IN THIS GUIDE:

• What’s New at Pack Expo 2026
• Make the Booth Work for Your Goals
• Design for Success
• Speak to Your Audience
• Extend Your Exhibit Beyond the Booth Walls
• 5 Pack Expo Mistakes to Avoid
• Post-Show Follow-Up Plan
• Why Choose Apogee
• Are You Ready for Pack Expo?

Pack Expo International 2026 by the Numbers:

• 48,000+ attendees expected at McCormick Place
• 2,600+ exhibitors competing for attention
• 1.3+ million square feet of exhibit space
• 81% of attendees have buying authority
• Average attendee visits 26+ booths during the show

With this level of competition, a well-planned booth strategy isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Chicago is Calling. Are You Ready?

Your pre-Pack Expo to-do list is a long one. It’s a big event in Chicago this year, and your team needs to be well prepared to make it pay off for your sales and revenue goals. Before you pack up your trade show display gear, ship off your supplies and board a plane to Chicago, you should consider some key things to ensure that you’re ready.

It’s wise to invest the time necessary to evaluate your trade show booth. Even if your display is relatively new—but especially if you’ve been toting it around for a few years—asking a few questions about the booth, its various elements, and how it serves your interests (or doesn’t) can help you make sure you’re getting a solid return on your trade show investment. If you’re not sure, you might need to make a few adjustments.

Here’s a pre-show checklist you can use to gauge the show readiness of your booth and determine if some changes are in order. After running through the items, you can be more confident that your booth is good to go.

What’s New at Pack Expo 2026

The packaging and processing industry is evolving fast. Here’s what exhibitors need to know:

Sustainability Takes Center Stage

Expect to see eco-friendly booth materials and messaging around sustainable packaging solutions. Consider how your booth design reflects your commitment to environmental responsibility.

Automation & Smart Manufacturing

With Industry 4.0 dominating conversations, your booth should showcase how your solutions integrate with automated systems. Interactive demos of smart technology will draw crowds.

Hybrid Engagement Strategies

Post-pandemic, many exhibitors are extending their reach with virtual components—live-streamed demos, QR code activations, and digital follow-up campaigns that keep the conversation going long after the show ends.

Data-Driven Lead Qualification

The days of collecting business cards in a fishbowl are over. Top exhibitors are using badge scanners, CRM integrations, and real-time lead scoring to maximize ROI.

Make the Booth Work for Your Goals

Your company and its reasons for exhibiting change over time—either to a small degree, or on a big scale. As a result, it’s essential to ensure your display is aligned with who you are now and what you have to offer the manufacturing industry. Therefore, gather your team together and ask these questions to determine if your Pack Expo booth fits your company and its goals right now.

Specifically, what are you looking to achieve at this show? While you might not check off all the boxes, make sure the ones that are important to you are marked off.

☐ Introducing new products
☐ Boosting awareness of existing lines
☐ Strengthening relationships with existing customers
☐ Connecting with prospects
☐ Generating leads
☐ Expanding brand exposure
☐ Hunting for emerging trends
☐ Increasing press coverage

Once you’ve identified your goals, the design and features of your booth should support them. For example, if you’re looking to showcase products, then consider a custom exhibit booth tailored toward giving those products a spotlight. On the other hand, if you seek to engage current customers and prospects, consider adding technology features like interactive displays.

Design for Success

Pack Expo presents a unique challenge because many exhibits feature machinery, equipment, and operating demos. While these elements serve to engage your audience, careful design planning is essential for optimizing traffic flow, lead qualification, and in-person demo or meeting opportunities. Moreover, the look and feel of an exhibit booth are more than just superficial considerations. In fact, the first impression attendees get of your event displays can make the difference between convincing them to enter your space and engage with your company, or walking on by.

As you plan your booth design, look for these elements. Again, you might not mark off all of them, but make sure you’re hitting the ones that matter most to your company:

☐ Eye-catching, stand-out colors and consistent branding
☐ The latest technology that showcases your offerings
☐ Engaging, clear graphics that identify you, what you do, and your unique benefit
☐ Impactful, eye-friendly lighting that focuses on the important areas of your space
☐ Backlighting key elements
☐ Prominent logos and product information
☐ Dynamic video presentations
☐ Welcoming reception area
☐ Meeting areas that meet new safety protocols

Booth Size Strategy by Goal

Pro tip: McCormick Place has high ceilings—consider a two-story exhibit to maximize visibility.

Speak to Your Audience

Too often, booth planning puts a laser focus on the exhibiting company. However, this approach fails to consider who you are actually exhibiting for. If your Pack Expo plans keep the customer in mind, in turn you are far more likely to draw attendees in and engage them. Therefore, look at your booth through their eyes to determine if it truly speaks to them

Check for these elements:

☐ Places for both product display as well as customer engagement
☐ Data and lead collection mechanisms
☐ A clear call-to-action or next step for visitors
☐ Promotional items
☐ Takeaway information

“Apogee didn’t just build us a booth—they helped us rethink our entire Pack Expo strategy. The result? 3x more qualified conversations than the previous year.”

