalized agendas, navigation maps, and tools for generating leads, all of which contribute to both ROI and ROO.

Jublia as a Solution for Maximizing Exhibitor ROI

Jublia offers a suite of event tech solutions designed to enhance exhibitor ROI by streamlining lead generation, data collection, and engagement.

• Convenient Tools: With both a Native App and Web App, Jublia’s AI-driven solution offers easy, personalized access to event agendas, floor plan and wayfinding, push notifications, meetings creation, messaging and more, enhancing exhibitor engagement and interaction.
• Lead Generation: Jublia’s Scan feature facilitates lead capture and contact exchange, simplifying lead generation, follow-ups and maximizing post-event opportunities.
• Valuable Data Collection: Detailed data collected by organizers can help exhibitors assess and improve their ROI from the event.
• AI-Driven Insights: Jublia’s AI and machine learning capabilities create personalized agendas and suggest relevant sessions and networking opportunities, helping exhibitors target the right audience.

Achieving Trade Show Success

The success of a trade show is a collaborative effort between event organizers and exhibitors. Organizers are responsible for setting vendors up for success, but it is up to exhibitors to come prepared and strategically leverage the opportunities presented. By employing effective strategies and leveraging innovative event tech solutions like Jublia, both organizers and exhibitors can work together to maximize ROI, ensuring a thriving and successful trade show experience. Schedule a session with our Solution Specialists to see how you can do so with Jublia.