April 9, 2025 • 29 mins
In this powerful episode of The Bold Blueprint, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to exhibit at a business event for the first time.
Last month, I took the leap and set up my very first exhibition stand - and it was a rollercoaster of nerves, excitement, learning curves, and unexpected wins.
Whether you’re planning your first event, considering whether it’s worth it, or want to refine your strategy for your next one - this episode is your go-to guide. I’m sharing the real lessons, game-changing tips, and the mistakes I’ll never make again so you can walk in confident, prepared, and ready to make an impact.
🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:-
Why exhibiting at events can skyrocket your brand visibility
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How to create a stand that actually draws people in
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The power of pre-event promotion (and how to do it right)
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The one trick that helped me book calls on the spot
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Why freebies > sales pitches when connecting with new leads
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Smart use of QR codes to grow your email list and social presence
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What to do differently with your freebie landing page for better conversions
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How to maximise your event placement and stand layout
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Pro tips on how to stand, speak, and engage during the event
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A step-by-step follow-up strategy that converts interest into action
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How to manage expectations and energy so you don't burn out
✅ Be visible: Use bold branding and clear banners ✅ Don’t sell - serve: Lead with value, not pressure ✅ QR codes are your best friend ✅ Follow-up is where the magic happens ✅ Energy, approachability, and collaboration matter ✅ Always stand in front of your table, not behind it ✅ Your event doesn’t end when the doors close it’s just the beginning
🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:-
If you are ready to Reclaim Your Sunday then grab my free guide here:
https://www.claire-bartlett.co.uk/sundayscaries705187 -
Xero listener offer:
- Follow me on Instagram: @cs_bartlett
Share it with your biz bestie, post it on your stories, or leave a quick review—it helps more women like you discover The Bold Blueprint and build businesses that actually feel good.
Tag me @cs_bartlett and let me know your biggest takeaway!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Hello, my gorgeous podcast friends and welcome to this week's episode of the BoldBlueprint.
I am super excited to be back again with you this week.
And today we're gonna dive into something that is super fresh from behind the scenes.
I'm going to be talking about what it is really like to exhibit your business at abusiness event.
I did this for the very first time last month and I've got some gems to share.
(00:27):
I'm gonna talk about the things that I did well.
the things that I really didn't do very well and the things that I could improve on fornext time.
So if you have never exhibited before or if you have exhibited but you're still at thebeginning of the journey and you think that there's some things that you could tweak,
hopefully there'll be some absolute little golden nuggets in here for you to take away toyour next exhibition.
(00:52):
So first of all, for a little context.
So I decided to exhibit last month because I really wanted to sort of
get out there and build some face-to-face connections.
When it's an online business like I'm running, you build a certain amount of community,but it can be so much stronger when you see people face-to-face.
this is rubbish.
(01:22):
So first, a little context.
So I decided to exhibit mainly because I really wanted to get some face-to-face connectionwith people in my community.
I spend so much time online, and it is amazing, obviously don't get me wrong, but there'ssomething so powerful about connecting in real life.
I knew I had something valuable to offer to the audience that were going to be there, andI really wanted to build some brand awareness, show up visibly, and create some genuine
(01:50):
human connections.
The event that I chose was one that I knew the audience really aligned with my idealclient.
I knew there was people in the crowd that I could really help and would really love towork with.
And I think that's really important.
It was a two day event.
There was 800 people attending and for complete transparency, I paid 700 pound for theprivilege of having that stand for the two days, which I thought was a really great price.
(02:20):
The first thing probably I could improve on for next time is actually it was a really lastminute decision.
So the organizers of the event reached out to me and said, we've got one stand left.
This was only about a month before the event.
I was already going to the event and they were like, we've got one stand left and we thinkyou'd be a really great fit for, you know, the exhibitor lounge.
(02:43):
And I thought, why not?
As I said, I thought about the audience, the people that were going to be there, and Iknew that they would really align with my business and what I was trying to achieve.
So I took the leap and decided to exhibit.
What that did mean, though, is that I had quite a rush in planning my exhibition stand, ingetting all of the things needed, which I'll go into detail in a bit later in the episode.
(03:10):
but it all felt a little bit rushed.
And that's the first thing that I would say to you is give yourself time, especially ifit's coming up to the very first exhibition for you.
Make sure you have plenty of time to really think it all out and make it a reallyintentional stand and exhibition space.
(03:30):
So the first thing was that it's a completely different ballgame from a social media postor even a live webinar.
Being there and speaking to people, I had so many conversations over those two days.
And it felt so amazing.
There was a much deeper connection than you can get online.
(03:52):
And it was just so, so lovely to hear everybody's stories, get to learn about theirbusinesses.
And yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will definitely be looking to exhibit more in thefuture.
Now I've learned these lessons that I can improve on for the next time.
So where should we start?
So let's talk about the things that I feel went really well for me.
(04:15):
So one of the first things was obviously the actual stand, making sure that it was eyecatching, making sure that it had quite clear messaging.
So I created two roller banners.
quite small ones to go behind the stand.
didn't have a, you know, I know that there's stand designers who can do a whole wraparoundthing.
(04:38):
I didn't have the time for any of that.
So I just created two roller banners and made sure that they were in a very nice boldcolor, which is my branding color.
And it said exactly who I was and what I do.
So they had quite a big picture of me on there as well.
And what was great about those is pretty much wherever you were in the exhibition hall,they stood out and you could see them from a distance.
(05:01):
So that was a really great marketing tool for me instantly.
The text stood out against the bold backgrounds, they were easily readable from adistance.
I didn't put too much information on.
You have to keep the print quite large because you want people to be able to read it froma distance.
and then make that decision, the conscious decision to come closer and actually open upthose conversations.
(05:25):
So that was a really great thing.