Director of Marketing, Fortune 500 Packaging Company

Extend Your Exhibit Beyond the Booth Walls

Your Pack Expo booth undoubtedly represents a tremendous opportunity to engage with prospects and create a positive brand experience. The exhibit itself might physically take up only a few hundred square feet.

However, you can significantly expand its impact through strategic content. For this reason, we recommend layering in these activities to maximize your success

Develop Video Content – A quality video can get your value props to event attendees quickly and set you apart from the brand at the booth next to you.

Host an In-Show Seminar – Live interviews and panel discussions with experts or stakeholders are a great way to drive traffic to your booth.

Leverage Social Media – Everything you do for and at the show should be considered for social media. Consider spending time in the months leading up to your event to engage audiences and “prime the pump” for exhibit traffic.

Stay Connected Through Blogging – You should be maintaining an active presence on your company’s blog, even during the show. Incorporate daily updates with images, testimonials, appreciation for partners and share stories of conversations throughout Pack Expo.

Get Your Team Comfortable with The Art of Questioning – Rapport can be built within minutes of meeting a prospect by asking just a few open-ended questions (versus those that result in one-word answers.) Develop a list of industry and brand-appropriate questions that your sales team can leverage to provide you with information on your prospects and what they want.

5 Pack Expo Mistakes That Cost Exhibitors Leads (And How to Avoid Them)

Underestimating Chicago Weather in October

The Problem: October in Chicago can range from 40-60°F with unpredictable conditions.
The Solution: Plan for cooler temps. Ensure outdoor demo equipment works in various conditions. Have backup plans for weather-dependent demonstrations.

Shipping Late to McCormick Place

The Problem: McCormick Place has strict receiving deadlines and charges premium fees for late arrivals.
The Solution: Review the show’s shipping guidelines 60 days out. Ship materials early to avoid rush fees and ensure everything arrives on time.

Booth Staff Sitting or Looking at Phones

The Problem: Disengaged staff signal to attendees that you’re not interested in connecting.
The Solution: Pre-show training and rotating schedules keep your team engaged, alert, and approachable throughout all show hours.

No Pre-Show Outreach

The Problem: Attendees plan their show schedule weeks in advance. If they don’t know you’re exhibiting, they won’t visit.
The Solution: Start promoting your booth location 60 days out via email campaigns, LinkedIn posts, and direct outreach to key accounts.

Forgetting to Capture Leads from Day 1

The Problem: Technical issues with badge scanners or CRM systems waste valuable Day 1 traffic.
The Solution: Test your lead capture technology before the show floor opens. Have backup systems (paper forms, mobile apps) ready to go.

Want a complete pre-show checklist? Contact our Pack Expo specialists →

Don’t Let Your Leads Go Cold: The Post-Pack Expo Plan

The show doesn’t just end when you leave McCormick Place. Top exhibitors follow this timeline:

24 Hours:

• Send personalized emails to VIP prospects met at the booth
• Post show highlights and thank-yous on LinkedIn
• Debrief with your team while conversations are fresh

1 Week:

• Qualify and score all leads captured
• Schedule follow-up calls with hot prospects
• Send recap video or whitepaper to all booth visitors
• Share internally: what worked, what didn’t

30 Days:

• Analyze ROI metrics (cost per lead, conversion rate, pipeline value)
• Document lessons learned for the next show
• Continue nurturing warm leads through your sales funnel

Need help with post-show follow-up strategy? Apogee offers consultation services to maximize your Pack Expo ROI long after the show ends. Learn more →

Why Pack Expo Exhibitors Choose Apogee

For over 35 years, Apogee Exhibits has helped manufacturers, packaging companies, and processing equipment suppliers dominate the show floor at Pack Expo.

What sets us apart:

✓ 35+ Years of Experience – Since 1991, we’ve helped exhibitors across industries maximize ROI
✓ Full-Service Support – From concept to installation to tear-down, we handle everything
✓ ROI-Focused Design – Every element is engineered to drive engagement and capture leads
✓ Industry Versatility – We design for manufacturing, packaging, technology, and more
✓ Turnkey Solutions – Graphics, A/V, demos, promotional items, and more under one roof

Ready to Make Pack Expo 2026 Your Most Successful Show Yet?

You’ve got the checklist. You know what’s new. You understand the mistakes to avoid.

Now it’s time to put it all into action.

Regardless of whether you’re designing your first Pack Expo booth or refining a strategy that’s worked for years, Apogee Exhibits is ready to help. In fact, we bring 35+ years of trade show expertise to your project. Consequently, we ensure you stand out on the competitive McCormick Place show floor.

Let’s Talk About Your Pack Expo Strategy

Our team specializes in creating booth experiences that don’t just look good—they generate leads, start conversations, and deliver measurable ROI.

Schedule a free consultation:

• Call: (315) 986-4600
• Email: Request a consultation →

No pressure. No obligation. Just expert guidance from people who’ve been doing this since 1991.

Together, we’ll make Pack Expo 2026 your best event yet.

BRAND EXPERIENCES. ELEVATED.

