How to Effectively Participate in Exhibitions

Exhibitions are generally divided into three categories according to their nature and organizers: achievement report exhibitions, industry exhibitions, and forum affiliated exhibitions.

• Achievement report exhibitions: Centralized display of phased achievements in a specific field in a certain region at a certain stage, generally hosted by government departments, exhibitors are invited by the organizers, and the audience are people interested in the exhibition theme, professional visitors invited by the organizers, etc., such as the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up Exhibition.

• Industry exhibitions: Centralized display of new products, new technologies, and new solutions in the industry, generally hosted by industry associations, exhibitors are industry enterprises, and the audience is mainly upstream and downstream practitioners in the industry. Such as the Industry Fair, Zhuhai Air Show, etc.

• Forum affiliated exhibitions: The products or services displayed are closely related to the theme of the forum and serve the forum. Exhibitors are mostly forum sponsors or related interest enterprises. The audience is mainly conference participants.

As an exhibitor at an exhibition, regardless of the type of exhibition, you must make a good participation plan to make the participation worthwhile and not waste time and money.

• Detailed budget: The budget should be made according to the expected participation effect, hardware, software, printed matter, public relations, reception, travel… The more detailed the budget, the more comfortable you will be in the exhibition preparation process.
• Fine exhibition arrangement: Exhibition hall size, booth size, orientation, water, electricity, network, fire protection, screens, and special needs should be communicated with the exhibition organizer in time to avoid failing to achieve the expected effect during the exhibition.
• Good reception: There must be a plan for which important customers to receive, who is responsible for reception, who is responsible for explanation, what content to explain, and whether to be responsible for the customer’s catering and accommodation.
• Good public relations: When important guests visit, record important moments with video and photos in time, and keep materials. Prepare the participation press release in advance, contact the media, do publicity and warm-up before the meeting, do participation reports during the meeting, and do a concluding report after the meeting. The report content should be true, prominent, and distinctive.
• Emergency plan: Pay special attention to a situation, most of the participants in industry exhibitions are peers, and when peers meet, it is inevitable that there will be hostile emotions, and some exhibition peers even fight at the exhibition, which is extremely uncivilized. It is necessary to restrain employees in advance, participate rationally, and make plans for provocations from peers. In addition, also pay attention to the confidentiality of core business secrets.

Published at: Nov 27, 2020 · Modified at: Dec 2, 2025