Feature
“We’re telling people to follow up on leads but
sometimes we can be our own worst enemy!”
– Matt Coyne
How can digital and data
improve the exhibitor
experience?
Matt Coyne, Group
Commercial Director at
Visit by GES:
Technology allows us
to monitor the intent of
visitors and exhibitors
and prove behavioural
interactions that occur
around an event. By
using a complete data
intelligence solution,
organisers can offer vital
insight to exhibitors about
who they will meet, the
leads they can truly expect,
and the location that is
best for their products.
By using this data and
sharing it with exhibitors
intelligently, organisers
can support companies in
driving more quality leads
to their stands. This has
never been so important
than in today’s world of
omnichannel marketing,
where exhibitions are
competing against digital
channels that allow users
complete transparency on
their marketing spend.
with post-show work.”
Would another pair of hands help and
add value? Leslie adds: “Human resource is
certainly a part of it. Mentally, the exhibitors
are already moving on to the next show,
so even the bandwidth from their side is at
capacity and once a show ends that’s it.”
Coyne adds that the strain on resource is
often realised post show, with catching up
taking priority over chasing leads. He says:
“When we have exhibited in the past, and
its true for most, when we get back into the
office after an event the first thing you do is
catch up with all the things you couldn’t do
while you were at the show.
“We’re telling people to follow up on leads
but sometimes we can be our own worst
enemy!”
Church agrees that there remains a
disconnect, with some exhibitors not
practicing what they preach. “You would
think that those working on just one [major]
exhibition each year would have the time to
work with exhibitors post show, but it doesn’t
always happen,” she says. “A lot of it is down
to the way teams are resourced. The question
is, what else could we, or should we do, to
engage exhibitors post show? It should at
least be a very simple follow-up.”
Exhibition professionals spend a lot of time
pre-show working to get exhibitors along, but
getting the post show engagement right is,
at least, good optics. Post show engagement
would make the exhibitor feel more ‘loved’,
allaying fears that organisers were only after
their money. The result, surely, would be a
greater likelihood of them rebooking.
Coyne adds: “There’s an element here
about the customer relationship, which
relates back to the original point of what are
the objectives. How often, at showtime, are
you actually looking to see if they are doing
what they set out to do, and if not, what can
you do to help?
“There’s no denying that this is not easy
as you can be limited in terms of personnel
while on site, but we should be making the
effort.”
Church agrees, adding that technology can
help this process. She says: “When you’ve
got technology, like touchpoints, you can see
in real time what leads your exhibitors have
acquired and does make it easier to follow-up
with people on site.
“However, it doesn’t detract from the point
that we could be doing more to engage with
exhibitors post-show. It could even form part
of the re-booking process. At Easyfairs, we
are tasked with speaking to one visitor each
and every day. It gives us the best possible
feedback and as a result, we can provide a
better experience.”
A simple takeaway from the discussion,
then, is to ensure that your exhibitors realise
realistic objectives at the outset. Failing that,
stock up with the Alka Seltza. EN
October — 39