HavExpo and ExpoGenius are developing their collaboration far beyond traditional ticketing and admission solutions. The goal is to make the trade fair a more data-driven growth platform for both organizers, exhibitors and visitors.
When Peter Christensen from ExpoGenius shows us the entrance to HavExpo, the ambition is easy to understand:
– The vision is “from bus to business in two minutes,” he says. – Most visitors arrive by bus, and three buses can arrive at the same time. That is why the entrance is designed with ten scan-and-print stations. Visitors scan the QR code from their mobile phone or ticket, get a name badge printed, take a keyring and go straight on.
“The solution is 100 percent self-service. That means the staff can be hosts, not technicians. They can smile, welcome people and make sure that both visitors and exhibitors get off to a good start at the fair,” says Christensen.
He says that no one has waited more than about a minute to get through the registration process.
More than access control
The solution is not just about efficient check-in. It also gives HavExpo better insight into who is coming, when they are coming and how long different visitor groups are at the fair.
– Over time, we can analyze how long different groups are here. Are they aquaculture people? Are they CEOs? Are they decision-makers? If we see that an important group is here for too short a time, we can, together with HavExpo, ask: What can we do to make them stay longer and visit more stands?
Christensen describes the collaboration with HavExpo as strategic. The goal is to develop the trade fair from a meeting place to a growth platform.
– Exhibitor ROI is king, but visitor satisfaction is the key. If we succeed in both, we help the organizer create an increasingly valuable trade fair, he says.
New value for exhibitors
An important new step is trade show CRM for exhibitors. Here, exhibitors get an app and dashboard, where they can register leads, categorize them as hot, lukewarm or cold, enter agreed follow-ups, products, notes and potential order value.
– This is the first step towards documenting return on investment. Exhibitors must be able to answer why they should invest large amounts in a trade fair. It is not enough to say that they had a good time. You must be able to show leads, quality and follow-up, says Christensen.
Exhibitors can also use the system to invite customers and contacts. At HavExpo, several exhibitors have already received registrations through their own invitation codes. This gives both the exhibitor and the organizer a better overview of which networks are actually mobilizing visitors.
From data to action
For HavExpo, what Christensen calls an Action Board is being developed. The point is not just to display data, but to make the numbers actionable before, during and after the fair.
Before the fair, HavExpo can track registrations, segments, geographic distribution, new and returning visitors, the effect of invitations and marketing channels. During the fair, you can see flow, attendance and activity. After the fair, the data can be used for reporting, learning and further development.
– Our approach is not primarily: What data should the HavExpo team see? The question is: What tasks should they solve?
Next step: matchmaking and Global Aqua
The collaboration also points towards Global Aqua , where Christensen sees even greater potential, with exhibitors, visitors, politicians, investors and researchers as different target groups.
– We look at what values we can create for each group. Business value is of course important, but also emotional value, social value and functional value. Everything should work, but people should also feel that they are part of something important.
The next big development step is tools for visitors, with networking, matchmaking and meeting booking.
– We call it simply “Tinder for trade fairs”. It’s about connecting the right people with the right people, says Christensen.
For HavExpo, the collaboration means that the ticketing solution becomes part of a larger strategy: better flow, more insight, stronger exhibitor value and more targeted development of the fair.