Apogee Exhibits | Custom Trade Show Displays & Exhibit Design Celebrating 35 Years of Excellence | 1991-2026

The post The Ultimate Exhibitor’s Guide to Pack Expo International 2026 appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

Because there is so much competition for an attendee’s time and attention at a conference or exposition, a company must stand out to attract visitors. Exhibiting with a customized exhibit is one way to avoid getting lost in the crowd. Going beyond the standard, cookie-cutter appearance of the booths around you and putting up something unique greatly increases your chance to get noticed by clients and prospects at the event.

A talented exhibit partner can work closely with you and your team to plan and execute a striking trade show booth that aligns with your brand messaging and goals. They can incorporate creative signage, innovative visuals and messaging, tech tools and other components to come up with a solution that enables you to make connections without breaking your budget.

Here are some tips for putting together a customized booth display that fits your firm.

Focus on your brand

Make sure your planning always keeps your products, services, and goals for the events at the center. It is fine to incorporate clever visuals, themes, or high-tech elements, but if they don’t quite fit your company’s offerings or brand, those great ideas end up being not so bright, because your brand gets lost under all of the noise. If you ensure your brand is the star of the show, you boost your chance of successfully getting the right message across.
Opt for simplicity

Eye-popping graphics, video displays and other energetic elements can be put to good use in a trade show display. However, it is important you don’t go overboard with the “wow” factor. It isn’t necessary to plaster every surface with your logo, messages and other items. In fact, an excessive amount of such elements can make booth visitors feel overwhelmed. You want to leave them with a good impression, not a headache. Instead, remember that when it comes to the look of a booth, often less is more.

Keep it comfy

A trade show can stretch across hundreds of thousands of square feet. The experience of covering all that real estate to visit every booth can be downright exhausting for attendees. By offering a welcoming, comfortable space, your booth can provide a relaxing oasis that helps them recover from the grueling experience—and that’s something they likely will appreciate. Adding elements like couches, plush carpet, a coffee bar and other inviting items that make your booth a place that visitors will want to linger in.

Looking for other ideas to ensure your trade show display stands out?
Download our guide, Trade Shows 2020: Trends for Next Year’s Successful Exhibits.

Get the Ebook

The post Custom Made Exhibits Drive Customers appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

Without the right lighting to illuminate your booth, your chances of attracting customers will be dim. Keep in mind, though, that to succeed, booth lighting has to do more than simply enable the visitors to view what you’re showcasing in your exhibit. The lighting fixtures should create a mood that fits your brand goals—it can leave attendees feeling energized, soothed, warm and welcome, or a combination. Also, lighting can serve to draw attention to the products and features you want to emphasize.

For the best and brightest results, make sure you don’t treat lighting as an afterthought. Instead, keep it in mind during the planning and design process. Here are some ideas to keep in mind along the way:

Spotlight sustainability

In another recent post, we discussed how incorporating eco-minded elements throughout your booth can connect with sustainability-minded customers. Lighting is one area with a great deal of sustainability potential. Incorporating lamps, fixtures and other lighting components that conserve less energy than conventional lighting products demonstrates your company’s focus on sustainability. Consider including in-booth messaging informing visitors that your display makes use of planet-friendly lighting products, so they are aware that you’re backing eco concerns with action.

Add a touch of color

The phrase “colored lighting” might bring to mind a circus, disco or some other high-energy environment where the colors are anything but subtle. That isn’t necessarily the case with colored lighting in a trade show environment. A hint of color in your lighting can be barely detectable to the human high but still have a notable impact on the people streaming through your booth. A bit of an orange tinge, for example, can contribute to a warm, inviting feeling, which can make attendees feel more welcome in your space. Lighting that includes a touch of blue can contribute to an increased energy level, or amplify the feeling that your products and services are high tech and advanced.

Incorporate modern fixtures

While the bulbs and lamps light up your display, the fixtures also play a part in the overall look and feel of your company’s booth. When planning your setup, consider the appearance of the lighting fixtures. If you’re bringing a booth display that your company has used before, consider updating the fixtures. It sounds like a minor change but updating the look of the fixture and brightening up the aesthetics can increase the positive impression that booth visitors come away with.

There are numerous ways to keep your trade show booth on trend.
Check out our Trade Shows 2020: Trends for Next Year’s Successful Exhibits for a wealth of bright ideas.

Get the Ebook

The post “Illuminating” Lighting Ideas appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

However, when incorporating sustainable messaging and design elements into your booth, it’s important that you go beyond the surface. Companies, like consumers, are leery of “greenwashing,” which involves claiming commitment to sustainability with no real action to back those claims up. Work to support your sustainability messaging with evidence and action to build trust in your environmental efforts.

Here are a few ways you can communicate sustainability to booth visitors:

Share your company’s sustainability achievements

Multinational corporations like Coca-Cola and Walmart put together detailed, complex documents outlining their organization’s sustainability achievements, and their goals for the future. They also share them publicly, so that shareholders, industry partners, and even consumers know what they’re up to. Consider doing the same with your company’s environmental activity. You can offer copies of your report to booth visitors and include notable achievements and goals in display messaging.

