Reader Tips: Measuring and Reporting Show Results
We start with a tip from a reader who uses booth staff interaction to note the daily results and reinforce their focus on show objectives:
"While a meeting with all staff before the show is critical, so is a meeting at the end of each day. It's very useful to recap show goals, share thoughts on improvements for the next day, share any questions/remarks heard throughout the day etc…"
- Name withheld by request
It is also very useful to gather the metrics that you will summarize later to determine the effectiveness of each show and the overall contribution of the exhibiting program. This reader tells how the effort can be structured quickly and easily:
"We write a show report and summary after every event including the goal for the show, all associated costs, which employees went, the number and classification of booth visitors/leads, logistics (what you took, etc.). We have found that it strengthens the impact of recalling the event to include a picture of the booth at the show. This report serves as next years show plan, and provides metrics to compare this show to other shows."
- Lee Jones, Research Electronics International
In addition to collecting the metrics of the show it is also a good idea to record the less tangible results like impressions and feelings about each show from the booth staffers soon after the event. Combined with numbers and hard statistics, these "soft" results will help to round out your reporting. This reader shares an interesting way of bringing this dimension into the measurement:
"We always survey our own booth staffers after the show to find out what they thought about the show - the organization of the booth, leads, the show itself, etc. Their comments are invaluable and are referred to when planning future shows."
- Name withheld by request
You can also get some ideas on how to build a reporting system for your program by checking out some of the resources that we offer on other pages of the Skyline web site. Just look for the "Tips - Training" link.