What Do Exhibitors Want?

The past few months have marked the launch of a new report, The State of the Event Industry: From the Perspective of Exhibit and Event Marketers, undertaken by The Exhibitor Advocate and EVOLIO Marketing - two powerhouses of knowledge and advocacy in the exhibitor world.

The aim of the report was to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of event marketing, the driving forces behind key challenges facing exhibitors, and how these challenges impact their event programs.

The report also explored the evolving relationship between exhibitors and show organisers, identifying ways to address the challenges within the event ecosystem. This research is invaluable for event organisers looking to build stronger connections with their exhibitor customers in 2025.

The Rising Costs of Exhibiting

Unsurprisingly, cost and budget pressures emerged as major challenges. Budgets are not keeping pace with the rising costs of exhibiting and, in many cases, remain stagnant. Respondents highlighted rising costs, particularly for show services, forcing exhibitors to cut costs in areas they can control, such as booth design, sponsorships, and the number of trade shows they participate in. A staggering 88% of respondents cited costs as a key concern within their organisations.

As a result, 71% of respondents indicated their businesses were scaling back their overall presence at events. This must be a wake-up call for event organisers, especially those aiming to retain existing exhibitors.

Friction in the Exhibitor Experience

Interestingly, the concern over costs contradicts behavioural data we’ve observed at FFAIR . Across 109 events held in the UK, United States, and the Middle East, comprising 1,964 orders totalling ￡1.1 million, we found that 65.29% of orders in 2024 were placed after the early bird deadline. The average order was made just 33.9 days before the event opened, well past the point when early bird discounts had expired.

This means cost-conscious exhibitors are often paying more for services such as Wi-Fi and electricity than necessary. Why aren’t they taking advantage of early bird discounts to save money? Could this indicate a broader issue of friction within the exhibition process?

At FFAIR, we believe the time from signing a contract to the event’s opening is often chaotic, confusing, and frustrating for exhibitors. As exhibitors ourselves, we’ve experienced this first-hand. Internally, we call it “the Wild West”, the period where organisers provide a plethora of information, contact details, and multiple platforms, expecting exhibitors to navigate the process with limited support.

What Exhibitors Really Want

Not all organisers operate this way. Many newer and more innovative event organisers are addressing this issue seriously. These innovative organisers place a strong emphasis on onboarding their exhibitors and supporting them throughout the process. These organisers often leverage integrated event technologies to provide a seamless online experience combined with a proactive customer success approach.

During a pre-Christmas Exhibitor Group 's ExhibitorInsights webinar featuring FFAIR’s Adam Jones , Exhibitor Advocate’s Jessica Sibila, CMP, CTSM and Exhibitors WINH LLC 's Robyn Davis, CPTD, CEM , exhibitor attendees expressed that having a single platform would simplify the process. One exhibit marketer commented, “A portal is the way to go. And, please, just one portal. I’m currently working with one show that has two portals that kinda, sorta, share information but also duplicate a lot of stuff. Why?” Another exhibitor attendee added, “I prefer a portal with checklists and deadlines. I personally don’t want more emails - just clearer subject lines.”

The Bigger Picture

What if these data points tell a larger story? That exhibiting is both difficult and expensive. The report speaks to a solution of negotiating better rates on behalf of their exhibitors however, we believe event organisers must simultaneously prioritise reducing friction for exhibitors in 2025. It’s time to re-evaluate internal processes and see exhibiting through the eyes of exhibitors. How can organisers ensure exhibitors maximise their opportunities, engage better and enjoy a better overall experience?

One crucial point the report does not address is that the respondents are already exhibitors from businesses that believe in the power of trade shows. In fact, 58% of respondents participate in more than 20 events annually. These companies are advocates for exhibiting, working to protect event budgets and participation.

But what about businesses that don’t engage in exhibiting or lack dedicated event marketers? For event organisers, this represents a significant opportunity. How do we convert these companies into exhibitors? First impressions matter. Successful onboarding and customer success support are essential to helping new exhibitors fall in love with trade shows and see the return on their investment from the outset.?

Ultimately, it’s time to listen to exhibitors. Addressing their challenges isn’t just about improving the bottom line for individual events; it’s about protecting the wider global exhibitions industry. By prioritising exhibitor needs, event organisers can create a more efficient, cost-effective, and engaging experience that benefits everyone in the trade show ecosystem.

Take a deep dive into this topic by downloading The State of the Event Industry: From the Perspective of Exhibit and Event Marketers.

You can also watch Exhibitor Group's ExhibitorInsights webinar, Bridging the Great Divide, which is still available here.