It’s the big day – the trade show you’ve been working tirelessly for months to plan is finally kicking off. Leading companies in your industry have set up beautifully designed booths and there’s already plenty of buzz in the media and online about your event.

The last thing you want now is for attendees to simply wander around from booth to booth and then leave without a sense of having gained anything from your show presence. How do you ensure that people are learning and interacting with your brand at a trade show? There are several factors that can affect the engagement of attendees at trade shows. Here are four tips to help you keep your attendees coming back every year.

Keep the big stuff out of the early morning sessions

Many people will have spent their nights getting ready for the show and if people have traveled from out of town, they’ll probably be a little jet-lagged. Try not to schedule important or mandatory sessions in the early morning hours. Instead, keep your show “sleep-friendly” so that attendees are well-rested throughout your event.

Use the time wisely

When you’re scheduling events, make sure you’re budgeting enough time not just for meals, but also for people to simply take a break and stretch their legs a little. This allows attendees to circulate and meet new people, which is usually where the bulk of of networking actually occurs.

Keep attendees close

You want your attendees to circulate around the venue, but you don’t want them to wander too far away. One of the most important things you can do to keep attendees at your show is to provide food at the venue itself, but there are other things you can do as well. You can also create themed areas where attendees can go to see and discuss specific developments in the industry. In the same vein, discussion tables where moderators invite attendees to join and talk about what they’ve seen keeps them focused on the trade show and the environment around them.

Be entertaining

Who says work and pleasure shouldn’t mix? Having some entertainment at the trade show is fun way to keep attendees engaged with conference. Whether you provide a show, movie or even a bonfire, entertaining your attendees will give them one more thing to look forward to next year.

Keeping trade show attendees engaged is the name of the game at expos and large events. If you need help with trade show rentals, custom designs, or logistics, contact Structure Exhibits today at (888) 633-4162.