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© 2006-2025 Marlys K. Arnold
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Whether you’re a seasoned exhibitor or headed to your first expo, Trade Show Insights helps you navigate the evolving landscape of exhibit marketing to maximize your impact. Host Marlys Arnold and her expert guests tackle current challenges and offer actionable advice to enhance your trade show success. This long-running series (since 2006) is the go-to resource for both show organizers and exhibitors to create memorable experiences that resonate with attendees.
For over two decades, Marlys has advised thousands of exhibitors in consultations and workshops for events ranging from local consumer expos to major U.S. trade shows. She’s even written two books on the subject: Build a Better Trade Show Image and Exhibit Design That Works. She’s also the creative mastermind behind the Exhibit Marketers Café, an online hub for learning.
217 Episodes
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This episode is for two kinds of people: those who run trade shows, and the marketers who exhibit at them.
No matter which one you are, we've got a shared playbook you can implement at your upcoming shows.
There are three paradigm shifts that can help both exhibitors and show organizers achieve better quality leads, fewer headaches, and clearer proof of value.
Let’s start with the number-one gripe I hear: “We didn’t get enough leads.”
Exhibitors say it … organizers dread hearing it.
Here are a few smart plays to overcome it.
If you’ve ever tried to find key information on a trade show or event website, you know how frustrating it can be.
Recently, I posed the question on LinkedIn: “What can trade show organizers do to make the event website more helpful & user-friendly?”
That sparked a lively discussion of common website problems and practical solutions. So I want to share what exhibitors and attendees are saying, and offer a few tips to help event organizers improve their websites to better serve everyone.
Exhibit managers often come to me with a similar story: their sales team comes to the show, hangs out in the booth, and becomes more of a handicap than an asset. They want to know how they can turn that situation around.
Unfortunately, this is a common problem because the very things that make a sales person great at what they do can often create a challenge in the trade show environment.
Here are specific steps you can take to overcome this situation.
Everybody says trade shows are all about the ROI …
Yet most exhibit marketers aren’t doing enough to measure or prove it to their accounting department.
So I invited my friend Rich Vallaster to join me for a candid conversation that puts ROI in context for both exhibitors and show organizers. Listen in as we break down what needs to change in both metrics and mindset:
Why it’s so important to measure ROI (before someone else does it for you!)What show organizers can do to help exhibitors get better resultsHow shows can add value for exhibitorsWhat some shows are doing to blur the line between education & the show floor
Chances are you’ve been overlooking a key demographic in the audience at your events – people who choose not to drink alcohol for a variety of reasons, including those in recovery.
Did you realize that could be a quarter of your audience or more? So in the same way gluten-free or vegan are now standard options at events, it’s time to reconsider the non-alcoholic beverage alternatives too.
Networking doesn’t have to happen around the bar. In this episode, Sober Life Rocks founder Laura Nelson shares strategies and practical examples on how to:
Change the after-hours experience to create better connectionsCraft more creative alcohol-free drink optionsEducate bartenders on how to make all guests feel includedDesign interactive spaces that don’t revolve around drinking
These days, it seems everyone's talking about budgets and the rising cost of exhibiting.
And yes ... I realize that some elements are out of your control. But there are areas where you might be able to save money and still make a great impact on the show floor.
Recently I posed this question to my LinkedIn cohorts and they shared so many great tips that I just had to compile them for you in this episode!
Why is lead capture an afterthought for so many exhibitors?
Instead it's the whole point of exhibiting in the first place – or at least should be!
There's both an art and a science to effectively gathering and managing leads. But the good news is that today's technology can make the entire process much less painful ... once exhibitors embrace both the strategy and the system.
Michelle Harman joins us in this episode to offer expert perspective on:
How the lead capture process has evolved in recent yearsWhere it still needs improvementWhich key mindset exhibitors need to shiftWhat a dream lead management process could look likeHow to streamline follow-up
It's tough out there. Exhibitors are expected to do even more with less.
They recognize the value of face-to-face events, although may struggle to prove that value within their organization.
Recently, non-profit trade association The Exhibitor Advocate partnered with EVOLIO Marketing to conduct a survey of exhibit and event marketers to get their perspectives on key challenges and understand how these may be impacting their overall event programs.
For this episode, we invited Jessica Sibila back to Trade Show Insights to share details about the study, including:
Factors driving exhibitor challenges todayChoices exhibitors are making to address themPerceptions exhibitors have of show organizersTools organizers could provide to help exhibitors
As attendees navigate a trade show floor they're bombarded with sights, sounds, and activities vying for their attention. So in this whirlwind of stimuli, how can your exhibit rise above the chaos and leave a lasting impression?
Experience design expert Mat Duerden teaches both college students and corporate marketers how to craft memorable, meaningful, and transformative experiences. (He literally co-wrote the book on Designing Experiences!)
In this episode, he shares strategies to transform your trade show exhibit into an experience that resonates long after the event has ended by:
Recognizing the intersection between storytelling and experience designCaptivating and engaging trade show attendees (like a boy with a hummingbird)Starting with the desired reaction and work backwardsShaping the experience by mapping it outUnderstanding the importance of micro-experiences
Lately I've been having a lot of conversations around booth staffing.
Exhibit managers tell me they're frustrated about how their team behaves in the booth – or whether they even show up at the appropriate time.
Attendees are annoyed that staffers pounce on them or shove materials at them as they pass by the booth.
Now these aren't new challenges by any means. Bad booth staff may be an ongoing problem for many exhibit team leaders (even you) – but it's not unsolvable.
Over the years, I've worked with many exhibit teams to improve their booth staff behavior. I've also done a number of previous blog posts and podcast episodes with booth staffing tips.