Offer sustainability-minded promotional products

Branded handouts are a popular way to create a positive impression with trade show attendees. Instead of offering visitors pens with plastic barrels or synthetic drawstring bags bearing your logo, consider an eco-friendly alternative. Many promotional product producers offer a variety of eco-friendly items that could help you underscore your company’s sustainability message. These include bags made from natural fibers, pens with bamboo barrels, travel mugs made of post-consumer recycled content, and more. Consider fulfilling literature requests via email or electronic means instead of printing. Email fulfillment of requested information gets into the inbox of your attendee immediately, reducing waste and the risk that your literature doesn’t end up in the landfill.

Let your booth do the talking

Choosing a trade show display composed of sustainable materials is a great way to communicate to visitors at first sight that your company is interested in sustainability. What’s more, incorporating natural walls, surfaces and accents into your display elements can serve to give your booth a standout appearance that sets your display apart from other companies exhibiting at the event. Your trade show display partner can work with you to come up with eco elements that send a solid message to visitors and fit in with your company’s goals.

Looking for more on-trend booth ideas?
Download our Trade Shows 2020: Trends for Next Year’s Successful Exhibits resource for more inspiration.

Get the Ebook

The post Showcasing Sustainability in your Trade Show Exhibit appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

Getting Started

Before you start the exhibit space selection process, determine how much real estate you need. Referencing your budget and exhibiting goals is a good starting place for planning your space requirements. If using an existing exhibit, base your space requirements on previous shows. If debuting a new exhibit, ask your expert exhibit partner how much square footage you need to get the most out of your exhibit. Review show packets or contact management to find information on registration price, break deadlines, early selection, premium space rates and more to better plan for cost and to avoid late fees and penalties. If you’re using an existing exhibit and realize it won’t work perfectly for the site, talk to your partner about small tweaks to ensure your booth works for the show.

Review Floor Plans

Each trade show has a unique floor plan, so it is important to acquaint yourself with the lay of the land while selecting a booth space. While reviewing a trade show’s floor plan, familiarize yourself with the locations where the most attendee traffic is likely to flow, such as attendee registration areas, entrance and exit points, conference spaces, exhibitor meeting rooms, and attendee dining stations.

Larger trade shows often occupy multiple exhibit halls or floors within a venue, so obtain floor plans for all of the areas. Some trade shows have explicit criteria for exhibiting in an area; a section may be reserved for show sponsors or for a specific segment of your industry. If this is the case, make sure to verify with show management beforehand that you are allowed to lease space within a prospective area.

Many venues have obstacles that can be barriers to your on-site success like weight-bearing columns, fire apparatuses or evacuation egress points. These obstacles can interfere with the visibility and accessibility of your exhibit, so identify these barriers beforehand to avoid headaches later.

Prime Trade Show Real Estate

While there are many prime locations on the trade show floor—each offering its own distinct advantage—the best space for your company is one that best aligns with your show goals and objectives. Below we list three common trade show goals and the locations suit them best.

Maximize All Opportunities

While there might be “better” and “worse” locations for your exhibit, how you leverage your location is up to you. Take advantage of the inherent benefits of any location your booth is placed. High-traffic intersections at trade shows are an ideal location, but only if you make the most of this plum spot. To capitalize on busy intersections, consider designing a booth that is open to both aisles so that prospects can enter your space from multiple points. If you plan on displaying products, or you want to communicate key brand messages, place product display areas and signage near each entry point. Open booths also make it easier for you to manage booth traffic, as attendees will have an unobstructed path to get from one end of your space to another, reducing bottlenecks inside your booth.

Just as there are prime areas on the trade show floor, there are also spaces that are less desirable. Areas in the rear of an exhibit hall get less foot traffic and are often missed. One way to make the most of a rear space is to incorporate lounge areas and charging stations within your exhibit. Prospects will see your booth as an oasis and will be more likely to stop in for a quick rest, giving your staff the opportunity to engage with them.

Make Sure Your Exhibit Booth is Ready

Now that you know how to pick the perfect space on the show floor, make sure your booth is ready for all of your upcoming shows by asking your exhibit partner the right questions. Download our latest guide – Are You Asking These 3 Important Trade Show Questions? – today.

The post How to Pick the Perfect Trade Show Exhibit Location appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

Think Like a Miner to Find Gold

Before you can properly qualify leads you must adopt the right attitude, the attitude of a miner. Miners and sales representatives share much in common. Both professions take resilience and determination to succeed, and only a select few can stick it out for the long-haul. Like miners, sales representatives must rake through the muck and grit to find something of value. Look at the trade show floor as a gilded stream, a running body of water as likely to contain fish as fortune. If you have a miners mentality, you will tirelessly pan and sift through the stream until you find your treasure.

Good Conduct = Good Trade Show Leads

Great exhibit staff is a key component to gaining quality leads at a trade show. It’s great to have motivated and self-directed personnel, but overzealous sales representatives can cause good prospects to avoid your booth. Advise your on-site exhibit staff to avoid “selling” everyone they come across. Instead, have your booth team invite passersby into your exhibit space for a product demonstration or a more in-depth conversation regarding your product or service. By acting more as a messenger than a salesperson, your team will be able to break the ice without turning off potential buyers, thus increasing the quality of your trade show leads.