The other thing that I did really well was I had a competition on the stand, which I'dactually collaborated with another event exhibitor to have a gorgeous branded chocolate
sort of hamper that had my branding on and the exhibitors' medjoolies who are just themost amazing.
(05:49):
business.
So it was lovely to also be able to support them.
But yeah, that sort of drew people into the stand.
It was a conversation starter.
So that was something that I think worked really well with us.
It just gave us a little sort of hook onto the stand and also looked really pretty on thestand.
(06:10):
The other thing that I did is for this event and for so many events now, there wasactually like a pre event.
community in a group on Facebook and I made sure that I was present in that group.
I shared, you know, that I was exhibiting.
I shared that I was going to be running the competition.
I got, you know, I did many posts on explaining who I am and what I do, how excited I wasto be at the event and looking forward to meeting people.
(06:38):
And then I just, you know, made connections, started...
started commenting on other people's posts in there and just started building, you know,the community aspect before I'd even walked onto the floor of the exhibition hall.
I did put a post out the day before the event, I think, and it was a very simple post.
(07:02):
It was just a selfie of me saying loads of people were talking about how they were buyingnew outfits and they were getting their hair done and they were going to be looking
absolutely fly at the event.
which is amazing for them and I'm so pleased that so many people were feeling so confidentand you know, really feeling themselves.
I, however, had not had the time to do any of that prep work.
(07:26):
My nails weren't painted, my hair wasn't cut or coloured.
I hadn't had any new outfits purchased.
Like I was rocking up just as I am every day of the week.
And I wanted to share that in the community.
I wanted people to know that it was okay to be turning up just as you are.
and not feel pressurized to be having to go and buy new outfits.
(07:48):
And that post actually did really well.
It resonated with a lot of people.
Loads of people came up to me at the event saying that they'd seen the post and that itmade them feel better or, know, whatever it was.
So showing a personal post, you know, sort of behind the scenes and something that peoplecould resonate with was a huge benefit to me.
(08:10):
Another thing that I did really well, and this was only on day two, and I will cover thereason why later on, but I booked discovery calls there and then in the moment while the
person was at the stand with me.
So this was really powerful and something that I learned from a lesson when I reviewed dayone.
So I will go into more detail later, but when they're there with you, don't let them walkoff without taking that action.
(08:36):
If you've had a really powerful conversation and you've made that connection and you feellike you can genuinely help them, your, you know, it aligns with their business and what
they're needing right now.
And they are in that moment, feeling really energized and ready to go and find out moreabout working with you.
Make sure you book in that call there and then don't let them walk off, speak to otherpeople, you know, forget about you and just enjoy the day.
(09:02):
You want them in that moment when they're feeling aligned and ready to take that action totake it.
So make it as easy as possible for people to do in that moment.
And finally, and this is probably the biggest and most important thing that I did well isI didn't try and sell in that moment.
There was no money discussed.
(09:23):
There was no prices or services even really discussed.
It was more of a, how can I help you?
How can I add value to you?
and how can I learn about your business?
So I started every conversation with a very simple question, which was, what is your mostfavourite thing about a Sunday?
Super simple question, but it's one that, you you don't get asked a lot.
(09:46):
So it made people really stop and think, which I loved.
I loved seeing all the faces as they really thought about their answer.
And
The reason I started with that question and then led down the path of that conversation isbecause I was offering a free download that day, which was all about reclaiming your
control over your own time as a business owner.
(10:08):
So it was about not having to ever turn your laptop on on a Sunday and have everything inplace, the processes and the systems.
So you never have to work on a weekend and you can completely control your downtime, whichis so important and so difficult.
to us entrepreneurs.
So if you are interested in that download, I will put the links in the chat in thecomments below for you as well.
(10:31):
But yeah, so that was the aim for me.
It was to make those connections and grow my audience, grow my email list and just bringpeople into my world.
But I didn't want to be doing any hard selling.
People aren't at an event like that to buy things and to spend loads of money.
They're there to learn and to nurture themselves and their businesses.
(10:55):
They're there to grow their communities, grow their support, their cheerleading team, andjust make some really great connections.
And that was really important to me to just be giving value, give as much value as Ipossibly could to the audience that were there, make those connections genuinely, not with
any intention of selling.
(11:15):
And I didn't even bring up discovery calls with people.
It was just if that naturally fell into the conversation or they showed direct interest inworking with me on a more detailed level.
That's when that conversation happened.
So there was zero pressure for anyone who came to speak to us.
And yeah, it worked really well for us.
(11:37):
That was also the entry into the competition to win the hamper was if that they diddownload the freebie, they would go into that competition.
Lastly, I think the thing that we did really well is that I didn't sit behind the stall.
I didn't sit down hidden by my banners.
I didn't have my head in my phone.
I wasn't distracted at all.
(11:58):
I was completely present.
I was standing in front of my stand the whole two days.
I was open and ready for conversations.
At times where it was quiet, I walked away from the stand and actively approached people.
We had some sweets that were free on our stand, so I would take them with me and juststart opening up those conversations.
(12:21):
Don't feel like you are chained to your stand because you're not.
Honestly, you've got complete freedom to move around that event as much as you want to.
And the stand can just be there as an extra promotional tool if you so wish.
So those are probably the main things that I think I did really well.
(12:44):
So in regards to making things as easy as possible as well for the attendees is I didn'thave complicated forms to fill in.
I didn't have any sort of websites that people needed to type in and download.
I just had QR codes everywhere.
So I had QR codes on my banners that led to different places in my website.
(13:05):
I had QR codes on my table for the free download.
QR codes were the main thing for the day.
Everybody has their phone on them.
QR codes are easy to do from a distance if people didn't want to engage in a conversationwith me and didn't feel comfortable or I was already in a conversation with someone else,
someone was able to just quickly use that QR code and get the download or just at leastsee what it was all about.
