Losing exhibitors is an inevitable but painful part of the business and a flag to suggest your event might be on the way out. Whether due to budget constraints, lack of ROI, or a change in strategy, once an exhibitor walks away, bringing them back can be a challenge. However, re-engaging lost exhibitors can be easier—and more cost-effective—than finding new ones. Here’s how you can reach out to past exhibitors, understand their concerns, and bring them back to your event.
1. Diagnose the Problem: Why Did They Leave?
Before attempting to win back lost exhibitors, it’s crucial to understand why they left in the first place. Common reasons include:
- Poor ROI – They didn’t get enough qualified leads or sales from the show.
- High Costs – The event was too expensive compared to other marketing channels.
- Low Traffic or Engagement – The right audience wasn’t present, or foot traffic was lower than expected.
- Lack of Innovation – The show felt repetitive, outdated, or lacking in new opportunities.
- Bad Experience – Issues with logistics, booth placement, or support left a negative impression.
- Not enough Buyers– they realize that your focus is on quantity not a quality audience.
Get your highest-level executive to call/email his respective counterpart of the exited exhibitor and find out why they left.
2. Rebuild the Relationship
Once you understand why they left, take a strategic approach to re-engagement:
- A Personal Approach – Assign the same high level executive to reach out with a tailored remedy.
- Address Their Concerns – Show that you’ve listened by providing specific solutions (e.g., a better booth location, improved attendee targeting, lower costs through bundled packages, a commitment to focusing on a higher quality audience).
- Reconnect at Other Industry Events – If your former exhibitors are at another trade show, visit their booth to catch up and discuss their experience in a non-sales setting.
- Try Being an Exhibitor at a Tradeshow – Ensure that everyone involved in securing exhibitors, including high-level executives, actively participates in the entire inbound sales process. This should extend beyond just selling—team members should also experience exhibiting firsthand to gain valuable insights.
3. Offer a Fresh, Improved Value Proposition
If exhibitors left due to dissatisfaction, you need to prove that things have changed. Consider offering:
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Understand their KPI’s and Show You Can Exceed them– Offer them a customized plan which you jointly work for success and value. Offer them exclusive ways of reaching customers and standing out.
- Provide New Audience Insights – Deliver more pre- and post data about the composition and aggregate information about the event audience.
- Make it Easy to Exhibit – Offer inclusive exhibiting packages, including turnkey solutions or experiential marketing opportunities. Cut out the red tape and difficulty as best as you can.
- Establish Alternative Pricing and Incentives – Provide loyalty discounts, early-bird specials, or value-added services such as extra lead retrieval tools.
- Add Enhanced Digital Exposure – Include digital sponsorships, pre-show webinars, and year-round marketing opportunities.
- Make a Commitment to Marketing Actions to increase the Quality of the Event- Make sure you realign to planning to encompass getting the missing audience audience segment(s).
- Provide Exhibitor Training – Provide workshops or one-on-one guidance to help exhibitors maximize their event success. Some events have established their own events to train their exhibitors.
4. Prove the ROI with Data and Case Studies
Exhibitors need concrete evidence that returning to your event will be worth the investment. Use data-driven storytelling to convince them:
- Share Success Stories – Provide case studies of exhibitors who saw great ROI after returning.
- Highlight New Lead Generation Tools – If you’ve improved attendee data capture or matchmaking technology, showcase it.
- Offer Pilot Programs – Let hesitant exhibitors test smaller activations at a reduced cost to measure ROI.
5. Stay in Touch Year-Round
Exhibitors should view your event as a business growth partner, not just a one-time opportunity. Maintain engagement by:
- Providing Industry Insights – Share valuable reports, trends, and data on market shifts.
- Hosting Digital Sponsorship Programs – Keep exhibitors connected with attendees throughout the year.
- Offering Exclusive Content – Provide webinars, interviews, or behind-the-scenes content from successful exhibitors.
Winning back lost exhibitors requires a mix of listening, relationship-building, and demonstrating real improvements. By addressing their concerns, proving the ROI, and offering fresh value, you can turn past exhibitors into long-term partners. Don’t wait until your event has an avalanche of exhibitors heading for the exit door, be proactive now!