Ask the Right Questions

Once you have a prospect in your exhibiting space it is important to find out their needs and desires. A great way to peer into the mind of your prospect is to ask short open-ended questions that will let you know quickly if they can use your product or service. When asking open-ended sales questions it is very important not to sound condescending or cliched, rather ask with a sense of genuine earnestness.

Good questions to ask a prospect:

• How do you and your organization define success?
• What are some of the major challenges your business needs to overcome this year?
• What issue or issues are holding you back from reaching your profit goals?
• If you don’t solve issue X how will that impact your business?
• What would help you have the biggest impact or competitive advantage in your market?
• If your prospect answers any of these questions in a manner that indicates that your product or service can help them then you know immediately that they are one of the hot trade showleads you are seeking. Explain to them how your organization can assist them. Try your best to sell them on the floor, but if they need more time, schedule a follow-up meeting with them either at the event or at a later date via phone, email or in-person if possible.

To Whom Are You Speaking?

Time is precious at a face-to-face marketing event, so wasting it on non-qualified attendees will reduce your opportunities for solid trade show leads. Often times at an event attendees may be lured to a space because of a cool booth design, a great give away or they may be bored and out to have a conversation for conversation’s sake. No matter the reason, it is important to filter out the prospects from the pretenders. Advise your team to identify a buyer within the first two-minutes of speaking with them by asking the previously mentioned questions or by listening to buying cues such as “How much does your product cost?” or “What kind of service can you guys provide to a business like mine?”.

Without buying cues or positive feedback from prospecting questions it’s crucial to steer an attendee away from your space to make more room for potential buyers. However, never lose your tact and politeness. You can simply hand them a brochure or another piece of marketing collateral and invite them to learn more about you. Make sure you are polite and always maintain eye-contact and extend your hand for a handshake. Engendering goodwill now may pay off down the line if the attendee’s needs match what you have to offer later on.

Talk to an Apogee expert and get the exhibit to drive prospects to your booth.
Contact us or call (315) 986-4600.

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Customer-Centric Booth Design

On the day of the trade show, one of the most overlooked aspects of lead-capturing is how your booth is designed and laid out. Prospects are constantly walking up to your booth, and if your design is not customer-centric, many will keep walking. Part of the missed opportunity is due to your sales staff being busy with other prospects and not being able to greet every customer who walks through. But if your booth is designed to attract visitors and it allows them to engage themselves with your products, then you’ll be maximizing your booth’s potential—as well as your investment.

Consider that more than 80% of trade show attendees possess buying authority. These design tips will help you stop those valuable leads from passing you by.

Open Concept – Arrange your show booth so that it invites attendees to walk inside and around your booth. Design with space and entice them with creative product displays that encourage interaction.

Strategic Lighting – A smartly-lit booth can accentuate design features and create a warm environment. A well-lit display is essential, allowing visitors to easily view the important details of your products and graphics. Use lighting to brighten key areas of your exhibit, such as product displays and promotional materials.

Touch Screen Displays –  People love the opportunity to guide their own experience, so think of unique ways you can include touchscreen displays to accomplish that goal. Catalogs, virtual tours, company videos, and portfolios are all great ways visitors can interact with your products on their own time.

Want more ways to attract quality leads during your next trade show? Check out our free Ebook, “Beyond the Booth: Capturing Prospects During the Show”  that’s packed with advice like pre-show email campaigns, custom booth design, how to engage with your prospects, hosting seminars, and more.

You’ll also get access to our new Custom Timeline Generator tool to help you plan for your next big show!

The post How to Capture Prospects at a Trade Show appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

Practice makes perfect

Selling at a trade show is the ultimate test for a salesperson. While cold calls to uninterested and disgruntled prospects can be grueling, door-to-door sales isn’t much fun either, especially with the uptick in content marketing and lead nurturing campaigns.  But there’s still something unique about selling at a trade show that can’t be replicated. Your team has the opportunity to face off, head-to-head, with other salespeople in real-time. Trade shows are the super bowl of the sales world.

Related: Check out our best Trade Show App for ExhibitorsSo what’s the key to success?

Firstly, it’s not just one thing (nothing ever is). But it helps to make your pitch as simple as possible. One of the keys to sales simplification is preparation. Before an event, make sure you are an expert on whichever product or service you are going to be selling. Take time to visit with the product design team and ask them practical in-depth questions about the product or service. You should also become an expert on your competition’s products as well. This way you will be able to pick apart their limitations while highlighting how your product is a better fit.

Just Getting Started? Check out our guide on How to Plan for Trade Shows

Practice makes perfect is an adage we’ve all heard many times. But putting that saying into “practice,” takes practice. Read your sales script repeatedly until you have it memorized and can recite it perfectly.

Rejection vs. Objection

Salespeople deal with rejection on a daily basis; it’s just part of the job. But great salespeople are able to deal with rejection professionally, and the best salespeople understand the difference between a “rejection” and an “objection.”

