Granted, your exhibit is only a part of the big picture. But it plays an important role in the effectiveness of your exhibiting program. The following report exerpt (from an independent research firm specializing in the tradeshow industry) shows how an effective exhibit can contribute to the overall success of your efforts.

Exhibit Performance Characteristics With the focus of corporate management on measuring ROI, companies often think of measurement as only assessing bottom-line results from exhibiting (i.e., message communication, brand enhancement, awareness building, lead generation, sales from leads, PR achieved, etc.). Measuring bottom-line results is important, but we believe that measurement should do more than measure ROI. If ROI is not good, what are the reasons? Is it the fault of the show, the exhibit, or the personnel working the exhibit? Listed below are three of the 12 top-line indicators of exhibit performance that Exhibit Surveys tracks. Exhibit Attraction is the percentage of an exhibitor's Potential Audience who remembered visiting the company's exhibit. The function of the physical exhibit is to selectively attract its Potential Audience from among the total audience at the show. Among factors which most often determine success in this regard include: exhibit design and graphics, and exhibit size. Over the past several years, exhibitors have been more successful in selectively attracting their Potential Audience. Exhibit Efficiency is the percentage of a company's Potential Audience with whom they had meaningful engagement. Meaningful engagement includes face-to-face interactions like talking to exhibit staff, viewing a demonstration, and/or requesting follow-up. Exhibit Efficiency has recently increased because as attendance at shows has decreased, companies are committing necessary resources, optimizing their full potential. Exhibit Efficiency is one of the most important indicators of performance results. The average Cost-per-Visitor Reached (CVR) figures are based on the total direct cost of exhibiting. The Attraction CVR is the cost per attendee who recalled having some exposure to the exhibit and is a part of the exhibitor's Potential Audience. The Exhibit Efficiency CVR is the cost per attendee who is part of the Potential Audience who recalls having meaningful engagement. These figures differ from cost per lead or cost per inquiry because they are based on all visitors who are part of the Potential Audience and not just leads or inquiries. The Attraction CVR has steadily increased over the past several years as costs of goods and services has also increased while continuing to selectively attract a high percentage of their Potential Audience. The Exhibit Efficiency CVR has increased at a higher rate because exhibitors are not taking full advantage of having meaningful engagement with those attracted.

There is no substitute for the face-to-face interaction of tradeshow exhibiting. Your exhibit serves to attract many show attendees to make that interaction possible. From that point, your exhibit has done its' job and then it's up to your staff to capitalize on those interactions.