Ilmac Success Guide for Exhibitors

Set 3–5 measurable goals in advance. The clearer the goal, the easier it is to plan measures and evaluate afterwards.
Typical exhibitor goals include:

• Generate qualitative leads: contacts with real potential
• Schedule appointments: demos, follow-up calls, offer meetings, customer meetings
• Strengthen brand awareness: visibility, positioning, product launches, thought leadership
• Present products & innovations: communicate applications clearly and creatively (e.g., machine in action)
• Recruiting / employer branding: engage talent and build contacts
• Leverage relationship marketing: use Ilmac as a platform to meet suppliers, partners, and employees in person, cultivate relationships, and strengthen existing customer bonds

Ilmac Tip: Define a clear call-to-action for each goal (e.g., book demo, schedule meeting, receive materials, request workshop, discuss project).

Ilmac wants your appearance to match your needs. Therefore, support is offered before, during, and after the fair.

Ilmac Tip: Participate in webinars for already registered exhibitors!

• Support in goal definition and activation plan
• Recommendations for tailored advertising and sponsorship measures
• Suggestions for reach, visibility, and appropriate measures
• Best practices for visitor marketing and communication

Based on your goals, an optimal proposal is created that fits you:

• Focus on impact (not just space)
• Suitable visibility and activation options
• Meaningful add-ons depending on objectives

Various booth options are available, depending on whether your focus is on brand awareness or products/demos:

• Brand awareness / Image focus
• Product & solution focus
• Lead/sales focus
• Employer branding

We support you with advertising and sponsorship measures (digital, on-site). Find more information here!

A successful booth answers within a few seconds:

• What do you stand for?
• What is new or relevant?
• Who is it interesting for (application/industry)?

Plan your booth early with innovative and eye-catching design elements such as wall graphics or backlit walls.

Ilmac Tip: Feel free to contact us, we’d be happy to advise you on your design and also use our webinars to optimize your stand design!

Please note the monthly eventplanner sent via email – it contains important information, deadlines, and to-dos for preparation. The event planner will also be available on our website from the date it is sent.

Relevant conversations occur when you actively engage visitors in advance. Start early and communicate repeatedly — ideally from April when ticket shop open.

Use our priority code (voucher code) for free admission to Ilmac for your guests:

• Invite existing customers (relationship building/relationship marketing)
• Activate potential customers with specific needs
• Invite partners/suppliers to appointment slots
• Network with employees/internal stakeholders

Invite your partners and customers personally instead of sending mass emails. A personal invitation will generate more high-quality leads.

Examples:

• Startups: 30–60 personal invitations
• SMEs: 100–200 personal invitations
• Larger companies or corporations: 800–1,000 personal invitations

These guidelines will help you plan your invitation strategy and contribute significantly to a successful trade fair appearance.

Ilmac Tip: Communicate in waves, e.g., from April to June and from the end of August to September. Focus additionally 1–2 weeks before the event.

Use our marketing materials in the download center for a professional campaign:

• Banners & Banner Generator
• Video for Visitor Marketing
• Logo Kit
• Ilmac Key Visual
• Ilmac Images via Image Gallery

Recommended Channels:

• Website
• Newsletter
• LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube – launch an online advertising campaign to promote your participation in Ilmac (remember to tag Ilmac accordingly)
• Sales – Outreach via email (personal invitations)
• Email Signature
• Postal Mail

Recommended Posting Series:

• “We’ll be there”
• “Our Highlights/New Products”
• “Schedule a Demo / Meet Us”
• “Reminder: Use the Ilmac Priority Code”

Exhibitors who actively engage in visitor marketing will be rewarded with an incentive. Win a lunch or dinner for your team at a restaurant of your choice.

All visitors who pass through the turnstile on-site will be counted. The exhibiting company with the most visitors will receive a restaurant voucher of their choice worth CHF 500. We will determine the winners in the following categories:

• Booth size 9 m²
• Booth size 18 m²
• Booth size 36 m²

Ilmac Tip: Experience has shown that a personal invitation is always very well received – whether by mail, delivered in person, or electronically. The success of the event depends significantly on your active invitations as an exhibitor.

Organize a team briefing before the trade fair:

• Define goals, roles, and shift schedule
• Define sales pitch variations for the booth (e.g., 15 seconds / 45 seconds / 2 minutes)
• Plan the demo flow and present new products
• Create a FAQ section for frequently asked questions

Ilmac 365 supports you in planning your trade show participation effectively, securing valuable contacts, and extending your visibility beyond the event days. As a digital platform – accessible via browser and as an app – Ilmac 365 accompanies you before, during, and after the trade show, helping to streamline processes for both your team and your visitors.