Rejection

The person who rejects your pitch will be very tough to sell to, to the point where it’s probably not worth it to continue engaging in a conversation with them. If you proceed to pitch them, you may make them angry to the point that they complain to your higher-ups, or write a bad review of your company. Knowing when to hang it up and move on is essential in sales, as wasted time is wasted opportunity.

Example: “No thank you, I am not in the market for your product, nor will I ever be in the market for your product.”

Your Response: “Thanks for speaking with me, have a great rest of your day. ”

Objection

This person is a “maybe”. With this person, you have a chance to sell. Often, if a person hesitates in response, rather than giving a stern negative response, chances are the prospect is on the fence, and that means you have an opportunity.

Overcoming objections is a skill every elite salesperson possesses, so make sure you keep yourself in the game and don’t mistake a “maybe” for a “no”.

Example: “Right now isn’t a great time for me, check back in a week or so,” or “Your pricing seems a little high. I don’t think I can spend that much right now.”

Your Response:  “I understand that this may not be the best time for you, but I can show you right now how our product can meet your needs,” or ” I understand your budget concerns, and we have a number of pricing options for you to explore. I just want to make sure you are getting the best deal possible, before this offer ends.”

Value

Great sales people know that when it comes down to it, selling a product’s features is a great way to get prospects interested, but what makes a prospect buy more often than not is the value of a product. Value is not only measured in dollars and cents. There are other non-monetary values that can have just as much of an impact as the price tag.

Learn Financial Planning for Your Next Trade Show Event

Company value

Your sales pitch should present the value your product or service can offer an organization as a whole. Company value represents the benefits a product or service can offer a company at the organizational level such as “easy-to-use interface”, “development-friendly” , “time-saving” etc. By pitching these values, you are connecting to a company’s pain points and offering a unique solution that your company can provide.

Professional value

Career development is important to your prospects. If you can show them how your product or service can help them grow professionally, they will be more willing to listen to your pitch. Professional value can be demonstrated with testimonials of other professionals who share the prospects job title, or by illustrating how your product will help their department excel, and by extension, how they will benefit as an individual.

Identity value

Prospects are keenly aware of their company’s identity in the marketplace and will make their purchasing decisions based on products that align with their brand’s identity. Before jumping into a sales pitch, ask a prospect how their company views itself and how their customers view them as well. Take the answers they give you and rework your sales pitch to highlight how your product or service can help them enhance or maintain their identity.

The post Pitch Perfect: Selling at a Trade Show appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

In this article, we’ll cover trade show email marketing best practices and help you devise an effective email strategy for your brand.

Your Target Demographic

Before drafting your first email, make sure you understand your core audience.

Is your target demographic likely to be receptive to your message? Will your target demographic be open to email communication? Are the members of your demographic buying influences within their organization?

The best way to answer these question is by forming a buyer persona of your ideal customer. Treat buyer personas like fictional characters; get to know their habits, personalities and consumer preferences, and outline their likes, dislikes and overall temperament.

You can create a buyer persona by looking at any data you have on your customers. The more information you have, the better. If you lack the right information, like your customers’ age, demographic, interests, etc… send a survey to your customers and use the responses to form your buyer persona.

Once you have created your buyer persona, you can use that information to inform your email subject lines, calls-to-action and promotions in your emails. Also, by nailing down your key demographic, you are maximizing the effectiveness of your event marketing campaign, which should lead to a greater ROI for your organization.

When planning emails for before, during and after your trade show, be sure to personalize the messaging to capture the reader’s attention. Timely messages give attendees a solid reason to visitor your booth, engage with staff and follow up afterwards.

Tip: Before you attend a trade show, get a list of attendees and create specific email campaigns tailored to their needs.

Send Emails throughout the Trade Show Marketing Cycle

Email is a vital part of any trade show marketing strategy. When reaching out to attendees before, during and after trade shows, it is important to keep an open line of communication and reinforce the connection through multiple touch-points. Keeping in touch with attendees and prospects nurtures the face-to-face relationships you’ve built.

Before the Show

The weeks leading up to a show are a crucial time for building buzz and motivating visitors to check out your booth. Long before the show opens, attendees should be anticipating the opportunity to connect and learn more about your products and services.

In pre-show emails, give attendees a reason to visit by including:

• Product launches
• Contests and giveaways
• Discounts and exclusive trade show offers
• Unique booth elements

When crafting pre-show emails, it is important to include the booth number and location so attendees can easily find you on the busy show floor. Additionally, share blog posts, resources and social media profiles for important brand insight. The more attendees know about your brand, the easier it is to qualify and convert during the show.

Need content ideas for your emails? Check out Apogee’s Top Trade Show Trends of 2019

During the Show

Emails sent during a trade show need to be drastically different from ones sent before a trade show. Your main goal of in-event email is to drive traffic to your trade show booth, not your website or landing page.

That being said, the same principles apply: conceive of an engaging message to share with your recipients, draft a relatable subject line and make sure that your email has a call-to-action (CTA).