(13:30):
So that really worked.
And also you have to be accommodating for everybody.
So some people don't trust or like QR codes.
or there was a couple of people where their phone batteries had died so I did have a paperform on my desk that I could fill in for them if they needed or wanted me to.
(13:54):
So I had one person whose phone battery had died like I said so I just took their detailsand said absolutely no problem I'll email that to you as soon as I get back to the hotel.
So those are the things it is to make sure that you are fully accommodating you have aneasy way the other thing is to just include
access on your phone, you know, if people don't have access or don't want to do the QRcode themselves, you can bring it up on your own phone and get them to fill it in on that
(14:20):
way.
But these are the things that I did well, I think, I mean, there's still alwaysimprovement space for everything.
But the things that I would definitely do different that I didn't do so well, and thelessons I learned from my day one that I carried into day two, firstly was in regards to
getting the download itself.
(14:41):
So when I had created the download and created the form that people needed to fill in toaccess it, what I hadn't realised and I didn't notice until probably just after lunch on
the first day was when it brought up on people's phones, you had the first few boxes,know, name, email address, et cetera, and then the button to submit.
(15:04):
But what it wasn't showing in that initial first screen was actually under the button tosubmit.
was the box that you had to tick to say, you know, for GDPR, I agree to be added to anemail list and be contacted, et cetera, et cetera.
So what I think, although I was encouraging everybody to do the form while they were atthe stand, which again, is so important to take that action there and then in the moment,
(15:27):
what I hadn't realized is people were pressing that button and then instantly putting thephone away thinking that they had done.
And it wasn't until I checked the numbers,
In lunchtime on day one and I saw well, know that we've had more people than that takeaction on that form this morning It was when I realized I think a lot of people actually
(15:49):
had been thinking that they'd done it walking away and they hadn't So I quickly tookaction on that.
I moved that tick box to above the button So it was very clear for everybody and and itcame up on that very first screen and that really helped our numbers of downloads for the
rest of the event
So that is tip number one.
Really try and be thoughtful and present with every decision and every step that you areasking a potential client to take.
(16:17):
Go through it yourself, maybe ask some friends and families to test it and just see ifthere's any way that you can make it easier and even more accessible for everybody.
The second thing probably was that my table, although it had everything that ittechnically needed and it was visible from a distance, it wasn't the most attractive
(16:38):
table.
It was quite a basic setup to be honest.
The main thing, the main reason for that is because I'd left myself so little time to planand prepare for it.
So as I set up and I looked around the exhibition halls, some people's tables were justbeautiful, really, really thought out well.
And I thought, okay,
as a first attempt, as a first go, my table has everything it needs and it looks fine, butI know that I can elevate that for the next time.
(17:07):
The ways that I would possibly do that is I would just dress the table a bit more.
So I thought the best thing to do would be to keep it really actually quite simple and notcluttered in the slightest.
But I do think there's a balance where you can have it looking really beautiful, but stillnot cluttered.
(17:27):
So I potentially would add some fresh flowers.
That's something I use a lot in my marketing.
It's in a lot of my pictures.
I love bold, bright, fresh flowers.
So that's probably something that I would add in next time.
The sweets worked really well.
So I would definitely have them again.
Maybe just have them put out in a little nicer way, or maybe have them in little organzabags, make them just look a little bit nicer.
(17:52):
But the idea of having sweets was great.
I would potentially have some testimonials printed out.
I think that could be really powerful so people can instantly get some feedback on, youknow, and see the results of the work that you do.
But yeah, apart from that, I think it was just about filling the table a little bit morein a more intentional way, I think.
(18:15):
So that's something to consider.
Maybe even try and sketch it out or draw it out in your head how you can make it look themost appealing and attractive for people.
to come and find out what you're about.
The next thing is event placement.
So I have never done it before.
I didn't think about it before the event.
But try and make sure that you speak to the event organizers and ask them where you willbe in the floor plan of the event exhibition.
(18:44):
Try and make sure that it makes sense from a foot flow perspective.
And try and make sure that basically you have the most powerful spot.
on the floor.
Again I was the very last exhibitor for this event so I probably wouldn't have had muchspace anyway which is another bonus of booking in early but I definitely felt that we were
(19:06):
unfortunately not in the highest footfall place.
We were probably in one of the worst places which just meant that we had to step away fromthe stand and work a little bit harder to open up these conversations.
Ultimately it is down to you.
I could have sat behind the stall
on my phone and been in a bit of a grump about the fact that we were in this quieter spot.
(19:28):
I could have let it destroy the entire two days and then walked away thinking exhibitingis not for me, it's rubbish, blah, blah, blah.
But I didn't because I realized that the conversation can happen anywhere.
It doesn't have to happen at my stand.
I'd made it super easy.
It was QR code.
So I had them open on my phone.
And I didn't need to be standing right next to the table the whole time.
(19:51):
I could go out and open up those conversations and yeah, and just make the most of it.
And like I said, I know that now, so moving forward into the next time I do this, I wouldask those questions and I would try and secure a better slot.
However, it's not the end of the world and it is what you make it when you have theposition in an exhibition hall.
(20:20):
So some other things that I hadn't really considered that actually were quite important isto manage your own energy.
It is surprisingly exhausting standing up for two days straight and constantly having tobe engaged and you know high energy, have these conversations with people.
(20:41):
I felt absolutely broken at the end of day one, like I was so exhausted.
I could not wait to get back to my hotel room, have a long soak in the bath and a veryearly night, which is exactly what I did.
But yeah, I would recommend making sure that you have some really high energy, highprotein snacks with you and make sure you have lots of drinks available to you and ways to
(21:06):
look after yourself throughout that day.
