Adding visually striking design elements to a booth at a trade show can help it stand out and attract attention, as demonstrated by this Instacart booth at Groceryshop in Las Vegas, NV, which was created with MoonLab Productions’ technology. Courtesy of Katie Meyer

In recent years, the approach to planning association trade shows has evolved to emphasize dynamic, modular and sustainable events that prioritize immersive, experience-driven interactions.

“Over the past several years, trade show event planning for association event planners has evolved significantly by enhancing digital tools and genuine experiences, and prioritizing inclusivity and wellness,” says Nicole Coon, CMP, director of sales and marketing at Event Lab, and owner of Greet LLC. “The pandemic emphasized the desire for in-person connections especially. Planners have the ability with AI and digital advancements to be more strategic in trade show offerings and to use those tools to work more efficiently, allowing more time for planning that only they can do best.”

For example, planners can more quickly analyze data, freeing their time for more impactful design and planning. Additionally, Coon says there is a strong emphasis on creating inclusive environments through neurodiversity awareness and wellness initiatives and how that execution is planned. Sustainability and social responsibility continue to be a priority and can assist in fostering robust business partnerships.

According to Katie Meyer, CEO of MoonLab Productions, association clients’ goals and visions with trade shows have expanded, focusing not only on traditional marketing objectives, but also on how trade shows can creatively align with internal sales and marketing strategies.

“This shift impacts pre-production for agencies, granting them greater freedom to explore innovative ideas, push the limits of activation moments and create personalized experiences that engage attendees in meaningful ways,” Meyer says.

Rich Vallaster, CEM, DES, is deeply rooted in the events and association industry, collaborating with some of the most prominent associations, organizations, trade shows and events. As chair of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research Council and a dedicated member of the International Association of Exhibitions & Events, Vallaster is involved in shaping the event industry’s future.

As senior director of industry relations and community engagement at A2Z Events, he understands the nuances that today’s association event planners face in making trade shows a success for attendees.

“Post-pandemic, the role of association event planners has significantly escalated in importance and criticality,” Vallaster says. “With events typically contributing 40 to 80% of their association’s annual revenue, the pressure on these planners to increase revenue has only intensified.”

Additionally, Vallaster says association events are increasingly becoming the best opportunity for meaningful member engagement – connecting them with their association community, content and continuing education units, and driving commerce with exhibiting and sponsoring companies.

“Attendees are becoming increasingly discerning with their resources, particularly their time and money. In-person trade show events have always been a platform for ‘serendipitous’ connections. But now, more than ever, they are seeking intentional and meaningful networking,” Vallaster says. “They want to be engaged with the content and their peers, and they expect the same from exhibitor and sponsor activations. They want to walk away feeling their investment was worth it.”

Rodney Hart, vice president of events at RainFocus, says attendees at association trade show events are looking to grow their community and skill sets. By carefully curating content and networking experiences, event planners can ensure their attendees leave the trade shows with a lasting positive impression.

“These learning experiences are enriched as event planners strive to deliver personalized session and meeting recommendations,” says Hart, who is seeing a gradual shift from a one-size-fits-all experience to personalized experiences, digital transformation and data-driven strategies.

“Association event planners have traditionally used multiple vendors that are cobbled together to execute events,” Hart says. “Teams are just now looking to consolidate their event technology and make use of all-in-one event management platforms. These event planners are seeking data to back their decision-making and increase the ROI for the exhibitors and sponsors at their events.”

Today’s association trade show attendees are looking for real value – actionable insights, meaningful connections and experiences that justify their time and investment. They want practical, career/seniority-relevant takeaways like industry trends, innovative solutions and strategies they can immediately apply in their roles.

As Coon explains, this includes content that feels customized and interactive learning through which they can engage directly with solutions and experts.

“Attendees also value personalization and flexibility. They expect tailored experiences, allowing them to engage in ways that suit their schedules and learning styles,” Coon says. “Along with that, attendees want to be taken care of as individuals with an emphasis on wellness, etc. Ultimately, they’re looking to leave inspired, better connected and equipped with tools, insights and relationships that make time away from their work, office and family worthwhile.”

