Planning an Expo: What You Need to Know

A well-organized expo can mean success for your event. Happy (and hopefully returning) exhibitors, increased brand awareness, and relationship building are all benefits of successful expo planning. However, expos can be fraught with issues such as insufficient attendance, unhappy exhibitors, severe weather, and paperwork nightmares.  

Take a deep breath. While planning an expo involves many different components, our checklist will help ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.  

Eight Steps of Planning an Expo  

Step 1: Create an exhibit budget, including but not limited to:  

• Booth costs, such as set up and tear down
• Venue/exhibit facility rental fees (don’t forget tax!)
• Marketing expenses
• Insurance, including liability and cancellation
• Costs for decoration, storage, utilities and security
• Any travel-related expenses
• Now factor in your estimated booth sales income  

Step 2: Select your drayage and decorating vendors  

Drayage (shipping) companies provide you and your exhibitors with professional shipping and handling to and from your exhibitors’ booths.  Ensure you select a reputable company in your area (ask for references) that can provide tracking and guarantee on-time, damage-free shipments.  

Decorating companies handle everything from pipe and drape to carpet and furniture. Online exhibitor kits can make ordering extremely easy for your exhibitors, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your event. Some decorating vendors also offer shipping services.   

Step 3: Design the exhibit space, layout and usage considering factors such as:   

• Your floorplan should have enough room for attendees to circulate while still maximizing booth or table space.
• Include areas for registration, lounges, eating areas, charging stations, etc.
• Find out if your venue has any restrictions on lighting, signage, or booth sizes. Some venues prohibit things such as signage affixed to walls.
• Share your floor plan with your show decorator and other service vendors to gather their input.
• Secure a lead retrieval vendor, so your exhibitors have a way to capture leads at their booth.
• Arrange for signage and equipment rentals.
• Be sure to allow for utilities like electricity, phone, and internet.  

Step 4: Create an exhibitor sales kit  

Your exhibitor sales kit, or prospectus, provides prospective exhibitors with all the information they need to determine if your expo is the right fit for them. Kits usually consist of:  

• An overview of the event or a letter from the conference organizer
• Highlights of the other conference components, including educational sessions and networking, etc.
• Basic event information like dates, location, expected attendance, exhibit hall dates, hours, floorplan
• Attendee demographics and categories
• Benefits for exhibitors (why they should choose your expo)
• Exhibitor package components, pricing and contract
• Pepper your prospectus with photos and testimonials from past events.  

Make your exhibitor sales kit available on your event website. Additionally, try to have your next year’s prospectus ready to distribute at your current year’s event, encouraging exhibitors to sign up during the momentum and energy of the event.   

Step 5: Solicit exhibitors  

Industry publications and websites are excellent sources for finding prospective exhibitors in your industry who may be interested in your expo.  Email marketing, social media, and incentives for referrals are additional ways to attract exhibitors. Including past attendees demonstrates that you can deliver to their target audience and how previous exhibitors have benefited.   

Step 6: Promote your exhibitors  

Promoting your exhibitors on your event website, on-site signage, giveaways, and in the conference program shows you appreciate their business and attracts future exhibitors. Additionally, putting your current exhibitors’ logos on your site can attract similar or competitive organizations.   

Step 7: Arrange for security  

Ensure that security guards are on site to protect the exhibits during non-exhibition hours.  

Step 8: Manage exhibitor registration  

Registration may be the first exposure your exhibitors have with your event, so you’ll want to make sure it’s a good experience. Encouraging your exhibitors to register their staff online in advance of the event can significantly simplify the registration process.  Consider using a registration system that can scan barcodes or QR codes to help minimize on-site lines and also serve as a lead retrieval tool for your exhibitors.