When the talks were going on, so it was really quiet in the exhibition hall, I would sitdown for 10 minutes, five minutes and just have a quick rest.
or would use that time to then network with the other exhibitors in the space.
But there was a lot of people going out for dinner on that first night, you there was alot of events planned.
And for me, I knew that the most important thing for me was to get my rest, recharge andget ready for day two, which is exactly what I did.
(21:34):
And it was so worth it because I woke up day two, feeling refreshed and ready to go andyeah, smashed the second day.
So that was really important.
But honestly, your energy is the biggest asset on the day because people can feel it andthey can see it.
So you need to be showing up with warmth, know, not burnout, not looking exhausted andand.
(22:01):
and looking completely open and ready to engage in conversations.
The other thing is you can't wait for people to come and approach you.
You need to initiate the conversations.
People are shy and some people will walk past, you know, 10 times before working up thecourage just to come and say hi.
So you need to start the conversations.
(22:23):
You can just smile, always smile and make eye contact with people.
Just compliment someone's outfit or their earrings, ask them what brought them to theevent.
And again, like I said, go with a fun...
sort of off the shoulder, off the cusp question that will entice people in.
It does not sales the at all.
(22:45):
It doesn't necessarily instantly let people know what I do, but they find it intriguingand then they're ready for a more intimate conversation.
Ultimately, just be human, just be you, be approachable and friendly and make people feelsafe in your space.
That is the most important thing that you can do.
(23:06):
Okay, so those are the lessons that I learned either through the event, before the event,and the things that I feel that went quite well.
Finally, let's talk about, and actually probably the most important bit, is theafterwards, after the event, what you need to do after the event to make it all
worthwhile.
(23:27):
So because I went for this...
So because I went for this approach of no direct selling on the days, it was so importantfor me to then do the follow-up with all of the connections that I made.
You need to follow up really fast and personally.
(23:49):
So I had emails that went out to people who had joined my email list that were talkingabout the event and hope they enjoyed it, what was their biggest takeaway.
I personally voice noted or sent...
really personalised DMs to people reminding them how we met.
If I could remember snippets of the conversation or their business, something they sharedwith me, I would reiterate that in the message so they know that it is definitely
(24:17):
personalised and it's not something that has just gone out to everybody.
I offered some more useful tips and guidance for people, potentially another download.
Or I spoke about the fact, you know, we...
maybe spoke about booking in a discovery call, would you be interested sending the link?
So it was just basically keeping the conversation going.
(24:39):
It was super important to do that.
Try and take photos with as many people as you can and then tag all of them on whateverplatform it is.
Say, know, tag them in the story, how great it was to meet them, to hear about theirbusiness.
It's all about keeping that connection warm.
It's a lot, can be really hard to keep these connections, keep track of these connections,who got to what stage, what were you hoping, who aligned with you and looked like a
(25:09):
potentially good client who didn't and you don't think you'd be able to help or work with.
So I used a CRM software, which all of every time they did a download of that freebie,they went into the CRM with a tag saying that they were from that event that helped me
with the emails going out.
It also gave me a space where I could put notes regarding the conversations that we'd had.
(25:32):
And that was super helpful because now I'm perimenopausal, my brain fog is a nightmare.
And if I try to remember, you know, details of all of these conversations for longer thanlike 48 hours, I'd have no hope.
So making the notes helped me with the personalisation of the follow-up later on, butthere was no pressure on me to sort of retain that information in my mind.
(25:57):
It allowed me to sort of do that brain dump, get it out there in a safe space that I couldcome back to later and use to my advantage.
And then finally, when you do book in the calls, don't be disheartened if you have noshows.
There will always be people at events that are sort of hyped up and caught in the momentthat want to book something in but actually have no intention of working with you.
(26:20):
It's completely normal.
Please don't take it personally.
the right people will attend the calls or they will come back to you at a point when theyare ready to actually take action and work with you.
So you just need to, it's all about sort of planting the seeds at this point at the actualevent.
It's just about showing up authentically as you are and showing people what it would belike to work with you and who you are as a person.
(26:45):
It's about making that connection.
So you have to trust that, trust the work that you've put in at the event, trust thoseconnections that you've made.
And even if it doesn't turn into anything at this moment, you need to trust that there's apotential that it can in the future.
So would I exhibit again?
Well, I think I've made it clear through this run through that I, yes, 100 % would exhibitagain, but I would improve my table decor and making that it just look a bit more
(27:15):
attractive and a bit sort of fuller, more interest.
I would probably build a tighter follow-up plan.
Now I know the process of following up.
can sort of build a process and a structure around that ready for next time.
Maybe comfy shoes.
It is a lot like I said standing for those two days.
So comfort really is critical.
(27:35):
And I would definitely pack more snacks.
I think probably the biggest lesson that I've learned is that events is sort of a longgame.
You can't go with instant sales in your mind, you are going to build your brand awareness,build your credibility and build your community.
And but if you show up with the right energy and the strategy, it's so worth it.
(27:59):
because all of that work that I put in in those two days and the work that I've put in inthe past couple of weeks since then has strengthened my community and my lead generation
so much and the potential in that group that I found at this event for future sales andfor future collaborations is huge.
It has brought me into regular paying coaching clients, so it's already paid for itself.
(28:26):
When I did go into it,
I'll be honest, I had hoped for more.
think my, how can I say this?
I think my expectations were too high.
I think when I looked at the 800 people attending the event and I worked off that figure,I definitely had aimed too high.
So that is one final message for you is actually, I would say probably only half of thosepeople actually even entered the exhibition center.
(28:55):
So.
You can't expect to for all 800 people to get eyes on you and be visible in front of all800 of them.
It's unrealistic.
And that isn't something that I had realized before the event because I adore anexhibition hall.
