Want to know an effective way to grow your business? Then you should invest in entrepreneurship fairs!
After all, you’ve heard the saying that no one grows alone, right? These fairs are exactly the opportunity to find partners and the networking you need to stay active in the market.
And if you’re one of the organizers of this type of event, you can be sure it will make you a reference for consumers and other companies in the field!
For example, ASISPY is the Internet Service Providers Association of Paraguay, and it managed to bring together companies from five different countries, plus government agencies, at its 2nd gathering.
In this article, Sandro Eggert, organizer of the 2nd ASISPY event and president of the Association, will give you valuable tips for becoming a reference as an entrepreneur and organizing your own fair.
Learn more about:
- What is an entrepreneurship fair?
- How do you organize an entrepreneurship fair?
- 4 tips from ASISPY for entrepreneurship fairs
What is an entrepreneurship fair?
Basically, an entrepreneurship fair is an event to showcase entrepreneurs’ work and connect them with other business owners.
In fact, we’ve already covered what a trade fair is here on the blog. So you probably know these are spaces where products are displayed and, often, sold.
So, besides connecting business owners, entrepreneurship fairs also target consumers, sponsors, investors, and even government agencies.
That’s because bringing together business owners from the same industry often leads to important market discussions, proposed initiatives, and the formation of new groups.
In fact, entrepreneurship fairs tend to feature engaging activities in their schedule.
Discussion panels, book launches, courses, workshops, and other training sessions are common. In these cases, a great structure also makes a difference.
With so many details, you need to pay attention to a few essential points for organizing one!
How do you organize an entrepreneurship fair?
Study the market
Now that you know the potential of a fair for entrepreneurs, you’re probably eager to get the most out of your event.
To start, you should promote a fair that’s up to date and grabs the segment’s attention.
That is, it should bring together innovation, technology, and the biggest references in the field.
A good starting point is to study:
- What are the most current topics in the market
- What the audience has been looking for and how to grab their attention
- What fairs have happened in the field, how many people attended, who exhibited, etc.
- What technology solutions are used at fairs and how you can use them to your advantage
Try to invite renowned exhibitors, promote engaging activities, choose a current topic, and invest in promoting your niche.
Set the date, time, and venue
Organizing fairs well in advance is one of the main keys to success.
Especially if your audience is made up of business owners. After all, they need to find time in their schedules, organize booths, staff…
So, first of all, get to know your attendees well. Build a profile and think about the best solutions for them.
For example, if you’re running a fair for retail entrepreneurs, avoid periods with high sales volume, since you know your audience will be very busy.
Likewise, look for good venues to host exhibitors and attendees.
Fairs usually take place in large, well-structured, safe, and accessible spaces.
These venues should allow every booth to be visible and well positioned.
But remember: it’s a good idea to put in writing what will be offered to exhibitors and what their responsibilities are for their booths.
You can also:
- Create maps of the event
- Invest in lounge, dining, and rest areas
- Use lighting and decor to set the mood
Another innovative idea is to use virtual technology for your event, such as a 2D hall and online booths, like the ones Even3 offers.
That way, even online attendees can access your fair’s content remotely, meet exhibitors, and view an event map.
Build an engaging schedule
As I mentioned, an engaging schedule is a differentiator for an entrepreneurship fair.
So you can include specific time slots with activities open to the public and/or aimed at local business owners.
Good ideas include:
- Round tables with business owners from the industry
- Workshops with useful practices for entrepreneurs
- Meeting rooms and networking spaces
- Pitches and presentations from exhibiting brands for potential investors
- Contests and awards
Win over sponsors
With a well-structured event, you have everything sponsors are looking for.
That’s because entrepreneurship fairs are incredible opportunities for sponsors to directly reach a market niche.
All at a relatively low cost, while quickly positioning themselves as a reference.
So that should be a highlight in your sponsorship proposal! Share the number of exhibitors and the opportunities available.
Also mention the ways sponsors’ brands can gain exposure.
You can showcase brands in virtual booths, like Even3’s, throughout the event’s structure, website, and more.
Price your tickets the right way
Speaking of sponsorships, let’s move to one of the most important points of your event: the finances!
It’s essential to plan your spending on structure, attractions, and promotion.
To start, you can use Even3’s free spreadsheet to track essential expenses, outflows, and sponsorships.
This will help you determine how much you need to raise at your event, or whether it makes sense to hold a free event.
If you’ve chosen to sell tickets, it’s important to consider a few factors, such as:
- Your event’s audience profile and how much they’d be willing to pay for the experience
- Your event’s main expenses
- Prices for similar events organized by other institutions
- Whether or not you want to profit from ticket sales
When it’s time to sell, remember to sell your tickets in a secure place with a variety of payment options.
