Author: Oser Communications Group

Trade shows offer businesses a unique opportunity to gain exposure and connect with potential clients in their respective industries. Participation comes at a cost, however, in terms of both time and money. In this guide, learn the foundations of measuring trade show ROI and how to maximize your success during future events.

Contact our team at Oser Communications Group before your next big event. We’ll help improve your company’s trade show performance. Learn more about our services by calling 520-721-1300.

Calculating Trade Show ROI

Your return on investment, or trade show ROI, measures the amount of revenue generated by the trade show compared to the expenses of your company’s participation. Expenses include everything from transportation and lodging, promotion and trade show advertising, exhibition fees, and incidental expenses. To calculate immediate ROI, use this formula: 

Total gross sales ÷ Cost of attending the trade show 

For instance, a trade show that generated $100,000 in gross sales with $20,000 in incurred expenses would result in a dividend of “4.” Express your ROI as a ratio, in this example, 1:4, meaning your company generated $4 for every $1 invested. In this case, your sales exceeded your total investment, which amounts to a positive ROI.

Attracting Potential Leads

Measuring ROI at a trade show event should focus on the particular needs of your industry. Garner interest from your target audience by investing in pre-show promotions. 

Showcasing specific features about your products and services online or through social media before the event gives your followers more incentive to visit your exhibit and can increase foot traffic from desired leads during the actual event, according to recent trade show statistics.

Determining Objectives

Before attending a trade show, start by defining your company’s marketing agenda or sales goals by answering basic yes or no questions. Would you like to create 200 qualified leads at your next event? Maybe your company aims to collect 100 new business cards or reach a certain hard sales number. 

Unlike trade show ROI (return on investment), return on objective measures how your company’s participation at a trade show helped meet these objectives or not. Establishing your objectives and reason for attending a trade show will help anticipate your ROI and measure your overall success after the event.  

Tracking Leads

A trade show program gives you access to a customer relationship management system (CRM), which allows you to input information about your leads during the event. 

CRM apps provide valuable trade show metrics regarding your potential clients during an event. For example, you can perform surveys for your customers and ask what initially attracted them to your exhibit or how likely they are to recommend your product to friends in the future.  

Your CRM can also track which customers contribute to your company’s revenue. 

Want to Enhance Your Trade Show ROI?

Over the last six decades, our team at Oser Communications Group has served business startups and Fortune 500 companies in Tuscon, AZ, as the premier source for trade show advertising. Increase your trade show effectiveness by contacting us at 520-721-1300.

VR has taken the world by storm thanks to its impressive ability to render immersive and engaging real-time experiences. VR tech has found an interesting niche in trade shows and has only become more widespread as the technology has gotten cheaper. Virtual reality environments are a powerful medium for advertising. With that in mind, let’s talk about some virtual reality booth ideas for your next trade show.

Contact Oser Communications Group today to discuss our trade show advertising services!

Show Off Wares

One of the best uses of VR is to show off or demonstrate your products. For instance, Volvo hosted a test drive virtual reality experience that showed off the look and feel of driving their latest SUV model. You can use interactive experiences like this to onboard people to your products and convince them to ask for more information. 

Tell Stories

VR is also a powerful technology for telling stories that encapsulate your brand and messaging. The capacity for VR tools to create an alternate virtual environment means you can take booth visitors on a customer journey or teach them about your company’s social impacts. The immersive nature of VR and sensory booths can make brand storytelling more visceral and personal, leaving attendees with a memorable experience. 

Product “Demonstrations”

You can also design a VR product “demonstration” to show visitors what using your products is like or illustrate their pain points. For example, some tool companies have started creating VR apps that simulate what it’s like to use their tools. These kinds of demonstrations are great because you can sell an experience without the actual product hardware. 

Tips for Designing Interactive Experiences

It is essential to appropriately tailor your VR experience to your intended market. VR is merely the medium for your message, not the message itself. Don’t use a VR experience simply for the novelty; the VR element should be a crucial part of how you showcase your brand. Below are some tips on how to craft an engaging virtual reality booth. 

• Keep things short. Overly long VR stints can bore visitors. Ideally, you want to move through your line of booth visitors quickly and turn them into qualified leads. Keep the interactive exhibit to less than three minutes. 
• Don’t overcomplicate it. Not everyone is a gamer and is used to VR. Make sure you provide instructions, so visitors know exactly what they have to do. Guidance can be via text or voice narration—whichever fits the virtual environment better. 
• Make a comfortable environment. Ensure your virtual reality booth environment is suitable for the VR experience. For example, the Volvo VR experience we mentioned earlier would be best when the participant is sitting down. Adjustable headsets and motion controls can help people avoid motion sickness. 

Trade Show Advertising and Marketing

Oser Communications Group is your number-one choice for trade show advertising and marketing. Call us today at (520) 721-1300 to schedule a consultation or to learn more about the best booth location at trade shows. 

Trade shows are one of the best venues for small businesses to show off their products and services and network with like-minded individuals. Part of a successful trade show is having an engaging booth that attracts visitor attention. One effective method to draw attention to your trade show booth is live arts.

Below, our team at Oser Communications Group explores the benefits of live arts for tradeshows. 

Contact us today to speak about trade show advertising by Oser Communications Group!

Why Use Live Arts?

The main reason to use live arts at a trade show is to make your booth more memorable. Live art setups can provide a live demonstration of your products and services, giving trade show attendees a favorable first impression of your brand.  

Think about any trade shows you’ve been to recently and which booths captured your attention. Chances are they incorporated some kind of live arts to distinguish themselves from the competition. This kind of audience in the community is great for networking at trade shows and helps people remember your company.

Live Arts Ideas for Trade Shows

Below are some simple yet effective ideas for live arts at your next trade show appearance. 

Product Demonstrations

Product demonstrations are always a good idea, as attendees want to see tangible products and services. Live demonstrations can draw a crowd, as people will want to see what is going on. Moreover, attendees are more likely to remember companies when they see actual products and services, not just promotional materials and infographics. 

Moving Props

Moving props are another good live arts exhibition because they give attendees an active way to interact with your brand. For example, a larger-than-life computer could be a cute idea for a software company or a rotating globe for a cellular company with worldwide networks. The point of these kinds of props is to catch attendees’ attention with motion. 

Putting on a Show

Trade shows are supposed to be SHOWS, so don’t be afraid to put on a performance. You don’t need to have professional dancers at your booth, but something like a live classical music performance with original songs would go down well with the arts community.

The only limitation for trade shows is your imagination. The more creative you are with art music avenues, the more likely attendees will notice your booth. 

Costumes and Decorations

The people manning your booth can also be part of the live arts exhibit. Human decoration concepts can mesh with your brand, such as costumes, outfits, and headwear. Finding original decoration ideas makes your booth stand out from others and provides a level of interactivity to your exhibits. 

Trade Show Advertising

Our Oser Communications Group team prides itself on its diverse clientele and effective trade show advertisements. We have worked with clients from Fortune 500 companies and small businesses, so we know what makes an effective advertising message. Contact us online or call today at (520) 721-1300 to discuss trade show booth ideas!