1. How should I budget for expo participation? Expos are an extremely money-efficient way to market your business. How many of your marketing dollars result in bringing you face to face with large groups of like-minded people interested in your product?
You most likely spend more money each month on an ad in the phone book than you will with one of our shows.
Many suppliers and manufacturers have co-op marketing budgets specifically to help their distributors take advantage of this kind of targeted marketing opportunity. Consider asking the businesses you represent to kick in a few hundred dollars.
Or, consider sharing space with a compatible business. For instance, siding and gutter contractors can share exhibit booths.
2. How do Mid-America Events & Expos’ events compare to others in the area?
You get more for your money with our shows. Our booths include tables, skirting and a chair. Other shows may charge as much as an additional $50 to $100 for each of those items.
More important: because we’re owned by one of the country’s leading marketing companies that has been around for nearly 20 years, we are experts at show promotions and at developing exhibitor programs to help you maximize your exposure to your sales prospects.
For example, our comprehensive marketing campaign for a recent Seniors Expo generated more than 25 million exposures. That included a P.R. campaign on TV, radio and print, ads, our own magazines, tickets, post cards, e-mails, faxes, Internet publicity and more.
Exhibitors have multiple promotional opportunities to promote their businesses in association with our show. These include Web links, Shop at the Show (our online catalog), stage times, bag insertions, and ads and advertorials in our magazines. Sponsors are included in our media campaign often resulting in their being interviewed by reporters.
Each of our expos is a highly targeted specialty show, and is designed to appeal to a market segment most likely to buy your products. For example, the Body Mind Life Expo serves the health and natural products industry where billions of dollars are spent annually. The Mid-America Remodeling & Design Expo also targets a multi-billion dollar industry. And the Seniors shows appeal to the fastest growing population in the United States – people who also control most of this country’s discretionary spending.
We will help match you with the right expo to maximize your opportunities for success.
3. What if I don’t have the staff to manage an exhibit booth?
No problem! We can help you staff your booth with a knowledgeable business representative for an additional charge. But considering the name exposure and sales opportunities that our shows provide, your staff might best be utilized by making a commitment to being part of our event.
4. What type of attendees should I expect at Mid-America’s targeted expos? Do you target quality, motivated people?
We are committed to the principle that our shows are not measured by the number of attendees, but by the quality of attendees. Our goal is to bring you people who are interested in the type of product you sell. An important aspect of marketing is name recognition. Not everyone who attends the show will be ready to buy. But your show participation and the promotional items you send home with attendees will help them to remember you when they are ready to make a purchase.
5. How can I expect to benefit from being involved with your expo when I am already participating in another expo this year?
Shows are wonderful exposure to your prospective client base. If you are only going to do one show a year, ask us how to get free tickets so that you may audit ours.
Here are some questions to consider:
1. Does the show focus on your core customer or are the show producers aiming for mass appeal?
2. Is the show promoted heavily?
3. If you have done this show before, did you get good leads or were there a lot of tire kickers?
6. Why are Mid-America's expos held when and where they are?
Our shows are timed to coincide with the ‘down time’ when decisions are made, and when you have more time to spend on developing new business. If you wait to talk to prospects during your busiest time of year, you may end up turning people away instead of signing them up.
7. Are there other expos in this region with similar themes?
Yes, in some instances. The number of shows indicates the level of public interest, and the spending volume within a category. Your challenge is to find those venues for your marketing dollars that make the most sense and provide the opportunity for you to make the most profit.
The real question here is where should you spend your time and money to get the best competitive advantage?
Ours are all special interest shows designed to address the concerns of specific market segments. You have a choice and a voice. Do you want meet with people who are interested in your business? Does your product or service meet a real need? Then go where the money is, and where people are most likely to come expecting to learn about businesses like yours.
8. My business is conducted in a very defined region. How will exhibiting at an expo in your area benefit me?
Can you benefit from referrals? Our shows pull from all over the metro area, and even from as far away as Western Wisconsin. More importantly our attendees are likely to share what they see and learn at the expo with friends and family. One conversation during our expo could lead to dozens of impressions with potential customers who aren’t even in attendance. You might make this impact for less than what you’d pay for an impersonal ad in the telephone book.
9. How can I expect to benefit from exhibiting at one of your expos?
Expos are your opportunity as a business professional to invest a couple of days meeting with large groups of people who have indicated – by virtue of coming to this specialty show – that they are interested in learning more about your products.
Our attendees are actively seeking solutions to their problems. They may be ready to buy, or they may be at the expo to do the research on which they will base their buying decision. Will they get their information from you or your competition?
Picture these people standing in front of your expo booth. This is the salient moment for you to prove, face to face, why you and your company are best suited to satisfy their needs.
