Exhibition Statistics Exhibitors Should Keep in Mind

Exhibition Statistics Exhibitors Should Keep in Mind

Here at XL Displays, we have taken it in the interest of our customers to conduct some research and provide an insight into the exhibition industry to help you maximise your chances of success at future events and exhibitions. Looking at research conducted by Facetime.org and Exhibitors Survey Inc. we have come up with some ideas about what this research means for exhibitors.

The exhibition industry continues to grow every year and the plays an important role in the UK’s economy. Not only does this industry directly generate GDP and jobs for the UK, it also attracts visitors to the UK and acts as a catalyst for UK businesses.

• UK exhibitions sector generated £11 Billion in spending and contributed £5.6 billion in value added to the UK economy in 2010, equivalent to 0.4% of UK GDP. – Facetime.org

- This shows the huge sales potential that exhibitions hold for businesses in the UK. With the industry generating such a vast amount of spending, it is clear why businesses choose to exhibit at events. Not only are exhibitions and trade shows an excellent way to increase brand potential and showcase your business to people who otherwise would not know you exist, they act as a catalyst for UK businesses.

• 46% of exhibition attendees are exclusive, meaning they attend no other exhibitions during the year. – Exhibitors Surveys Inc.

- With almost half of exhibition attendees solely attending one event per year, it’s imperative that as an exhibitor you do everything you can to stand out amongst competition and attract these attendees to your stand. This is your only marketing opportunity among these attendees. Ensure you have a professional looking stand that is likely to grab the attention of visitors who you will not meet at other events during the year. For help with creating a show-stopping stand that’s sure to attract attention, see our article on 10 Top Tips for Exhibition Stand Design.

• Between 2011-2015, the percentage of attendees who plan to buy products, solutions and technologies they have seen exhibited within 12 months after an event, has risen from 47% to 51%. – Exhibitors Survey Inc.

- With over half of attendees planning to purchase products, solutions and technologies they have seen exhibited, it is vital that you keep this in mind when presenting your product to stand visitors. 1 in 2 visitors to your stand could be planning to buy things they have seen exhibited. This is a huge opportunity for businesses as it means the attendees to your stand are all good quality leads and likely to convert to customers, with the correct sales tactics.

• 82% of exhibition attendees have buying influences – Exhibitors Survey Inc.

- Again, another great statistic that shows the sheer power of exhibitions for businesses. Marketing techniques such as advertising, email marketing, call-to-action marketing, direct marketing and outbound marketing are all strategies used by businesses in the UK. These are all techniques that have the opportunity to generate leads and conversions but often have low conversion rates. This is because, despite targeting your campaigns, the receiver of these marketing materials are often those who do not have the authority to make purchases. This is why event marketing is becoming an increasingly popular strategy for UK businesses. With statistics like the above showing the sheer quality of visitors that attend exhibitions with buying power, it’s clear to see why so many business prioritise event marketing in their annual marketing budgets.

• 64% of exhibition attendees are not customers of the companies exhibiting that they visited. – Exhibit Survey Inc.

- A statistic that shows the huge amount of new business opportunities exhibiting at an event offers businesses. With over half of attendees visiting stands of companies of whom they are not existing customers of, the opportunity for new leads is immense. This also shows that attendees are always on the lookout for new innovations and open to building new relationships with new contacts. This is because these stats show they are branching out and visiting stands of new relations rather than just visiting companies they already have existing relationships with.

• Attendees spend an average of 9.5 hours at an event over an average of 2.3 days - – Exhibit Survey Inc.

- Both exhibitors and exhibition visitors alike spend long hours at exhibitions and trade shows. This is an important factor to consider when planning your exhibition tactics. Ensure you employ a strong staff force who can maintain high spirits for long periods of time during an exhibition. The last thing any attendee wants to see is staff looking bored and tired during an event, they should be actively prominent in their role of delivering your company’s products or services to visitors.

For help choosing the best exhibition staff, see our article on How to Pick the Best Exhibition Staff for Your Next Event.

This statistic also provides food for thought for your exhibition marketing plans. Keep in mind that if visitors are spending an average of 9.5 hours at an event, they are likely to be tired and worn-out and less likely to be actively engaged in activities that require lots of energy. Focus your in-event marketing efforts like competitions and layout around providing ease for visitors, whilst also remaining fun and interactive. Often providing seating for your visitors is a lot more effective way of retaining visitors on your stand than having a tedious competition that requires a lot of energy.

For some great ideas on competition ideas, see our article on Exhibition Competitions and Giveaway Ideas.

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