By Lee Ann Laban
By Lee Ann Laban
Exhibiting at an education conference comes with a substantial price tag. Exhibitor fees alone can range from $2,500 to over $10,000, not to mention the cost of a booth display and expenses like travel, marketing materials, and giveaways. For many education businesses, conferences represent a significant portion of their marketing budget and one of the strongest sources of high-quality leads. So, how can you ensure the best return on investment (ROI) for the expenditure? You came to the right place! We’re here to guide you through every step, from pre-conference planning to post-conference follow-up, with practical tips to maximize your investment.
Maximizing your ROI starts long before educators show up for the opening session of the conference. In fact, the first step is knowing which conference to choose. It all starts with picking events that align with your target audience. Do your research on this to identify which conferences your ideal customers attend. Also, analyze exhibitor lists to gauge competitor presence and assess the event’s relevance to your segment of the education industry. Additionally, leverage insights from your existing client base by inquiring about their preferred conferences. This ensures that your investment is directed toward conferences that offer the greatest potential for business growth.
Once you’ve chosen the conference and paid your exhibitor fee, the next step is to select your booth location. When you’re deciding which spot to choose, look at the conference exhibitor list and floor plan, which generally includes the booth location and names of already registered exhibitors. Put some thought into the best location for your booth, particularly the traffic flow. A location on an aisle next to a popular vendor will draw in more foot traffic. Also consider whether it’s beneficial for you to be close to your competitors, or whether it’s important to be some distance away. Registering as an exhibitor early not only gets you the best pricing, but also the best booth options.
Did you know that you have to think about outfitting your booth? Some conferences include tables and chairs, a table drape, carpet and electricity, and some do not. Pay attention to what’s included in your exhibitor fee and what’s not. Whatever is missing you’ll need to order in advance. Large conferences generally contract with vendors like Freeman, Alliance, and Reed for exhibitors to order from. For smaller events you may need to source furnishings and other accessories, like a table drape, yourself. Will you need a monitor to run a video or presentation on? Will you need a sound system to host in-booth presentations? Do you have chairs for staff to sit in, or chairs to invite potential customers to sit in for a chat? Pro tip: Be sure to order high-quality carpet padding. It makes ALL the difference in the comfort of your team when spending multiple days on their feet in the booth!
Be sure to look at order and shipping deadlines. There are often discounts for ordering furnishings and equipment early. If you are shipping exhibit materials, like your booth display, brochures, giveaways, etc. be sure to pay close attention to shipping locations and deadlines. For large conferences held at big convention centers, warehouse fees are generally less expensive if you ship materials well in advance. Also follow directions about how to address/label your boxes very carefully so you have the best chance of them being delivered to your booth space on time.
Is your exhibit display game on-point? Is it eye-catching and compelling enough to draw people in and make them want to learn more? Your display should communicate clearly what you do and the benefits your product or service provides. There are companies that can handle quick production turnarounds for backdrops and pop-up banners, but if you need help designing your booth display, Spyre can help. Here’s a photo of our client Penda Learning’s booth at NSTA—such a fun conference, by the way!
Envision the type of experience you want your booth visitors to have. First and foremost you want them to learn about you and your product or service but you can also showcase your brand’s personality. Authenticity is key; it attracts visitors and fosters genuine connections. Don’t feel pressured to follow a strict corporate formula. Instead, consider incorporating fun activities that keep people engaged. One of our favorite and most creative from this year’s ISTE conference was the friendship bracelet-making station at the NoRedInk booth—brilliant! A lot of real conversations can be had in the time it takes to make a bracelet.
Choose your giveaways/swag. Practical items are more appreciated than cute but useless trinkets. Offer small swag items for anyone who stops by and reserve higher-value items for those with whom you have meaningful interactions. You can also consider hosting a giveaway drawing for a higher value item. Will you be doing in-booth presentations or demos? This will help you figure out how to allocate your booth setup and space (and, as mentioned above, whether you will need to order equipment to support those activities).
Now for a very critical component, consider how you will keep track of your visitors. Many conferences have a lead capture system that you can pay extra for and pro tip, it is totally worth it! Collecting the information of the folks who stop by your booth is the total reason you are there so this is your conference gold. And again, if you’re stuck coming up with ideas for what to do to attract educators to your booth, Spyre can do the planning for you.
You’ve signed up as an exhibitor, paid for and picked your booth, and figured out your furnishings, activities, and materials. Now let’s think about how to let your prospects know that you’ll be at the conference. It’s never too early to let folks know that you’re attending an event. Start by posting the events you’re attending along with your booth number to your website. About six weeks before the conference start ramping up your marketing.
OK, breathe. The conference is underway. You’ve set the stage for success, so now you get to enjoy doing your thing. Focus on making new connections with educators but don’t forget about networking with other education businesses and service providers. The event isn’t only about acquiring new customers (well, mostly); it’s also an opportunity to learn about what’s happening in the market and meet fellow professionals in the space. You might discover a business that complements your services or even establish a mutually beneficial referral partnership.
You’ll have a lot going on at the show but be sure to carve out time to post to social media during the event.
When the conference is over, make sure you follow up with all the folks who stopped by your booth. Promptly send your new leads an “it was great to meet you” email. Include a valuable piece of content to continue to build your organization’s thought leadership and brand with prospects. Also consider offering a special discount, free trial, or other exclusive offer to conference participants. Educators coming home from a conference are still in research and education mode, so tap into that desire to learn about new solutions with not just a single follow up email but with a series of emails that could last as long as six weeks. This lead nurture series should include a mix of product information and CTAs for a free trial, demo, or sales consultation along with thought leadership content such as whitepapers, on-demand webinars, and eBooks. A lead nurture email series is a great way to share case studies and customer testimonials to provide social proof to prospects.
Another important post-conference activity is to evaluate what went well and what you would do differently next time. This reflection will help you have even greater success at your upcoming events. And, if you decide that any of these conference activities seem a little overwhelming and you want some help and guidance, remember that the Spyre marketing team is here to help you at every step with fresh ideas and in-Spyre-ation.
Lee Ann, a seasoned edtech conference organizer turned marketer, uses all her wealth of experience and insider knowledge to make clients stand out at events and beyond.