Brins d'infos

Trade shows
and how to get the best
from them

Taking a stand at a major trade show is easy. Being able to make it as profitable as possible is much trickier. Valérie Quivogne, a recognised expert in events and APE STRATÉGIE partner, explains how we can optimise our attendance at an event.

What is your experience, Valérie Quivogne?

I have worked with trade show organisers for 14 years including 11 for the French market leader, Exposium. Firstly as Market Manager then Sales Director, I worked for indoor and outdoor trade shows in the industrial, agricultural, forestry, gardening and home improvement fields to name just a few.

What are you offering now?

I now work for the exhibitor. I look for an ideal location for him; this is a decisive factor for success. Obviously, the client does not necessarily get the stand he wants but, at a trade show, there are hundreds of strategic locations, he needs to identify them and make his choice according to his objectives.

How can we properly identify the strategic locations?

You must understand how the trade show works, where the entrances are, the events, the main aisles, how will people move around. From these elements, we can look for the best location. Considering my experience, I think I have a good understanding of a trade show plan.

Is it vital to be well placed?

Certain locations constitute some handicaps. One of my clients wanted absolutely to be next door to a partner. Despite my advice against this, he wanted to keep this location and ended up getting practically no visitors.

Do you offer other services?

I can be involved in the stand design and decor and coordinating press conferences but also, alongside APE Stratégie, in the implementation of events and specific games to generate useful traffic and create a qualified list of visitors.

Practical case study By Valérie Quivogn “One of my clients was taking part in trade shows without really knowing why; he didn’t even know who would come to visit him during the trade show. In the 1st year, I immediately helped him to get organised and find good stand locations. I also conducted an audit on his activity at trade shows. This was primarily observation, to see what happened, how the trade show worked and understand what the client was looking for. In the 2nd year, I implemented an action plan. Firstly, studying the situation to respond to the requirement: Creating contact forms to record visitors and the type of information or service sought. Finding customer catchment areas and positioning sales people at these points. Forecasting the quantity of documentation and how many people were needed on the stand according to the number of visitors expected. Then, to find out certain indicators: The cost of a contact per stand and per trade show The development of a trade show Thanks to these measures, I could verify whether or not a trade show became part of my strategy and whether I could incorporate it into a media plan. Thus, my activity needs to continue for at least 2/3 years so that I can establish the right strategy.”

The winning coach
for your trade show strategy

This is a concept which optimises ALL aspects of trade show communication, controlling the strategy, activities on the ground and monitoring measures..
With , you can enjoy the combined skills of Valérie Quivogne and APE Stratégie, 2 specialist and complementary agencies who are combining their expertise to offer you a single, comprehensive or bespoke service:

For more information: Tel. + 33 (0) 3 26 59 97 97 / Éliane Eyma - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  / Joël Béthune - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it