By using an event platform like Even3, you can count on online registration forms, a secure payment area, and more than 150 national and international payment methods.
Renting booths at fairs
Another way to boost your fair’s profitability is by renting spaces to other entrepreneurs.
In fact, this is a common practice, since large fairs usually offer the option to rent booths at the event venue.
So, how much should you charge for booth rental? The price will vary based on location within the space, structure, and size.
Some exhibitors may even build their own structure with architects and create an innovative experience for the audience. It all depends on your goal and budget!
That’s why booth prices at a fair can range widely depending on size and location, and they also come in different categories: Basic, Special/standard, Built, and Mixed.
Promote the event
At this point, your event is well structured and ready to be promoted! This will be an essential point for attracting exhibitors and the general public.
Since it’s a large event, you can invest in traditional media promotion, such as newspapers, TV, and press relations.
However, that can be a bit more complex.
So it’s a good idea to start with simpler actions, such as promoting through the exhibitors themselves, entrepreneur groups, and niches your business is part of.
Another simple, and sometimes cheaper, way is to invest in digital marketing for:
- Instagram posts
- Email marketing
- Paid ads on social media
Take care of the attendee experience
Finally, the essential point at entrepreneurship fairs is the attendee experience.
An event with no lines, good structure, security, and accessibility makes all the difference!
After all, outside visitors will likely attend your event to check out products, buy, or close deals.
That’s why they should be well taken care of from start to finish.
So pay attention to the event’s structure, the comfort it offers, networking areas, and especially check-in.
You can choose technology solutions that cut down on line waiting times.
For example, Even3’s check-in app can scan QR codes and check attendees in within seconds.
Afterward, you can collect attendee feedback and areas for improvement with the evaluation form sent at the end of the event on Even3.
With all these tips, you’re already ready to create a successful entrepreneurship fair! But how about improving it even further with insight from a reference institution in the field?
4 tips from ASISPY 2023 for entrepreneurship fairs
1. Give exhibitors a gift
To start, how about a small, basic step?
Sandro Eggert, organizer of the 2nd ASISPY 2023 gathering and president of the Association, is categorical: every edition has a special gift!
And there’s a reason for that. After all, it’s no accident these gifts are also called keepsakes, right?
Small, simple gestures like this can make exhibitors remember your event and feel your gratitude for the partnership.
With that in mind, ASISPY was very strategic! The event gave exhibitors coffee cups and tereré cups, items typical of Paraguayan culture.
That way, everyday actions became ways to remember the event and everything that happened at that edition. Can you imagine that benefit?
2. Involve trade organizations or associations
Although ASISPY is an event organized by an association, entrepreneurship fairs don’t need to be created by an organization of this type.
Still, partnering with associations or trade groups can bring your event a lot of benefits!
First, it’s the fastest way to bring together several professionals from your niche.
Also, since they’re already affiliated, there’s a stronger guarantee they’ll register for the event and take part actively.
And that’s where the best part comes in! After all, these organizations always seek to strengthen the market and develop technologies. And what better place to do that than at an event?
This perfect pairing can elevate your schedule, offering rich discussion panels and market analysis, while also attracting the right institutions!
If you prefer, you can invite them directly, offer sponsorship packages, and/or showcase your event’s benefits.
3. Promote activities the market is interested in
Speaking of engaging activities, you’ve probably already noticed your event’s potential to move the economy, right?
At ASISPY, the organization even managed to hold a closed-door meeting with government representatives.
“We invited government members so they could see the market’s momentum […] we showed details of our GDP, international studies, made requests, and forwarded demands.” — Sandro Eggert, organizer of the 2nd ASISPY 2023 gathering
Can you imagine the impact caused by this type of event? Its potential for transformation certainly draws attention in the field!
4. Invite international speakers
After becoming established in the field, ASISPY took a huge growth leap by inviting international exhibitors.
The event’s expansion was marked by the presence of companies from five different countries.
“The event grew so much that people are already saying they want to reserve their spot for next year. People saw that the event is big because it brought together companies from Paraguay and other countries, like Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru… so next year we’ll need translators.” — Sandro Eggert, organizer of the 2nd ASISPY 2023 gathering
Although this is a bold decision, it doesn’t have to be extremely complex!
That’s because technology is one of your greatest allies for turning difficult tasks into simple solutions.
International events, for example, can easily be promoted worldwide through an event website available on Google.
On event platforms like Even3, you also get a multilingual event website. In other words, different versions of the same site with every section translated.
Other viable options on the platform include automatic currency conversion and more than 150 available international payment methods.
That way, anyone in the world can register for your event! How about giving it a try? Create your event for free on Even3.