Remind attendees about the benefits of visiting your booth by reinforcing key points from pre-show emails. It can be easy to overlook companies once attendees are caught on the bustling show floor. Email reminders sent during the show help keep your brand on their minds. Consider offering special giveaways to event-goers who received an email, extend one-on-one consultation invites or offer free limited-time product sample to drive traffic.

After the Show

After everything is packed away and it’s time to go home, your email outreach has just begun. Be sure to follow up with attendees who connected with your company at the show. Tailor your messaging to nurture leads based on their specific interests and buyer personas. Personalized emails are the key to capturing attendees’ attention and boosting the likelihood that they will convert. Additionally, craft an email that targets recipients that expressed interest in your company but were not able to visit.

Related: Plan Smarter with Apogee’s Trade Show Timeline

Create a Killer Subject Line

There is no magic bullet for the perfect subject line. Instead, focus on crafting subject lines between 30 and 50 characters that specifically relate to a call to action and–if possible–a reader benefit.

“Visit us at [name of show]”

Why it’s good: The call-to-action “Visit” is direct and clear. The reader will know exactly what the content of the email will aim to do.

Make it Better: Use language that teases the reader so they are enticed to open the email. Include more relevant information, such as specific location at the event or a reader-oriented benefit to visit.

“Why you should visit booth [1234] at [name of show]”

Why it’s good: While still being clear and concise with the call to action, this subject line tells the reader where, exactly, to find “us” at the show.

Make it Better: Spell out the benefit to the reader. What’s in it for them if they open?

“Sample our new hand lotion at [name of show] booth [1234]”

Why it’s better: This version of the subject line is very reader-benefit oriented, but still packs a ton of information in 46 little characters. Plus, the benefit – or the hook to entice an open – is within the first 35 characters of the subject line, which is ideal for mobile reading.

Bonus Tips

• A/B test subject lines to avoid potential issues with spam blocking software, and learn which subject your reader prefers
• Use a Call-To-Action (CTA) at the beginning of subject lines so the email is actionable

Design Emails that Work

With every email, you hope that a reader converts twice: once with the click and once with the purchase, conversion or lead capture form.

How to create emails that work are twofold: (1) Spell out the call to action as soon as possible and (2) make converting easy with a built-to-match-the-email landing page.

For example, if your event marketing goal is to increase traffic to your space at the event or trade show, place your “visit us” enticement high and early in the email (such as a “save 5% with this coupon” or “get a free exhibit hall pass” button). Having the call to action high in the email means that the reader will not need to scroll or read through the email before figuring out where to go.

Create an Effective Landing Page

If you claim in your email, “save 5% with this coupon,” the link should take a reader to a landing page where they could print out or request a coupon. If you send them to your homepage or a general “promotions” page, you run the risk of making the reader work too hard. The average web user expects to find what they’re looking for in less than five seconds. If you make them work too hard, the chances are high that they will give up and leave.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to include links to your social media pages and other relevant content on the landing page. This gives visitors an opportunity to learn more about your company and find valuable information they need.

Be Consistent in Your Efforts

Successful email marketers understand the importance of testing out different email approaches and the trial and error nature of email marketing. Not every email you send will be a home run. In fact, you may have some not-so-impressive campaigns before you finally hit your email marketing stride. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up, nor does it mean that what you are doing isn’t worth your time and effort.

Testing out a variety of tactics and strategies with your audience is a good exercise in helping you identify which emails they are most receptive to, hone your skills as an email marketer, and help you drive consistent conversation and buzz around your trade show marketing campaigns.

When used properly, email marketing is one of the most effective tools in an event marketers’ arsenal. As with every facet of event marketing, proper planning is key. So plan, execute and review as often as possible.

Talk to an Apogee expert and carve out a successful email marketing strategy for your brand. Contact Us or call (315) 986-4600.

The post Secrets to a Successful Trade Show Email Campaign appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

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• How to set up Virtual Reality
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• Live interviewing on a budget
• The power of Interactive Touch Screens
• What to display on a Video Wall
• How Charging Stations attract customers

Whether you are a trade show expert or just dipping your toe in the water for the first time, understanding how your booth can attract today’s tech-savvy customer with the right mix of tech elements can keep you ahead of the competition in 2019.

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The post Tech Ideas That Make Your Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Booth Stand Out appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

When I began in this business in 1994 the biggest challenge we faced was how to get a VCR to play a looping video of a client’s promotional material.  Netscape Navigator was the first commercially launched web browser, and folks like Amazon, Yahoo, and YouTube were only in their beginning stages.  Attendees back then were engaged by (hopefully) savvy booth staffers who knew how to engage, qualify and present their companies products or services.  The booth staff drove the presentation.  Technology as it is today didn’t exist and most was used for general presentations and was not at all interactive.

Fast forward to 2018.  There are now an estimated 45 billion, Yes BILLION! Web sites and roughly 4 billion web users.  Many of those users are now strolling the show floor looking to “interact” with you and your exhibit.  Only this time it’s different.  Your booth visitors want to run the presentation!  They want to decide what they look at and how they interact with it.  The current-day attendee wants information and wants it fast.  How we communicate it is very important in the digital age of social media, web, and interactive engagement.

