Planning Trade Shows and Events Process Template

About Trade Shows and Events

Events We Attend

Here are some of the events members of our marketing and sales teams attend:

1. Trade shows: Events where companies in a specific industry gather to showcase their products or services and network with potential customers and other industry professionals. Trade shows typically feature exhibits, presentations, and other activities, and they are often focused on a specific industry or market.
2. Networking events: These events provide an opportunity for businesses to connect with other professionals and potential customers in their local community.
3. Conferences: These events bring together experts and thought leaders in a particular field to share knowledge and ideas.
4. Expos: These events provide businesses with an opportunity to showcase their products and services to a wider audience.
5. Chamber of commerce events: These events, organized by local chambers of commerce, provide businesses with networking opportunities and information about the local business community.

Why Events Are Important

Small businesses attend events for a variety of reasons, including the following:

1. Networking: Events provide an opportunity for small business owners and employees to connect with other professionals in their industry and make valuable contacts.
2. Sales and marketing: Events can be an effective way for small businesses to promote their products or services to potential customers and generate leads.
3. Learning and knowledge sharing: Conferences and other types of events offer a chance to learn from industry experts and keep up to date with the latest trends and developments in a small business field.
4. Brand exposure: Events provide a platform for small businesses to build awareness of their brand and increase visibility among their target audience.
5. Community engagement: Many events are organized by local business organizations, chambers of commerce, and other entities that aim to promote and support small business in the community. Small businesses can engage with these organizations and participate in these events to show support and become an active member of the community.

Executing Events

How to Plan Events

Here are the steps to planning events to attend:

1. Identify trade shows and events that our business may be interested in attending or sponsoring. This may involve conducting research, reviewing industry calendars, and consulting with the business's sales and marketing teams to identify potential events.
2. Evaluate the potential return on investment (ROI). This may involve considering factors such as the cost of attending or sponsoring the event, the potential audience size and demographics, and the likelihood of generating leads or sales from the event.
3. Develop a budget and plan for attending or sponsoring the event. This may involve estimating the costs of attending or sponsoring the event, such as booth rental, travel, and marketing materials, and allocating a budget for these costs.
4. Coordinate with the event organizers to secure a booth or sponsorship, and to arrange for any necessary logistics, such as shipping and setup. This may involve negotiating with the organizers, signing contracts, and providing any necessary information or materials.
5. Develop a marketing plan to promote our participation in the trade show or event. This may involve creating marketing materials, such as flyers, brochures, or email campaigns, and promoting the business's participation on its website and social media channels.
6. Attend and participate in the event. This may involve setting up the booth or sponsorship area, interacting with attendees, and promoting the business's products or services.
7. After the event, follow up with leads and attendees. This may involve sending thank-you emails, providing additional information or resources, and tracking the results of the event to evaluate its ROI.
8. Evaluate the event's ROI by comparing the costs and revenue generated from the event to determine its overall effectiveness. This may involve tracking metrics such as leads generated, sales closed, and costs incurred, and comparing these metrics to the event's budget and goals.

Follow-up Process

The event follow-up process is an important step after attending an event. It is the process of following up with leads, contacts and other individuals that we met at the event. A well-planned event follow-up process can help us convert leads into customers and build long-term relationships.

A typical event follow-up process includes the following steps:

1. Organize and sort all collected leads. This includes sorting through business cards and other contact information collected at the event. This helps to ensure that the information is accurate and complete, and that the leads are properly categorized.
2. Send a thank-you note or email. It’s a polite way to let the leads know that their contact information has been received, and that we’re interested in learning more about their needs.
3. Identify which leads are most likely to be interested in our products or services, and which leads will require further follow-up.
4. Follow-up with qualified leads. This can be done by phone, email or direct mail, depending on the lead's preferences and the business's goals.
5. Even if a lead is not ready to buy, it's still important to continue to nurture the relationship by providing valuable information and building trust.
6. Track how many leads were generated, how many were qualified, and how many converted into customers. This information can be used to improve the follow-up process for future events.