In the lead up to both RSVP Sydney 09 and The Australian Business Events Expo tomorrow (Jul 22) in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, the Exhibition and Event Association of Australia (EEAA) has offered exhibitors some helpful hints on getting the most from their presence at the shows.

In the last of the three part series, exhibitors are offered some handy tips for getting the most value from your show participation after the show closes.

Reap the rewards: What to do AFTER the show

Debrief the team:
• Staff insight is a valuable asset, especially when they’re still fresh in everyone’s memory.
• Make time to sit down with the stand staff and key managers to go through the company’s exhibition performance, encouraging everyone to contribute to the conversation.
• Do an honest assessment of what worked and what didn’t.
• Taking a causal approach to the discussion will elicit suggestions for improving performance at future events.

Measure your results:
• Measure your success against the specific goals which were set in place prior to the show.
• If results show your goals were exceeded, determine why so that the same results can be replicated next time.
• If your objectives were not met, figure out where you fell short.

Track the leads:
• In addition to evaluating results, trace promising leads.
• Many companies do written lead-tracking reports three, six and even nine months after a major exhibition to track the new contacts right through to the bottom line. Only then can you determine the value of the exhibition for your company.

Free booklets are available to download from the EEAA’s new campaign website www.gotapassion.com.au.

The informative site also contains an interactive calendar of events, which lists industry exhibitions planned throughout Australia for the forthcoming 12 months.