I am always one of the first in there and making the rounds and getting to know everybody.
So I didn't realize that other people don't do that and aren't interested.
(29:18):
So that was another lesson for me, but I a hundred percent would do it again.
If you are thinking of exhibiting, have ever thought about it or you have agreed to do itand you have an event coming up, I hope this has given you loads to work with.
Please DM me on Instagram or Facebook, tell me what events you're exhibiting at.
(29:39):
I might be attending them too.
Let me know if anything of this has resonated with you, there's any biggest things thatyou're going to take away from it and use at your events.
I would love to hear it all.
But thank you so much for joining me again this week.
I hope this episode has sort of helped you.
If it has, share it with a business bestie, someone who also might be thinking ofexhibiting.
(30:01):
Leave a review for me, that would be fabulous.
Or just tag me on socials.
I always love seeing what you are all up to and where you've been listening from.
So until next time, have a fabulous week, enjoy this sunshine, and I will speak to you allsoon.
Hello, my gorgeous podcast friends and welcome to this week's episode of the BoldBlueprint.
I am super excited to be back again with you this week.
And today we're gonna dive into something that is super fresh from behind the scenes.
I'm going to be talking about what it is really like to exhibit your business at abusiness event.
I did this for the very first time last month and I've got some gems to share.
(00:27):
I'm gonna talk about the things that I did well.
the things that I really didn't do very well and the things that I could improve on fornext time.
So if you have never exhibited before or if you have exhibited but you're still at thebeginning of the journey and you think that there's some things that you could tweak,
hopefully there'll be some absolute little golden nuggets in here for you to take away toyour next exhibition.
(00:52):
So first of all, for a little context.
So I decided to exhibit last month because I really wanted to sort of
get out there and build some face-to-face connections.
When it's an online business like I'm running, you build a certain amount of community,but it can be so much stronger when you see people face-to-face.
this is rubbish.
(01:22):
So first, a little context.
So I decided to exhibit mainly because I really wanted to get some face-to-face connectionwith people in my community.
I spend so much time online, and it is amazing, obviously don't get me wrong, but there'ssomething so powerful about connecting in real life.
I knew I had something valuable to offer to the audience that were going to be there, andI really wanted to build some brand awareness, show up visibly, and create some genuine
(01:50):
human connections.
The event that I chose was one that I knew the audience really aligned with my idealclient.
I knew there was people in the crowd that I could really help and would really love towork with.
And I think that's really important.
It was a two day event.
There was 800 people attending and for complete transparency, I paid 700 pound for theprivilege of having that stand for the two days, which I thought was a really great price.
(02:20):
The first thing probably I could improve on for next time is actually it was a really lastminute decision.
So the organizers of the event reached out to me and said, we've got one stand left.
This was only about a month before the event.
I was already going to the event and they were like, we've got one stand left and we thinkyou'd be a really great fit for, you know, the exhibitor lounge.
(02:43):
And I thought, why not?
As I said, I thought about the audience, the people that were going to be there, and Iknew that they would really align with my business and what I was trying to achieve.
So I took the leap and decided to exhibit.
What that did mean, though, is that I had quite a rush in planning my exhibition stand, ingetting all of the things needed, which I'll go into detail in a bit later in the episode.
(03:10):
but it all felt a little bit rushed.
And that's the first thing that I would say to you is give yourself time, especially ifit's coming up to the very first exhibition for you.
Make sure you have plenty of time to really think it all out and make it a reallyintentional stand and exhibition space.
(03:30):
So the first thing was that it's a completely different ballgame from a social media postor even a live webinar.
Being there and speaking to people, I had so many conversations over those two days.
And it felt so amazing.
There was a much deeper connection than you can get online.
(03:52):
And it was just so, so lovely to hear everybody's stories, get to learn about theirbusinesses.
And yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will definitely be looking to exhibit more in thefuture.
Now I've learned these lessons that I can improve on for the next time.
So where should we start?
So let's talk about the things that I feel went really well for me.
(04:15):
So one of the first things was obviously the actual stand, making sure that it was eyecatching, making sure that it had quite clear messaging.
So I created two roller banners.
quite small ones to go behind the stand.
didn't have a, you know, I know that there's stand designers who can do a whole wraparoundthing.
(04:38):
I didn't have the time for any of that.
So I just created two roller banners and made sure that they were in a very nice boldcolor, which is my branding color.
And it said exactly who I was and what I do.
So they had quite a big picture of me on there as well.
And what was great about those is pretty much wherever you were in the exhibition hall,they stood out and you could see them from a distance.
(05:01):
So that was a really great marketing tool for me instantly.
The text stood out against the bold backgrounds, they were easily readable from adistance.
I didn't put too much information on.
You have to keep the print quite large because you want people to be able to read it froma distance.
and then make that decision, the conscious decision to come closer and actually open upthose conversations.
(05:25):
So that was a really great thing.
The other thing that I did really well was I had a competition on the stand, which I'dactually collaborated with another event exhibitor to have a gorgeous branded chocolate
sort of hamper that had my branding on and the exhibitors' medjoolies who are just themost amazing.
(05:49):
business.
So it was lovely to also be able to support them.
But yeah, that sort of drew people into the stand.
It was a conversation starter.
So that was something that I think worked really well with us.
It just gave us a little sort of hook onto the stand and also looked really pretty on thestand.
(06:10):
The other thing that I did is for this event and for so many events now, there wasactually like a pre event.
community in a group on Facebook and I made sure that I was present in that group.
I shared, you know, that I was exhibiting.
I shared that I was going to be running the competition.
I got, you know, I did many posts on explaining who I am and what I do, how excited I wasto be at the event and looking forward to meeting people.
(06:38):
And then I just, you know, made connections, started...
started commenting on other people's posts in there and just started building, you know,the community aspect before I'd even walked onto the floor of the exhibition hall.
