TIPS FOR A GOOD EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE

Below are some tips and suggestion

You’ve invested your time, money and resources into the MCN Annual Conference – and we appreciate it! While you are our guest, we want you to have a successful experience. Below are some tips and suggestions to help you get the most out of your exhibiting experience.

1. Attractive Displays Attract Visitors – Spend some time working on your display. Clean, well thought out, professional displays will attract more visitors – and in the end more customers.
2. Take Aways Take the Cake – Make sure to have material about your services that participants can take away with them. Brochures, flyers, or other types of informational material will remind participants what you do and how to contact you after they return to the office. We expect over 1,400 participants at the conference, thus, we recommend having at least 400-500 copies of any take-away items.
3. Give-Aways Give You an Edge – In addition to materials about your company, having give-aways, such as candy, pens, notepads, etc., can attract people to your exhibit. Also, having give-aways allows you to be creative and come up with something to hand out that compliments the work that you do.
4. Collect Names to Collect Clients – If you don’t make a point to follow up with potential clients, you can’t expect your potential clients to follow up with you. Set up a sign up sheet for participants to fill out their names and contact information, allowing you to follow up with them at a later date. Or use a bowl or basket that potential clients can drop a business card into.
5. Prize Drawings Make Everyone a Winner – Another way to attract participants to your exhibit and give them the opportunity to learn more about you is to offer a prize that will be given away at the end of the Conference. When participants stop in and learn more about your business, give their name or business card, they are entered into a drawing to win a coveted prize. Make sure the prize is something that attracts attention and encourages people to enter the drawing. Some ideas in the past have been free services from your company, technology items like PDA’s, or iPods, or gift certificates to local restaurants. Be creative! (Note: Time will not be provided during the conference program for drawings to be made public.)
6. Where to Sit, Where to Stand? – Being approachable at your exhibit is the first step in having meaningful conversations with potential clients. Instead of sitting passively behind your exhibit table, try being out in front of your display where you can more easily visit with interested parties. Chairs are provided for exhibitors, but consider standing during peak exhibiting times, so that you may visit at eye level, when talking with a potential client.
7. Audience-Specific Speaks to Your Audience – This is a conference for nonprofit leaders, which means that your audience will be people who work in nonprofit organizations. Make sure that your material reflects your nonprofit pricing, your nonprofit-specific products, or your client list of nonprofits.
8. Participate with the Participants – As an exhibitor, you are welcome and encouraged to take part in the Conference in its entirety, including attending the luncheon, plenary, opening reception, and breakout sessions. Your exhibit fee includes your full participation in the Conference. By taking advantage of this, you will be able to get more out of your exhibit experience.

Exhibiitor Treasure Hunt

Every conference participant is eligible to take part in the Exhibitor Treasure Hunt. Each of 65 booths will receive a unique stamp. Partipants can receive a stamp from an exhibitor after visiting with them anytime during the conference. Participants who visit at least 30 exhibits and receive 30 stamps will be eligible for a prize drawing.

Questions?

Contact Christine Durand, MCN communications and marketing director, at 651-757-3082, or cdurand@mncn.org.