Are your trade show appearances generating the real business results you need?
As a CEO, marketing manager, or event planner, you know that simply showing up isn’t enough. Participating in B2B trade shows demands a significant investment of time, money, and resources. Yet, many companies approach these events with vague goals, opening up the possibility for diminished returns on their investments.
The solution is simple: you need a strategic exhibition plan, a clear set of event objectives, and a way to measure success. This article introduces a powerful tool – a customisable objective setting template – designed to transform your trade show participation from a shot in the dark to a laser-focused opportunity for growth.
Gather around as we explore what a trade show objective template is, why it’s essential, and how to measure progress using the practical template we’ve created, all while driving tangible business outcomes. Get ready to make your next trade show your most successful yet!
What Is An Objective Setting Template For Exhibitors?
An objective-setting template is a helpful document you can complete before your exhibitions, which is used for goal-setting purposes by describing the event objectives you want to achieve on the day. It’s one of the most important tools in your arsenal as an exhibitor; it will help you track your ongoing progress and reveal areas that you can improve upon.
While it will take up some of your time to complete, the payoff is always worth it. Besides seeing improved results over the long run, you’ll also feel more in control over exhibiting and feel less stressed. So, make it one of your personal goals to stick to your objectives template!
How To Use Our Objective Setting Template For Exhibitors
Start off by filling in the most important details about your trade show participation, including the dates and your assigned booth number. The accurate recording of this information is important, not just to keep your team on the same page, but also to assist in your exhibition marketing efforts.
Next, you need to consider your trade show objectives. We’ve broken these down into six broad categories, which you might consider clear and actionable goals for your event:
- Lead Generation
- Brand Awareness
- Product/Service Launch
- Relationship Building
- Market Research
- Sales
These goals are the most commonly targeted by exhibitors, but you can add your own if you like. Choose up to three from this list to focus on, but ensure you don’t lose focus and choose too many goals at once.
Selecting only a few meaningful goals to go after is often a better way to go about things, especially if you’re just starting out and only have limited resources at hand. You should also avoid choosing overly ambitious goals if you find yourself in this position.
Which objectives you want to target should be discussed beforehand in the exhibition planning stage.
Working With The Table
Now that your objectives have been defined, enter them into the left-hand column of the table and complete it row-by-row for each goal you want to target. If you only have one goal, you’ll only have one row, and so on.
The remaining columns are designed to help you with the goal-setting process, which is done according to SMART goals criteria. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound; defining your objectives according to SMART criteria tends to yield better project management outcomes.
The first column, “target/metric”, ensures your objectives are specific. You’ll measure this metric using whatever you enter into the last column in the table. The remaining columns ensure your objective will be achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
You can use our example at the bottom of the table to help you along.
Creating A Post-Show Follow-Up Plan
Unfortunately, setting goals and objectives is pointless unless you devise a plan to check whether you have met them or not. Tracking your progress enables you to learn from your experience and adjust your next set of objectives accordingly.
This is where post-show follow-up plans and goal-tracking templates come in. Both are incredibly useful for veteran and novice exhibitors alike; they’ll help you with project management, keeping you in control of your exhibition performances over time.
To create a robust post-show objectives follow-up plan, simply describe the review actions that need to be done once the show is complete. Ensure each one has a deadline and that each person responsible for completing a follow-up action has their name recorded on the sheet too.
Ideally, you should host a meeting with your exhibition staff to go over your objectives and to track progress. Then, you can adjust your objectives for future events and take the relevant actionable steps toward improvement.
Exhibition Goal-Setting Template Download
Taste Trade Show Triumph With Our Objectives Template
By completing this SMART goals template thoroughly, exhibitors can ensure they have a clear roadmap for success at the trade show and can effectively measure their return on investment. As an aspiring exhibitor, you’ll feel more in control of the process and what needs to be done to secure greater returns on investment. Goal setting has never been easier!
Now that you know what you want to achieve, you should consider working with an exhibition stand builder to help you create an environment that encourages success. With more than a decade of combined experience in the industry, Booth Exhibits™ will do whatever it takes to see you win on the trade show floor, so contact us today!