I did put a post out the day before the event, I think, and it was a very simple post.
(07:02):
It was just a selfie of me saying loads of people were talking about how they were buyingnew outfits and they were getting their hair done and they were going to be looking
absolutely fly at the event.
which is amazing for them and I'm so pleased that so many people were feeling so confidentand you know, really feeling themselves.
I, however, had not had the time to do any of that prep work.
(07:26):
My nails weren't painted, my hair wasn't cut or coloured.
I hadn't had any new outfits purchased.
Like I was rocking up just as I am every day of the week.
And I wanted to share that in the community.
I wanted people to know that it was okay to be turning up just as you are.
and not feel pressurized to be having to go and buy new outfits.
(07:48):
And that post actually did really well.
It resonated with a lot of people.
Loads of people came up to me at the event saying that they'd seen the post and that itmade them feel better or, know, whatever it was.
So showing a personal post, you know, sort of behind the scenes and something that peoplecould resonate with was a huge benefit to me.
(08:10):
Another thing that I did really well, and this was only on day two, and I will cover thereason why later on, but I booked discovery calls there and then in the moment while the
person was at the stand with me.
So this was really powerful and something that I learned from a lesson when I reviewed dayone.
So I will go into more detail later, but when they're there with you, don't let them walkoff without taking that action.
(08:36):
If you've had a really powerful conversation and you've made that connection and you feellike you can genuinely help them, your, you know, it aligns with their business and what
they're needing right now.
And they are in that moment, feeling really energized and ready to go and find out moreabout working with you.
Make sure you book in that call there and then don't let them walk off, speak to otherpeople, you know, forget about you and just enjoy the day.
(09:02):
You want them in that moment when they're feeling aligned and ready to take that action totake it.
So make it as easy as possible for people to do in that moment.
And finally, and this is probably the biggest and most important thing that I did well isI didn't try and sell in that moment.
There was no money discussed.
(09:23):
There was no prices or services even really discussed.
It was more of a, how can I help you?
How can I add value to you?
and how can I learn about your business?
So I started every conversation with a very simple question, which was, what is your mostfavourite thing about a Sunday?
Super simple question, but it's one that, you you don't get asked a lot.
(09:46):
So it made people really stop and think, which I loved.
I loved seeing all the faces as they really thought about their answer.
And
The reason I started with that question and then led down the path of that conversation isbecause I was offering a free download that day, which was all about reclaiming your
control over your own time as a business owner.
(10:08):
So it was about not having to ever turn your laptop on on a Sunday and have everything inplace, the processes and the systems.
So you never have to work on a weekend and you can completely control your downtime, whichis so important and so difficult.
to us entrepreneurs.
So if you are interested in that download, I will put the links in the chat in thecomments below for you as well.
(10:31):
But yeah, so that was the aim for me.
It was to make those connections and grow my audience, grow my email list and just bringpeople into my world.
But I didn't want to be doing any hard selling.
People aren't at an event like that to buy things and to spend loads of money.
They're there to learn and to nurture themselves and their businesses.
(10:55):
They're there to grow their communities, grow their support, their cheerleading team, andjust make some really great connections.
And that was really important to me to just be giving value, give as much value as Ipossibly could to the audience that were there, make those connections genuinely, not with
any intention of selling.
(11:15):
And I didn't even bring up discovery calls with people.
It was just if that naturally fell into the conversation or they showed direct interest inworking with me on a more detailed level.
That's when that conversation happened.
So there was zero pressure for anyone who came to speak to us.
And yeah, it worked really well for us.
(11:37):
That was also the entry into the competition to win the hamper was if that they diddownload the freebie, they would go into that competition.
Lastly, I think the thing that we did really well is that I didn't sit behind the stall.
I didn't sit down hidden by my banners.
I didn't have my head in my phone.
I wasn't distracted at all.
(11:58):
I was completely present.
I was standing in front of my stand the whole two days.
I was open and ready for conversations.
At times where it was quiet, I walked away from the stand and actively approached people.
We had some sweets that were free on our stand, so I would take them with me and juststart opening up those conversations.
(12:21):
Don't feel like you are chained to your stand because you're not.
Honestly, you've got complete freedom to move around that event as much as you want to.
And the stand can just be there as an extra promotional tool if you so wish.
So those are probably the main things that I think I did really well.
(12:44):
So in regards to making things as easy as possible as well for the attendees is I didn'thave complicated forms to fill in.
I didn't have any sort of websites that people needed to type in and download.
I just had QR codes everywhere.
So I had QR codes on my banners that led to different places in my website.
(13:05):
I had QR codes on my table for the free download.
QR codes were the main thing for the day.
Everybody has their phone on them.
QR codes are easy to do from a distance if people didn't want to engage in a conversationwith me and didn't feel comfortable or I was already in a conversation with someone else,
someone was able to just quickly use that QR code and get the download or just at leastsee what it was all about.
(13:30):
So that really worked.
And also you have to be accommodating for everybody.
So some people don't trust or like QR codes.
or there was a couple of people where their phone batteries had died so I did have a paperform on my desk that I could fill in for them if they needed or wanted me to.
(13:54):
So I had one person whose phone battery had died like I said so I just took their detailsand said absolutely no problem I'll email that to you as soon as I get back to the hotel.
So those are the things it is to make sure that you are fully accommodating you have aneasy way the other thing is to just include
access on your phone, you know, if people don't have access or don't want to do the QRcode themselves, you can bring it up on your own phone and get them to fill it in on that
(14:20):
way.
But these are the things that I did well, I think, I mean, there's still alwaysimprovement space for everything.
But the things that I would definitely do different that I didn't do so well, and thelessons I learned from my day one that I carried into day two, firstly was in regards to
getting the download itself.