Steps To Take

Today’s association trade show attendees seek interactive, engaging experiences – moving beyond traditional “swag” handouts to focus on meaningful networking opportunities and innovative product displays.

“At a trade show where many booths can feel repetitive, incorporating unique and visually striking graphic and design elements can help your booth stand out organically, capturing attention on the crowded floor,” Meyer says.

Once inside, attendees are often looking for engaging, memorable experiences. Recently, Meyer says gamification has proven to be a powerful tool, offering attendees a fun way to learn about new products and connect with sales teams. These interactive moments encourage natural conversations between attendees and associations, vendors and other professionals, enhancing engagement and building rapport.

“As attendees prepare to leave, a meaningful giveaway can serve as a final, impactful touchpoint,” Meyer says. “Consider options like donating to a charity the client partners with or offering sustainable, reusable items – gestures that resonate long after the event ends.”

Vallaster points out that associations and organizations love to survey their members. They need to remember that understanding what each of their member types want out of events can vary wildly.

“An attendee new in their career versus retirement can have far different needs or expectations of an event. Segmenting and understanding the various affinity groups, demographics and psychographics is critical to creating events that engage and satisfy each of these audiences to deliver value and return attendance (a.k.a. revenue increases),” Vallaster says. “It sounds daunting, but these can simply be first-timers’ receptions or trade show floor tours. For executives, it might take the form of VIP lounges and roundtables with topics designed around their seniority level.”

Associations also are increasingly focused on attracting younger members to their events and trade shows. Vallaster says one unique strategy that has resonated with this audience is the creation of a “Young Professionals Hotel” within the room block.

“This typically more affordable hotel became a hub for young conference/trade show attendees to connect,” Vallaster says. “This level of intentionality in planning opportunities, events, content and networking creates the value that today’s audiences are looking for.”

One other critical area for association planners is considering the evolving needs of their exhibitors and sponsors. As Vallaster explains, with increased costs to participate in trade shows and events, it’s important to understand companies’ concerns about quantifying their return on investment.

“Soft numbers around attendance, for example, will no longer cut it. Specifics around who attends, buying power, booth visits, qualified leads, etc., are metrics associations seek to justify their spending,” Vallaster says.

When it comes to sponsorships, an association’s logo at a crudité table won’t cut it any longer. Associations want quantifiable metrics and engagement with their organization’s brand and their staff. As an association planner, it’s crucial to empathize with these needs, even if measuring the immeasurable will continue to be a challenge.”

Hart says the best way association event planners can facilitate great networking opportunities for members is by intentionally designing spaces and activities that foster connections and partnerships. A hosted buyer program is an effective strategy for driving valuable meetings at trade shows.

“These programs reduce or eliminate the cost for buyers to attend the event, provided they commit to scheduling a predetermined number of meetings with event sponsors,” Hart says. “Having participated as a hosted buyer at IMEX this year, I can attest that it was an excellent way to incentivize me to maximize my scheduled meetings during the conference. This approach becomes even more effective when paired with technology that seamlessly facilitates meeting scheduling between buyers and sponsors.”

As attendee preferences evolve and attention spans shorten, Hart says trade show planners must adapt by creating more engaging and personalized experiences.

“Association planners should focus on lowering barriers to connection by introducing innovative formats, matchmaking technologies and curated opportunities that encourage seamless networking and meaningful meetings,” Hart says. “Prioritizing these strategies will ensure events remain relevant and valuable to participants.”

Courtney Harold, vice president of development at Shomex Productions, says trade show event planning has shifted from simply providing a space for exhibitors and attendees to meet, to fostering meaningful connections and delivering year-round value.

“Associations now focus on leveraging their deep relationships with their communities to curate more personalized and impactful experiences,” Harold says. “Technology plays a significant role, with matchmaking platforms, app-based networking tools and pre-scheduled meetings becoming standard. The evolution reflects a greater emphasis on ROI for exhibitors and attendees, ensuring that every touchpoint contributes to lasting partnerships, whether through in-person interactions or post-show digital engagement.”

Today’s attendees are seeking a combination of value and memorable experiences. Key takeaways include:

Discovering new products or solutions: Association trade show attendees want to leave feeling they’ve found something that will improve their association or provide a competitive edge.