So for this episode, we're diving into the Trade Show Insights archives for some booth staff strategies.
For years I’ve been hearing all the buzz about IMEX, but never had the opportunity to experience it first-hand until this year.
IMEX is often referred to as the mega-conference & trade show for the events & incentives industries. And it definitely can be overwhelming for a newcomer. I spent the first couple of days feeling breathless … trying not to miss any must-see sessions I had bookmarked or in-booth activities that sounded creative and fun.
I was there primarily to capture and record ideas for YOU – to be the eyes and ears for all my podcast listeners, followers and clients.
So now that I’ve had a window of time to process and reflect on all my photos and notes, I’ve put together a list of ideas gathered and lessons learned during those four days in Vegas (both good and bad).
Many exhibitors face a disconnect – the marketing team works hard to design an engaging and interactive exhibit that attracts crowds, but the sales team feels it’s not delivering the right type of leads.
How can you bridge that divide?
Teresa Lopez has a lot of experience getting both of these teams working together. In this episode, she shares some of her favorite strategies for how to:
Get sales to see you (the marketing or exhibit manager) as part of their teamFind the overlap to create the right in-booth talking pointsDesign booth activations and experiences that are relevantUse lead gathering methods that streamline follow-up
You may not spend a lot of time thinking about vendor selection when it comes to your exhibit or event, but that could cost you.
Having vendor partners you can trust will make your job so much easier. But on the flip side … working with a bad one could spell complete disaster!
Evan Babins knows how to find and build relationships with trusted vendors, and in this episode he shares his expert tips on:
What to look for in a potential vendor (and what to avoid)How to leverage existing vendor relationshipsWhy you should consider yourself the quarterback for your exhibit or eventWhat to do when things go sidewaysWhere to look for great vendors
Ever been the unhappy victim of a slimy sales pitch? (Haven’t we all!)
Want to make sure you never come across that way?
Then you’ll want to take careful notes as you listen to my conversation with sales expert Aleasha Bahr, who believes there’s a much better strategy for those in-booth sales conversations. (Hint: It’s NOT all about selling!)
She’ll guide you step by step how to:
Seamlessly weave your pitch into the conversationPut everything in context for each personHandle objections in a totally new wayCreate a more natural follow-up approach
When you’re at a trade show, it’s easy to get focused on simply gathering leads or generating sales – short-term results.
But beyond that, are you building meaningful connections that can lead to future business or open doors to other exciting opportunities?
I know I’ve made some of my best client and friend connections at a trade show. Perhaps that’s how you and I first met!
In order to meaningfully connect with someone – whether that’s a customer, neighbor, coworker, or anyone else – you need to focus on a few basic things. Together, these actions guarantee more effective communication and demonstrate your interest in the other person.
Earlier this year, I attended a workshop on how to market like Taylor Swift, and let me tell you … there are a wealth of insights you can learn by studying this multi-award-winning, stadium-packing music legend.
And it really doesn’t matter whether you know a single one of her songs (I’m only familiar with a few myself). We’re going to break down the strategies she uses to create raving fans who can’t wait for her next album debut – and how you can put each of these to use in your trade show marketing.
Designing an impressive exhibit display just isn’t enough anymore.
Attention spans are shorter, and attendees want experiences that not only educate about your products, but also involve and entertain them.
At the same time, sponsoring the opening reception or other official event at the show is likely outside the budget for many companies. So what’s a creative exhibitor to do?
Wendy Porter has decades of experience producing memorable events, and she joins us to share insider tips on:
Why it’s more important than ever to create experiences off the show floorHow to curate an exclusive experience for your ideal audience (with fun examples!)Why the way you transport them to your event sets the toneHow to use in-booth activities to increase attendee dwell timeWhat an “Alice story” is and why it matters
Lifestyles have changed since the "Great Pause," and stamina is a big part of that. While event attendees used to be willing to be booked solid from sunup to sundown (and far beyond), that just doesn't fly anymore.
Savvy trade show organizers and exhibitors are learning to integrate wellness into all aspects of the event – from the overall schedule to meals to in-booth activities and more.
In this episode, wellness consultant David Stevens goes beyond the buzzword of wellness and shares strategic ways to integrate well-being into events by:
Becoming mindful of the attendee experienceIncorporating wellness elements in your boothDesigning after-hours events that won't burn people outUnderstanding what "wellness washing" is & how to avoid itPacing yourself and your team to make it through the entire show
Certain topics are getting lots of buzz these days: staffing challenges, budgets, sustainability, AI. But too often that’s all they are – buzzwords.
So for this episode of Trade Show Insights, I invited one of my trade show BFFs to join me for a conversation that goes beyond the surface of these topics to what should be on everyone’s radar.
You see for several years, Rich Vallaster and I have scheduled frequent touch-base calls to analyze what’s happening in the trade show industry, what’s working, and what needs to change. Now you have the opportunity to listen in as we discuss:
How staffing shortages at all levels can affect exhibitorsWhat show managers can do to make things easier for new exhibitorsWhy shows need to reward loyalty for both exhibitors and attendeesHow there’s a big disconnect around the topic of sustainabilityWhen and how to put AI tools to use
When you hear the word "sponsorship," what do you think of first? The welcome reception ... or tote bags ... or a gazillion banners hanging all around the convention center?
Sure, that's what most shows do. But you don't want to be like most shows, right?
Time to makeover the sponsorship menu with options that stand out and benefit everyone involved – attendees and exhibitors, as well as the show's bottom line.
In this episode, brand activation and sponsorship strategist MK Granados from Gen City Labs explains how to:
Tap into unique opportunities hiding in plain sightUse sponsorships to solve problems for attendeesShow exhibitors you care about their needs tooMake the arrival experience memorable
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