Guest Blog: Selecting a premier trade show venue

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Royal Canin Ring and Eukanuba Field at Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio

Trade shows provide a place for industry leaders and businesses to share ideas as well as view the latest technology, products, and services. Planning a trade show and ensuring the selection of a premier venue, however, can be a daunting task. There are a number of factors to keep in mind.

Audience Considerations. Determine if the format is invite-only for members of the industry or do a more open audience where the general public can browse the exhibits to help assess the size and best location for the venue.

Budget Planning. Start with a general budget plan by identifying the number of booths that may be rented and the average cost for your industry. Estimate the number of attendees and potential admission price.

Venue Size. Ideally, look at venues at least a year prior to your desired date and make a final decision no less than a full year in advance to allow time for advertising and filling exhibit space. Whether the conference is planned for a group of 50 or for thousands, make sure the size of the venue fits the audience comfortably.

Venue Location. A venue with proximity to several major cities provides attendees with multiple options for travel and offers opportunities to visit restaurants, sporting venues, arts and cultural districts in a variety of cities. Easy access to an interstate or highway is also important.

Trade Show Activities. Determine featured activities such as guest speakers, live demonstrations of new industry technology, and other activities that will draw people to your show and engage them in the trade show hall. Make sure it is easy to transition from a large space for full-group sessions to smaller spaces off of the main area for seminars and workshops.

Food. Determine if you need catering services such as buffets and plated dinners or other food options, such as restaurants on-site.

Technology. Inquire about the technology available on-site. Make sure you cover details like WiFi availability, additional electrical plugs for charging cell phones, as well as presentation materials like projectors and screens.

With the right planning and communication, your trade show is sure to be a success. The Roberts Centre offers a best-in-class venue in the Midwest, providing a world-class destination for a variety of events. The indoor venue has more than 80,000 square feet of flexible space to support trade shows and events of any size in a variety of formats, including corporate events, car shows, training seminars, workshops, conferences, business meetings or dinners, awards banquets, pet shows, and fundraisers. An ample parking lot includes RV parking on a pre-paid reservation basis. There are 26 electric hookups available, 14 of which have sewer and water capabilities. 

Centrally located between Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, The Roberts Centre has a pet-friendly Holiday Inn on-site for lodging needs that also includes a restaurant and bar. Recent updates include a fresh new look across the public areas, hotel rooms and board rooms. Installation of a second drive in the dock door at the conference centre is also near completion, which will include a new ramp that will allow vendors to drive directly into the ballroom.

The service-oriented event-planning staff at The Roberts Centre is available to assist with all of your exhibit, audio visual, catering, and entertainment needs. When you ready to start planning your next trade show at The Roberts Centre, contact us at 937-283-3277. More information is available by visiting RobertsCentre.com/conference-center.

This post is sponsored by the Roberts Centre.

Boardroom at the Roberts Centre, Wilmington, Ohio
Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com