(14:41):
So when I had created the download and created the form that people needed to fill in toaccess it, what I hadn't realised and I didn't notice until probably just after lunch on
the first day was when it brought up on people's phones, you had the first few boxes,know, name, email address, et cetera, and then the button to submit.
(15:04):
But what it wasn't showing in that initial first screen was actually under the button tosubmit.
was the box that you had to tick to say, you know, for GDPR, I agree to be added to anemail list and be contacted, et cetera, et cetera.
So what I think, although I was encouraging everybody to do the form while they were atthe stand, which again, is so important to take that action there and then in the moment,
(15:27):
what I hadn't realized is people were pressing that button and then instantly putting thephone away thinking that they had done.
And it wasn't until I checked the numbers,
In lunchtime on day one and I saw well, know that we've had more people than that takeaction on that form this morning It was when I realized I think a lot of people actually
(15:49):
had been thinking that they'd done it walking away and they hadn't So I quickly tookaction on that.
I moved that tick box to above the button So it was very clear for everybody and and itcame up on that very first screen and that really helped our numbers of downloads for the
rest of the event
So that is tip number one.
Really try and be thoughtful and present with every decision and every step that you areasking a potential client to take.
(16:17):
Go through it yourself, maybe ask some friends and families to test it and just see ifthere's any way that you can make it easier and even more accessible for everybody.
The second thing probably was that my table, although it had everything that ittechnically needed and it was visible from a distance, it wasn't the most attractive
(16:38):
table.
It was quite a basic setup to be honest.
The main thing, the main reason for that is because I'd left myself so little time to planand prepare for it.
So as I set up and I looked around the exhibition halls, some people's tables were justbeautiful, really, really thought out well.
And I thought, okay,
as a first attempt, as a first go, my table has everything it needs and it looks fine, butI know that I can elevate that for the next time.
(17:07):
The ways that I would possibly do that is I would just dress the table a bit more.
So I thought the best thing to do would be to keep it really actually quite simple and notcluttered in the slightest.
But I do think there's a balance where you can have it looking really beautiful, but stillnot cluttered.
(17:27):
So I potentially would add some fresh flowers.
That's something I use a lot in my marketing.
It's in a lot of my pictures.
I love bold, bright, fresh flowers.
So that's probably something that I would add in next time.
The sweets worked really well.
So I would definitely have them again.
Maybe just have them put out in a little nicer way, or maybe have them in little organzabags, make them just look a little bit nicer.
(17:52):
But the idea of having sweets was great.
I would potentially have some testimonials printed out.
I think that could be really powerful so people can instantly get some feedback on, youknow, and see the results of the work that you do.
But yeah, apart from that, I think it was just about filling the table a little bit morein a more intentional way, I think.
(18:15):
So that's something to consider.
Maybe even try and sketch it out or draw it out in your head how you can make it look themost appealing and attractive for people.
to come and find out what you're about.
The next thing is event placement.
So I have never done it before.
I didn't think about it before the event.
But try and make sure that you speak to the event organizers and ask them where you willbe in the floor plan of the event exhibition.
(18:44):
Try and make sure that it makes sense from a foot flow perspective.
And try and make sure that basically you have the most powerful spot.
on the floor.
Again I was the very last exhibitor for this event so I probably wouldn't have had muchspace anyway which is another bonus of booking in early but I definitely felt that we were
(19:06):
unfortunately not in the highest footfall place.
We were probably in one of the worst places which just meant that we had to step away fromthe stand and work a little bit harder to open up these conversations.
Ultimately it is down to you.
I could have sat behind the stall
on my phone and been in a bit of a grump about the fact that we were in this quieter spot.
(19:28):
I could have let it destroy the entire two days and then walked away thinking exhibitingis not for me, it's rubbish, blah, blah, blah.
But I didn't because I realized that the conversation can happen anywhere.
It doesn't have to happen at my stand.
I'd made it super easy.
It was QR code.
So I had them open on my phone.
And I didn't need to be standing right next to the table the whole time.
(19:51):
I could go out and open up those conversations and yeah, and just make the most of it.
And like I said, I know that now, so moving forward into the next time I do this, I wouldask those questions and I would try and secure a better slot.
However, it's not the end of the world and it is what you make it when you have theposition in an exhibition hall.
(20:20):
So some other things that I hadn't really considered that actually were quite important isto manage your own energy.
It is surprisingly exhausting standing up for two days straight and constantly having tobe engaged and you know high energy, have these conversations with people.
(20:41):
I felt absolutely broken at the end of day one, like I was so exhausted.
I could not wait to get back to my hotel room, have a long soak in the bath and a veryearly night, which is exactly what I did.
But yeah, I would recommend making sure that you have some really high energy, highprotein snacks with you and make sure you have lots of drinks available to you and ways to
(21:06):
look after yourself throughout that day.
When the talks were going on, so it was really quiet in the exhibition hall, I would sitdown for 10 minutes, five minutes and just have a quick rest.
or would use that time to then network with the other exhibitors in the space.
But there was a lot of people going out for dinner on that first night, you there was alot of events planned.
And for me, I knew that the most important thing for me was to get my rest, recharge andget ready for day two, which is exactly what I did.
(21:34):
And it was so worth it because I woke up day two, feeling refreshed and ready to go andyeah, smashed the second day.
So that was really important.
But honestly, your energy is the biggest asset on the day because people can feel it andthey can see it.
So you need to be showing up with warmth, know, not burnout, not looking exhausted andand.
(22:01):
and looking completely open and ready to engage in conversations.
The other thing is you can't wait for people to come and approach you.
You need to initiate the conversations.
People are shy and some people will walk past, you know, 10 times before working up thecourage just to come and say hi.
So you need to start the conversations.