Start using Ilmac 365 early and download the app to ensure you’re fully prepared on-site.

Download the Ilmac app for free

Benefits of Ilmac 365:

• All important information bundled in one place, e.g., hall plan and program
• Plan and save appointments and lectures
• Schedule meetings directly with visitors/exhibitors
• Digitally capture contacts using the Leadscan feature on your phone via the app
• Stay visible even after the trade show and continue to leverage your contacts

Further benefits and usage examples of the app: www.ilmac.ch/app

Visitors decide very quickly whether they will stay longer at your stand:

• Well-groomed attire / appropriate dress code
• Open body language (approachable, present)
• Friendly smile and active greeting
• No grouping at the booth (internal conversations act as a barrier)

Goal: Plan several highlights at the booth for multiple stops; this will lead to longer conversations and strengthen your brand impact.

Active presence is one of the biggest levers for generating more (and better) leads.

• Maintain active eye contact
• Proactively approach people (“Hello – what are you interested in?”)
• Positive signals: smile, nod, open posture
• Listen attentively, don’t interrupt
• Avoid distractions (avoid using your phone/laptop)
• Schedule internal tasks outside of trade fair hours

Conduct a daily team review (10 minutes):

• What worked?
• What questions were frequently asked?
• What can we optimize tomorrow?

Ilmac Tip: Use our Ilmac app to capture and analyze your leads directly. Our Lead Scan is integrated directly into the app and easy to use.

Many trade fair contacts are valuable – but not every contact is automatically a lead. A clear definition helps you train your team, measure success, and efficiently follow up after the trade fair.

Structure: Understand → Match → Next Step

What exactly is a lead?

A lead is an identifiable contact (person/organization) with a demonstrable interest in your offering, captured in a way that allows for follow-up. A contact becomes a lead when at least the following is present:

• Contact details (name, company, and a contact option such as email/phone)
• Context (what was discussed? which topic/product/application?)
• A legitimate reason for follow-up within your processes

Without contact details + context = not a lead, but just a conversation.

Quantitative Leads (Quantity): What is being measured?

Quantitative leads describe the number of leads captured – that is, how many contacts you measurably generated at the trade fair. Examples of quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs):

• Total number of leads (e.g., via Ilmac 365 Leadscan, report export)
• Leads per trade fair day / per shift / per employee
• Number of scheduled appointments (on-site or afterward)
• Number of demo or quote requests
• Post-show conversion (leads → appointments → quotes)

Important: Quantity is valuable – but only in combination with quality does it reveal the true ROI.

Qualitative leads (quality): What is a “good” lead?

Qualitative leads describe the viability of a lead – i.e., whether a meeting, a quote, or a project can realistically result from it. A high-quality lead ideally contains several pieces of information:

• Clear need/problem (what topic, what challenge?)
• Fit (industry/application matches your offering)
• Timing (short/medium/long term or specific project timeframe)
• Role/influence (decision-maker, influencer, user, purchasing department, etc.)
• Next step (appointment, demo, technical discussion, quote)
• Notes/details that truly enable follow-up

Ilmac Tip: Use the Ilmac app and lead management, including reporting!

Example qualifying questions:

• What is your focus today — products, solutions, exchange, or networking?
• For which application/industry are you looking?
• What is your timeline?
• Who is involved in the decision?

To generate qualified leads on-site, communication should be user-oriented, clear, and conversational:

• Define 1-2 key messages so visitors understand in seconds why a conversation is worthwhile.
• Benefits first, details later: Product details and technical depth are only revealed if interest is shown.
• Practical examples instead of feature lists: Concrete examples and typical use cases make the benefits tangible, facilitate conversation starters, and help qualify leads quickly.

• Schedule a follow-up meeting (on-site or afterward)
• Send documents and define a follow-up timeframe
• Clarify responsibilities (Who is the internal contact person?)

Ilmac Tip: For in-depth discussions, our Ilmac Networking Zones are ideal. You can view and book them via the app.

Use Ilmac 365 Lead Management to:

• Capture leads directly during conversations (no backtracking, no loss)
• Document notes (need, timing, next steps)
• Prioritize leads (A/B/C) and structure follow-up

Notes that truly help:

• What exactly is the person looking for?
• What will it be used for (application/industry)?
• When is it relevant (timing)?
• Who is involved in the decision-making process?
• What is the next step (appointment, demo, quote)?

Prepare the follow-up process before the trade fair:

• Schedule appointments promptly
• Capture the collected leads in your CRM system
• Pass the leads on to the sales team for processing

Ilmac Tip: If possible, schedule specific appointments on-site