ROI for their time: They expect actionable insights, leads or connections that justify their investment in attending.

Authentic networking opportunities: People are seeking genuine, facilitated interactions that could lead to meaningful partnerships or collaborations.

Moments of delight: From surprising activations to standout speakers, attendees want to leave with positive memories that make it worth returning to the event.

Harold says association event planners should leverage matchmaking tools: Use data-driven platforms to connect attendees and exhibitors based on interests, goals or product needs before the event even begins.

She also recommends creating structured networking sessions. Include speed networking or curated roundtable discussions that align with attendees’ objectives.

“Offer unique experiences to spark conversations. Casual networking events, such as themed receptions or experiential activities, can create natural opportunities for connection,” Harold says. “Also, creating spaces on the show floor or in digital apps where attendees can meet by industry vertical, interest group or region can enhance connections.”

Finally, Coon says association event planners can create productive trade show environments by implementing structured opportunities for creative and impactful connections leveraging technology and designing spaces that encourage meaningful interactions. Trade show planners can integrate ideas from other events that work well.

“For creative networking, try integrating an exercise during a reception that gets participants moving and talking with others intentionally and quickly as they navigate the room to find their match, such as receiving a card with a clue to their paired match on arrival,” Coon says. “The implementation of a show floor scavenger hunt can be planned much more efficiently with the use of AI and some basic information gathered from exhibitors’ or sponsors’ company descriptions.”

Coon also suggests evaluating show space and re-designing it to be less traditional and more inspiring. For example, turn a tired lounge into a beer garden with biophilic design and ambient lighting.

“Experiential learning and shared reflection lead to an organic conversation starter post-session, or offer a ‘Genius Huddle’ for a more intimate FOMO mini-session with high speaker interaction,” Coon says. “Another idea is to integrate informal special-interest group meetups at designated times and locations for low-pressure connection and instant inclusion – think of a first-time attendee meetup shortly into the show opening.”

Looking Ahead

With any event, trade shows are always evolving.

Meyer anticipates that association trade shows will increasingly integrate experiential activations within booths to enhance attendee engagement. Additionally, emerging technologies like AR and VR will play a larger role, creating immersive environments that elevate the overall experience.

“With these changes, we need to continue to embrace sustainability and strategies to reduce waste at shows,” Meyer says. “Trade shows are notoriously wasteful, and association planners need to be at the forefront of new sustainable concepts and modular fabrication strategies.”

Harold advises association event planners to think of trade shows as year-round ecosystems that connect, engage and solve the needs of their communities.

“The key to staying relevant for association planners is shifting their mindset away from solely selling raw space and traffic metrics. Instead, they need to adopt a community-driven approach, thinking of themselves as stewards of their audience rather than just event organizers,” Harold says.

It’s also important to move beyond the show floor. As Harold explains, planners must recognize that the value of their events is not limited to the physical space. The focus should be on creating products, services and opportunities that serve the community’s needs before, during and after the event. This could include pre-event matchmaking, year-round content offerings, virtual showcases or off-site activations that provide continuous engagement and support.

And be sure to develop holistic packages for all stakeholders.

“Rather than selling raw space, organizers should build comprehensive packages that address exhibitors’ and attendees’ broader goals,” Harold says. “For exhibitors, this might mean combining onsite visibility with digital sponsorships, educational opportunities and post-show lead-generation tools. For attendees, planners can design curated experiences that deliver value across education, networking and discovery.”

Coon also believes association trade shows will continue to evolve with a stronger focus on advanced technology, data-driven strategies and attendee-centric experiences. Virtual and augmented reality will become more mainstream, driven by both exhibitor/sponsor innovation and attendee expectations.

“Association planners should evaluate how these tools can enhance their events while making intentional, strategic decisions around adoption and investment,” Coon says. “Planners will also need to be nimbler with their planning timelines with the expeditious rate at which data is available and analyzed – be prepared to pivot to maintain show relevancy. A customized approach for attendees, exhibitors and sponsors will be key. Staying ahead means moving beyond the status quo and making purposeful, forward-thinking adjustments; even while show offerings and features seem to be still working.” | AC&F |