This episode is for two kinds of people: those who run trade shows, and the marketers who exhibit at them.

No matter which one you are, we've got a shared playbook you can implement at your upcoming shows.

There are three paradigm shifts that can help both exhibitors and show organizers achieve better quality leads, fewer headaches, and clearer proof of value.

Let’s start with the number-one gripe I hear: “We didn’t get enough leads.”

Exhibitors say it … organizers dread hearing it.

Here are a few smart plays to overcome it.

If you’ve ever tried to find key information on a trade show or event website, you know how frustrating it can be.

Recently, I posed the question on LinkedIn: “What can trade show organizers do to make the event website more helpful & user-friendly?”

That sparked a lively discussion of common website problems and practical solutions. So I want to share what exhibitors and attendees are saying, and offer a few tips to help event organizers improve their websites to better serve everyone.

Exhibit managers often come to me with a similar story: their sales team comes to the show, hangs out in the booth, and becomes more of a handicap than an asset. They want to know how they can turn that situation around.

Unfortunately, this is a common problem because the very things that make a sales person great at what they do can often create a challenge in the trade show environment.

Here are specific steps you can take to overcome this situation.

Everybody says trade shows are all about the ROI …

Yet most exhibit marketers aren’t doing enough to measure or prove it to their accounting department.

So I invited my friend Rich Vallaster to join me for a candid conversation that puts ROI in context for both exhibitors and show organizers. Listen in as we break down what needs to change in both metrics and mindset:

• Why it’s so important to measure ROI (before someone else does it for you!)
• What show organizers can do to help exhibitors get better results
• How shows can add value for exhibitors
• What some shows are doing to blur the line between education & the show floor

Chances are you’ve been overlooking a key demographic in the audience at your events – people who choose not to drink alcohol for a variety of reasons, including those in recovery.

Did you realize that could be a quarter of your audience or more? So in the same way gluten-free or vegan are now standard options at events, it’s time to reconsider the non-alcoholic beverage alternatives too.

Networking doesn’t have to happen around the bar. In this episode, Sober Life Rocks founder Laura Nelson shares strategies and practical examples on how to:

• Change the after-hours experience to create better connections
• Craft more creative alcohol-free drink options
• Educate bartenders on how to make all guests feel included
• Design interactive spaces that don’t revolve around drinking

These days, it seems everyone's talking about budgets and the rising cost of exhibiting.

And yes ... I realize that some elements are out of your control. But there are areas where you might be able to save money and still make a great impact on the show floor.

Recently I posed this question to my LinkedIn cohorts and they shared so many great tips that I just had to compile them for you in this episode!

Why is lead capture an afterthought for so many exhibitors?

Instead it's the whole point of exhibiting in the first place – or at least should be!

There's both an art and a science to effectively gathering and managing leads. But the good news is that today's technology can make the entire process much less painful ... once exhibitors embrace both the strategy and the system.

Michelle Harman joins us in this episode to offer expert perspective on:

• How the lead capture process has evolved in recent years
• Where it still needs improvement
• Which key mindset exhibitors need to shift
• What a dream lead management process could look like
• How to streamline follow-up

It's tough out there. Exhibitors are expected to do even more with less.

They recognize the value of face-to-face events, although may struggle to prove that value within their organization.

Recently, non-profit trade association The Exhibitor Advocate partnered with EVOLIO Marketing to conduct a survey of exhibit and event marketers to get their perspectives on key challenges and understand how these may be impacting their overall event programs.

For this episode, we invited Jessica Sibila back to Trade Show Insights to share details about the study, including:

• Factors driving exhibitor challenges today
• Choices exhibitors are making to address them
• Perceptions exhibitors have of show organizers
• Tools organizers could provide to help exhibitors