Attending trade shows and booking conferences can put a huge dent in your wallet. If you have decided to explore the world of conferences as a means of boosting your career to a new level, the following will help make your experience more satisfying and save you unnecessary expenses.
As I mentioned in “Attending Booking Conferences Part 1: Showcasing,” when launching into the conference scene it is wise to plan ahead for two years. I know many artists who have plunged into a new conference and found themselves in over their heads both in money spent and inadequate knowledge to benefit from all their efforts. To avoid these mistakes, I suggest doing some research and taking it a bit more slowly.
The First Year:
Once you decide which conferences are appropriate to your act, select only one or two and plan to attend the conference simply without showcasing and without taking a booth or table in the exhibit hall. Designate the first year for exploration and research. Without having the pressure of showcasing or exhibiting, you are unencumbered by responsibilities and have the freedom to attend all the significant workshops of interest to you, walk through the exhibit hall and attend other artist’s showcases. Gather information about all of the various conference activities, how they work, how they are promoted and attended. With the information gathered during this first year, you are able to create an action plan to suit your act, your budget, and your style. Look for interesting techniques used to promote various events, showcases, and trade-show booths. When you attend with an eye for what works, what doesn’t, what catches your attention, what seems to simply be a waste of money, you are able to use the best ideas, discard the ineffective ones and be more creative when attending the next year.
In The Trade Show:
The tradeshow or exhibit hall of any conference tends to be the hub. It is often the one place during the conference where you might expect to find specific industry professionals. Most conferences designate many hours to trade show time. As a first year attendee, you should spend a great deal of time exploring the trade show. Many trade shows are huge and often overwhelming. If you apply the following method of exploration, you will leave the conference with valuable information and a sense of accomplishment, which will help you attain your conference goals the next year.
Three Times Around:
Before entering the first trade show session, go through the conference program book which lists exhibitors. Note any that are of particular interest to you. Remember your goals? If you are looking for an agent, check the booths of agents of interest. If you are searching for touring services, star those booth numbers in your program. Use your program book notations to be sure to seek out those booths once you’ve had some time in the hall.
During the first session: Simply walk around the hall and become familiar with the layout, see as many exhibits as possible, and attempt to find some of those you’ve noted in your program. While walking the hall, note those exhibits that jump out at you. Spend some time examining them to answer the following questions:
- What attracted you at first sight?
- What display elements were used to create and enhance their look such as, graphics, photos, cut-outs, posters, video, audio, backdrops, flowers, rugs, give-away promotional items, etc.?
- How far from the exhibit were you before you noticed it?
- What kind of informational items were available to attendees?
- Were the handouts clever in any way?
- Did the exhibit have a theme?
- Did the booth have a cohesive look? Did all the elements relate to one another?
- How were the booth attendants dressed? What was their demeanor?
- Were there any booths that really stood out to you? Why?
- Could you see yourself having a booth at the trade show?
During the second session, make sure you get to all the booths you were originally interested in checking out. Use the above questions to examine each of those booths. Take available information to read at your leisure. Speak with the representatives at the booths to find out more about their services and company. When appropriate give them some of your promotional material or at least a card.
A brief word about soliciting in the exhibit hall. Companies that pay to exhibit are there to sell their merchandise and services. If you are at a booth of a booking agency, they are specifically there to pitch their artists to presenters. They are not in their booth to be solicited by artists looking for agents. Please make note of the representative, take their agency brochure, introduce your self and take the agent’s card and then contact them at another time outside the exhibit hall or after the conference. Let them do their job in the exhibit hall.
The last sessions of trade show time should be spent attempting to see as much or all, of the exhibit hall as is possible. Make sure you had time for each booth of special interest to you. On these final rounds, take note of whether some of the booths actually accomplished what they seem to have set out to do. Were there any really impressive displays? Did this trade show exploration spark ideas for your display?
Once the conference is over, you will have gathered a great deal of information and seen many examples of good and bad methods of promotion. All of this research will help you create a presence at the next year’s conference that will likely be more creative and purposeful. You will avoid excess expense and target your audience more directly with interesting displays and materials. Have fun!
And, I invite you to learn more about this and other topics important to your career development and to sign up for free weekly audio Biz Booster Hot Tip! Every Monday you’ll get another valuable strategy and technique that you can put to use immediately. You’ll find helpful books, career development seminars, Booking & Touring Success Strategies & Secrets online course and information on booking tours, the music business and performing arts. It’s all waiting for you at https://www.performingbiz.com. Jeri Goldstein is the author of, How To Be Your Own Booking Agent The Musician’s & Performing Artist’s Guide To Successful Touring, 3rd Edition.
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