Over the long weekend I spend a half day at an expo in Sydney. It was a terrific event and me and my little boy had heaps of fun. Others that I knew though felt a little cheated. I will explain why. The event was held in Sydney and targeted kids and their parents (I'm going to try really hard not to mention the event name out of courtesy to the organisers).

The event had:

1) Purchased Tickets prior to entry
2) Upon Entry - Booths offering products for sale.

The event had a lot going for it. It had activities by the bucket load to sample and try out various products. This was a great idea as it let guests play at their own leisure and interact with the vendors and of course with the actual product itself.

Lots of people had a ball playing with them. The majority of the vendors (or booth operators) sold their wares direct to the public. Now it was here that was the issue. The exhibition was not for free and for many attending the price would be relatively steep. Therefore to then go to each booth only to be met with prices with little or no discount on the products on offer made what would otherwise have been a fun event a little bit on the sour side. To put it into a more modern comparision it is like paying for an App for your Iphone or your Android device only to be met by more in App purchases for essential features. It can and could be done but generally is met with skeptiscm.

The solution I would have had for this event would have been easy:

1) Give guests a small discount for products purchased at the booths. Even if it was a small discount.

2) Offer exclusive products only available at the event for sale.

3) Offer a tip on gift for purchases

4) Provide a small memento thank you for attending gift to attendees.

A Little Branded Memento Gift Can Go A Long Way

A small memento gift need not be expensive. It can merely be a cheap silicone wristband, a fun sticker, a lollipop or simply just a small promotional toy. At last there was none of these and merely not even a security guard to bid us farewell as we left the event. For just a small outlay recipients could have recieved a small thank you product which will not only keep the event humming with excitement during the event but importantly keep the event on the minds for next year if the event was to be held again. As it was unfortunately with no little freebie or incentive nor a goodbye I just may not be attending next year again.