But, in those crucial days that you have, surrounded entirely by your target audience, how best are you to capture what success means for you and your brand? And how are you to determine whether that event was successful enough for you to return the following year.
If you’re keen to get the most out of your live event attendance, you need a team on side that shares your vision, your objectives, and your passion for success. If you’re still figuring out what a successful live event looks like for your brand, keep reading.
For some, brand awareness = footfall. People stepping onto their stand, learning about the brand and its offering, speaking with the team and leaving with some carefully considered merchandise is a big win. For new or challenger brands, live events sometimes serve as nothing more than a means to put the business name in front of a mass of people.
Now, this doesn’t excuse the need for a carefully curated stand design and functionality. When working with ESG, the team will work to determine if the objective of your live event is footfall and ensure the space is designed to gain the attention of a busy event hall, building curiosity and interest around your brand.
This objective does not guarantee a clear ROI, as it serves as a slow burner for brands to gain greater recognition and brand awareness. Although not trackable through direct sales, footfall often leads to a greater understanding of a brand’s values and objectives, and success can often be found through increased website visitation, social media following, and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Industry leaders often go to exhibition stands with one goal only – to build their sales opportunities. With a team on the stand equipped to convert enquiries there and then, it is often up to those individuals to pre-empt the opportunities that will be at the live event and arrange on-stand meetings to convert those opportunities for the brand.
This is when stand design and functionality are so crucial, as there needs to be clear, private meeting spaces, pods, or seating for people to talk comfortably and quietly away from the often noisy and energetic event space.
Measuring event success when this is your objective is simpler and often supports in stand budget management. If it’s your first time at a show, opting for a smaller space is a good way to test whether it is going to be a successful live event for you. If it is, re-booking with a bigger space and bigger budget is then a contributing factor to you converting more business opportunities – a win-win scenario.
If your objective is sales, then you can measure your success by the number of converted sales opportunities made at the event specifically. Creating a space that feels natural, comfortable, and private whilst showcasing your brand is essential if this is your goal.
According to a 2025 event report, 78% of organisers identify in-person events as their organisation’s most impactful marketing channel, and with thousands of people attending live events every week, attending those that are specifically focused on your industry and customer base is a sure-fire way of building new connections that can help grow your network and business opportunities.
A stand that is reflective of your brand identity and ethos is one thing, but having a strong team on that stand that reinforces those values is equally important. When your stand and team both look entirely aligned to your overall business goals, you become an attractive space for people to gather in an exhibition hall.
Creating a stand that people can comfortably move through, with the opportunity to relax without a sales-driven pitch, is essential if this is your objective. With clear branding, those with mutual interests will find your business and want to learn more about you.
When your objective for attending the live event is to network and build relationships, you can measure success through the ongoing relationships that you maintain following the live event. The ongoing success that you see in terms of new opportunities, new conversations, and new relationships, will be the determining factor as to whether you re-attend the show in years to come – and what your objective for future live events will be.
If there is one thing that is certain about attending live events, it’s that you need to know before you arrive what your objective is. Regardless of what you’re planning to achieve from the exhibition, having a plan (and sharing this with your chosen agency) is going to ensure a successful show for you and your business.
If you’re planning on attending a live event but need a trusted partner to bring your vision to life and help you hit your goals, contact the Envisage team here.
