Эксперты Informa раскрыли формулу оптимизации бюджета для выставочного маркетинга

Grow Your Show Marketing Playbook Episode 6: Marketing Math How to Maximize Trade Show Budget Channel by Channel September 2, 2026 In our latest episode of Grow Your Show Marketing Playbook, our co-hosts—Informa Senior Director of Marketing, Foodservice Exhibitions, Caitlin Rodgers and mdg VP of Strategic Account Management Emily Golding—break down the real-world math behind trade show marketing budgets, from deciding where to spend across channels to knowing when to ask for more money. They focus on how to balance proven tactics with new experiments, and why data, agility, and a clear business case matter when every dollar has to work harder. They also discuss how to evaluate the channel mix, when to scale a campaign, and why “fail fast” can save budget and improve outcomes. They share practical examples from paid media, polling campaigns, SMS testing, and event promotion. Key takeaways - Emily Golding on channel mix and ROI: More channels do not automatically mean more budget. The real question is how to allocate dollars where they drive the strongest return. - Caitlin Rodgers on core outreach: Paid media remains a core foundation, but the mix keeps evolving as new touchpoints emerge, including search experiences powered by AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. - Low-cost tactics still matter: Email is still a relatively low-cost channel, but the conversation expands into SMS text, voicemail messaging, video, social boosts, and other digital touchpoints. - International and partnership growth: The team is also evaluating international marketing and media partnerships as part of the overall budget picture. - Fail fast as a budget principle: If a tactic is not working, test it quickly, then either scale it or move on rather than forcing spend into a weak channel. - Performance modeling in action: For CaterSource and CaterPlus, the team used live data, historical data, and comparable campaigns to model the impact of an extra $15,000 in spend. - The model beat expectations: The added investment delivered more conversions than projected, validating the decision to increase budget late in the campaign. - Experimenting with new engagement tactics: The team tested CredSpark polling to engage prospects and exhibitors with fun questions that generated leads for follow-up. - SMS needs a real campaign strategy: Texting cannot be treated like a simple list blast. It needs separate messaging for prospects and registered attendees, plus ongoing nurture. - Budget storytelling matters: Rodgers emphasizes building a bottom-up budget, translating cuts into real business impact, and being ready to adjust if leadership says no.