(22:23):
You can just smile, always smile and make eye contact with people.
Just compliment someone's outfit or their earrings, ask them what brought them to theevent.
And again, like I said, go with a fun...
sort of off the shoulder, off the cusp question that will entice people in.
It does not sales the at all.
(22:45):
It doesn't necessarily instantly let people know what I do, but they find it intriguingand then they're ready for a more intimate conversation.
Ultimately, just be human, just be you, be approachable and friendly and make people feelsafe in your space.
That is the most important thing that you can do.
(23:06):
Okay, so those are the lessons that I learned either through the event, before the event,and the things that I feel that went quite well.
Finally, let's talk about, and actually probably the most important bit, is theafterwards, after the event, what you need to do after the event to make it all
worthwhile.
(23:27):
So because I went for this...
So because I went for this approach of no direct selling on the days, it was so importantfor me to then do the follow-up with all of the connections that I made.
You need to follow up really fast and personally.
(23:49):
So I had emails that went out to people who had joined my email list that were talkingabout the event and hope they enjoyed it, what was their biggest takeaway.
I personally voice noted or sent...
really personalised DMs to people reminding them how we met.
If I could remember snippets of the conversation or their business, something they sharedwith me, I would reiterate that in the message so they know that it is definitely
(24:17):
personalised and it's not something that has just gone out to everybody.
I offered some more useful tips and guidance for people, potentially another download.
Or I spoke about the fact, you know, we...
maybe spoke about booking in a discovery call, would you be interested sending the link?
So it was just basically keeping the conversation going.
(24:39):
It was super important to do that.
Try and take photos with as many people as you can and then tag all of them on whateverplatform it is.
Say, know, tag them in the story, how great it was to meet them, to hear about theirbusiness.
It's all about keeping that connection warm.
It's a lot, can be really hard to keep these connections, keep track of these connections,who got to what stage, what were you hoping, who aligned with you and looked like a
(25:09):
potentially good client who didn't and you don't think you'd be able to help or work with.
So I used a CRM software, which all of every time they did a download of that freebie,they went into the CRM with a tag saying that they were from that event that helped me
with the emails going out.
It also gave me a space where I could put notes regarding the conversations that we'd had.
(25:32):
And that was super helpful because now I'm perimenopausal, my brain fog is a nightmare.
And if I try to remember, you know, details of all of these conversations for longer thanlike 48 hours, I'd have no hope.
So making the notes helped me with the personalisation of the follow-up later on, butthere was no pressure on me to sort of retain that information in my mind.
(25:57):
It allowed me to sort of do that brain dump, get it out there in a safe space that I couldcome back to later and use to my advantage.
And then finally, when you do book in the calls, don't be disheartened if you have noshows.
There will always be people at events that are sort of hyped up and caught in the momentthat want to book something in but actually have no intention of working with you.
(26:20):
It's completely normal.
Please don't take it personally.
the right people will attend the calls or they will come back to you at a point when theyare ready to actually take action and work with you.
So you just need to, it's all about sort of planting the seeds at this point at the actualevent.
It's just about showing up authentically as you are and showing people what it would belike to work with you and who you are as a person.
(26:45):
It's about making that connection.
So you have to trust that, trust the work that you've put in at the event, trust thoseconnections that you've made.
And even if it doesn't turn into anything at this moment, you need to trust that there's apotential that it can in the future.
So would I exhibit again?
Well, I think I've made it clear through this run through that I, yes, 100 % would exhibitagain, but I would improve my table decor and making that it just look a bit more
(27:15):
attractive and a bit sort of fuller, more interest.
I would probably build a tighter follow-up plan.
Now I know the process of following up.
can sort of build a process and a structure around that ready for next time.
Maybe comfy shoes.
It is a lot like I said standing for those two days.
So comfort really is critical.
(27:35):
And I would definitely pack more snacks.
I think probably the biggest lesson that I've learned is that events is sort of a longgame.
You can't go with instant sales in your mind, you are going to build your brand awareness,build your credibility and build your community.
And but if you show up with the right energy and the strategy, it's so worth it.
(27:59):
because all of that work that I put in in those two days and the work that I've put in inthe past couple of weeks since then has strengthened my community and my lead generation
so much and the potential in that group that I found at this event for future sales andfor future collaborations is huge.
It has brought me into regular paying coaching clients, so it's already paid for itself.
(28:26):
When I did go into it,
I'll be honest, I had hoped for more.
think my, how can I say this?
I think my expectations were too high.
I think when I looked at the 800 people attending the event and I worked off that figure,I definitely had aimed too high.
So that is one final message for you is actually, I would say probably only half of thosepeople actually even entered the exhibition center.
(28:55):
So.
You can't expect to for all 800 people to get eyes on you and be visible in front of all800 of them.
It's unrealistic.
And that isn't something that I had realized before the event because I adore anexhibition hall.
I am always one of the first in there and making the rounds and getting to know everybody.
So I didn't realize that other people don't do that and aren't interested.
(29:18):
So that was another lesson for me, but I a hundred percent would do it again.
If you are thinking of exhibiting, have ever thought about it or you have agreed to do itand you have an event coming up, I hope this has given you loads to work with.
Please DM me on Instagram or Facebook, tell me what events you're exhibiting at.
(29:39):
I might be attending them too.
Let me know if anything of this has resonated with you, there's any biggest things thatyou're going to take away from it and use at your events.
I would love to hear it all.
But thank you so much for joining me again this week.
I hope this episode has sort of helped you.
If it has, share it with a business bestie, someone who also might be thinking ofexhibiting.
(30:01):
Leave a review for me, that would be fabulous.
Or just tag me on socials.
I always love seeing what you are all up to and where you've been listening from.
So until next time, have a fabulous week, enjoy this sunshine, and I will speak to you allsoon.
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