When it comes to a home expo trade show, it's not enough to simply have a booth in the building. You need to have a booth in a great location if you truly want to stand out and attract a steady flow of traffic. Unfortunately, expo booth availability can sometimes be an issue, more specifically a lack of, that prevents companies like yours from securing an ideal booth location. However, there is a way around it. Learn how to maximize availability.
Create a Calendar
Prepare a calendar that outlines all the home expo shows you want to have your company represented at for the entire year. If you can't plan that far ahead, at least make a calendar for the next six months. All expo shows typically secure their booth rental contracts several months before the show's start date. If you don't know where you want to travel, you can't possibly know when you need to meet the different deadlines.
Research Each Show
Take a closer look at each show you plan to attend, as the layout of the floor is sometimes the same year after year. This step is crucial in terms of availability because it will help you draft which booth areas of the floor have the greatest potential for traffic, and therefore, are the most likely to be secured first. If you know exactly where you want to be located on the floor, you can make your request much faster.
Network and Make Contacts
It's essential to network with the people who plan and manage home expo shows. While the market is vast, in terms of the people in charge of these shows, the circle is likely much smaller than you think. For instance, the contact you make at the show in one state might work closely with the organizers in several other states. If you can get a direct contact, you will know exactly who to call, which can help you secure your booth faster.
Have a Team
Don't try to handle every aspect of the planning process on your own. For instance, you don't want to stretch yourself so thin that you're securing booth contracts, planning the booth's design, and setting up for each show. The more one person handles, the more likely they are to overlook an important detail, such as meeting a booth request timeline. If you amass a team of people, you can leave one specific person in charge of completing this step.
The above tips can help you secure a great home expo booth for all the expos you plan to attend.