A recent 2017 Floor Engagement Study done by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research found that over 75% of all attendees visiting an exhibit want to interact with products or information (see, touch, manipulate) and over 90% want to be approached an engaged by a booth staffer.  These are two driving factors that keep attendees engaged within a booth space.  The first is the quality of the booth staff interaction and behavior.  The second is how the attendee is engaged by the staff and exhibit.  In most cases an attendee wants to drive the information gathering, not be force-fed by an unqualified staffer.  This is why staff engagement along with supporting technology that an attendee can interact with is so important.

In today’s trade show environment an atmosphere of discovery is a must.  Attendees must be drawn into exhibits with dynamic examples of new products, technologies, or services.  Moving imagery, smartboard demonstrations, interactive touch screens and attendee driven interfaces are crucial to keep the folks in your booth engaged so you can further qualify and present your case.

A growing trend amongst larger exhibitors (over 60% of these folks employ this tactic) is to feature “Creature comforts” such as plush seating/meeting areas, charging stations, and food/beverages.  This tactic is seeing increased use by exhibitors as well.  Implementing just a few of these tactics will keep your audience engaged and allow your booth staff to do their job and promote your brand at the face to face level!

The post The Evolving world of Face to Face Marketing and in-booth engagement appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.

Those attendees on the trade show floor are all potential opportunities that can become your clients. There is a unique opportunity for you to influence their perceptions about your company brand, your people, your capabilities to be their partner, and ultimately influencing their buying behaviors. Where else but the trade show floor do you have access to decision makers and buyers, that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

A few interesting statistics from a 2015 study conducted by the Center for Industry Research revealed the following about the benefits of exhibiting:

99% of attendees have not met face-to-face with any companies exhibiting at the show they are attending, in the past 12 months.

46% of executive decision makers made purchase decisions while attending a show.

92% of attendees come to a trade show to learn about new product and service offerings.

77% of decision makers found at least 1 new supplier at the last show they attended.

76% of decision makers will ask for a price quotation.

Listed below are 4 essential benefits for exhibiting at trade shows and events!

Increase leads and ultimately sales.

• The trade show environment allows your trained and knowledgeable sales force the opportunity to benefit from an audience of prospective customers who are attending the show because they are genuinely interested in the products and services that are being offered.
• With the personal connections that can be made on the show floor, the quantity and quality of potential leads make exhibiting a great opportunity to increase your customer base and thus increasing sales.
• Trade shows have a great potential to provide a high response rate from attendees, along with valuable insight that will help your business expand and improve.

Strengthen Brand Awareness

• The trade show floor allows you to have the same access to prospective customers as your competitors. Regardless of the size of your exhibit space, exhibiting offers you a valuable opportunity to help position your business as a leader in the industry and gain exposure to many prospects.
• Your display can capture the interest of your product offerings, but it is up to your booth staffers to engage them. A solid program includes staffers who are well versed in engaging prospects and communicating the benefits of the products and or services you offer.
• Trade shows can be a powerful extension of your companies image through advertising, promotions, public relations and sales, which offer an excellent way to enhance your brand awareness.
• Keep in mind that to be effective, your brand strategy needs to be totally consistent, clear and focused throughout your exhibit program.

Product Launch

• Trade shows offer the opportunity for your attendees to gain a hands-on demonstration of your innovative products. It’s important to have knowledgeable staffers on hand who are able to provide details of the product. These demonstrations can certainly provide a benefit in the decision-making process.
• Trade shows provide a captive audience that often includes influencers and decision makers.
• To help make your product launch a success, begin planning at least 3 months in advance. Market your launch in various trade publications and social media platforms. This will help give you an edge while creating excitement about your product launch. Invite your customer and prospects to visit you are the trade show for a hands on demonstration.
• The fact that trade shows are a convenient location for your potential customers to have their inquiries and concerns addressed on the spot, adds an important factor in your decision to exhibit at trade shows.

Build Customer Relationships

• Trade show events are a prime opportunity to meet face to face with existing customers both on the show floor and through networking sessions. They offer a “natural” environment where you can gather and discuss new strategies for long term relationships.
• Face to face opportunities with existing and prospective customers provide great value in the overall sales cycle. What better way to gain instant feedback to help improve your business model.
• The environment also offers you the opportunity to strengthen relationships with prospects that are familiar with your products and services, but which you have been challenged in getting those face to face appointments.
• Attendees are seeking a deeper relationship with their vendors and clients. The trade show floor offers a great opportunity for them to learn about different products and services offered. It affords the opportunity to gain valuable insight into service they may not have realized existed.

Planning is the most important aspect of your trade show marketing program. With solid objectives and clear goals, your company can reap the benefits of exhibiting. They offer a valuable venue to network with other industry professionals and at the same time, a valuable avenue to promote your company products and services. They are a time-efficient and cost-effective means for sellers to sell and buyers to buy.

The post The Value of Being an Exhibitor! appeared first on Apogee Exhibits.