Maximizing Impact: Tips For Success

• Understand Attendee Goals: Recognize that attendees come for education, networking, and exploring the show floor. Tailor your approach to these goals, whether they’re active buyers, casual browsers, or not an immediate fit for your offerings.

• Focus on Relationship Building: Leverage the event to build and strengthen relationships. Align your actions with the educational and networking goals of the attendees rather than solely focusing on pitching your product or service.

• Create a Comprehensive Show Plan: Plan your strategy for the entire conference, not just booth hours. Review the full conference schedule and attendee list with your team to optimize your presence.

• Utilize Networking Times: Take advantage of exhibit hall ‘networking’ hours and dedicated times without competing activities. Use these periods to engage with attendees and potential contacts effectively.

• Attend Relevant Sessions: Participate in educational sessions that align with your product/service, feature relevant speakers, or target your primary audience. This can provide insights into attendee issues and create opportunities for meaningful conversations.

• Identify Key Contacts: Before the event, identify prospects, clients, and other exhibitors you want to connect with. Seek introductions from existing contacts to expand your network.

• Engage During Breaks: Have your booth staff take turns engaging with attendees during breaks, such as lunch. Casual interactions in shared spaces can lead to valuable new connections.

• Set and Track Goals: Establish goals for new contacts, meetings, and follow-ups. Create a friendly competition among your team to see who can book the most meetings, schedule the most follow-ups, or make the most LinkedIn connections during the show.

Do’s & don’ts of Exhibiting

A well-organized, engaging booth and attentive, friendly interactions can significantly enhance your visibility and appeal to attendees. By avoiding common pitfalls, such as appearing disengaged or overly aggressive, and focusing on relationship-building and strategic follow-ups, you position yourself and your company for long-term success. This approach helps generate immediate leads and cultivates valuable industry connections that can benefit your business beyond the event!

Do's

• Keep Your Booth Clean: Check your booth regularly for clutter and ensure it is tidy. Occasionally, step into the aisle to view your booth from an attendee's perspective.

• Engage Actively: Spend slower time networking with other exhibitors or inviting prospects to your booth outside of dedicated networking hours.

• Be Friendly and Professional: Treat every attendee with respect and friendliness. A positive demeanor can lead to valuable connections, even if the person isn't an immediate fit.

• Smile and Be Prepared: Prepare opening questions and practice your approach to engage with prospects effectively.

• Practice Your Elevator Speech: Refine your 30-second pitch with examples and social proof.

• Schedule Follow-Ups: Focus on setting up follow-up meetings rather than closing deals on the spot. Send calendar invites during the show.

• Take Notes: Jot down key details about each conversation right after speaking to help with follow-up and relationship building.

• Add Value: Share relevant resources or referrals beyond your product/service to show helpfulness and build rapport.

• Send LinkedIn Invitations: At the end of each day, send personalized connection requests to the people you meet.

• Attend Sessions and Networking Events: Participate in educational sessions and networking opportunities to gain industry knowledge and build connections.

• Identify Industry Influencers: Build relationships with high-profile speakers and influencers to expand your network and increase visibility.

• Have Better Conversations: Discuss sessions and speakers to connect on shared interests and insights.

• Build Relationships: Focus on non-sales conversations to establish yourself as a knowledgeable and approachable industry peer.

Don'ts

• Avoid Phone Distractions: Don’t spend time on your phone or other tasks. Stay engaged with attendees to appear approachable and professional.

• Don’t Overstay with One Person: Avoid lengthy conversations with a single individual, especially if you do most of the talking. This could limit your opportunities with others.

• Don’t Be Pushy: Strike a balance between inviting attendees to talk and not being overly aggressive. Respect their decision if they decline your approach.

• Don’t Neglect Follow-Up: Don’t wait until after the show to follow up with contacts. Initiate follow-up discussions during the event.

• Don’t Skip Note-Taking: Failing to record important details immediately can lead to forgetfulness and hinder effective follow-up.

• Don’t Pitch Aggressively: Avoid turning every conversation into a sales pitch. Focus on relationship building instead.

• Don’t Ignore Networking Opportunities: Avoid missing out on networking events and educational sessions that can enhance your industry knowledge and connections.

Boost Your Presence:
Strategic Pre-Conference Marketing for Exhibitors

To maximize your impact at the IPRA conference, take full advantage of the complimentary pre-conference marketing opportunity. Exhibitors receive three one-time use pre-conference registration lists and one post-conference attendee list. By reaching out to pre-registrants with these lists, you can establish your presence early, build anticipation, and create buzz around your company. Use these interactions to invite attendees to your booth, highlight key speakers, and set the stage for meaningful connections at the event.

Don’t forget to download the social media templates to post

Whether you’re an exhibitor or sponsor we want to help you share your excitement about your involvement with an upcoming SAE International event on your personal and organizational social media platforms.

• Copy and paste the suggested social media posts below, or develop your own customized post to share to your platforms

• Add relevant hashtags to your social posts, and engage with SAE via personal and organizational accounts

• Follow SAE International on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook and share our content with your followers

• As the events draws closer, start posting more and engage with your followers as much as possible

Example 1:

"Catch us at booth [Your Booth Number] during #IPRA2024 to complete your exhibit game card and discover exciting opportunities!"

Example 2:

"Want to win a [Prize]? Visit us at booth [Your Booth Number] during #IPRA2024 for your chance to score big!"

Example 3:

"#IPRA2024 is just [Number] days away! [Company Name] offers the [Product/Service] you need to elevate your practice. Stop by booth [Your Booth Number] to find out more!"

Example 4:

"Grab a drink on us! Swing by booth [Your Booth Number] for complimentary drink tickets at #IPRA2024."