A recent poll to Exhibition World and Exhibition News subscribers asked: “What’s the biggest challenge in growing your company or events?” The top response (44%) was increased expenses. Expanding revenue sources came in second at 33%, and client expectations and other were last at 11%.

Your clients notice when cost-cutting measures are put into place. Going without carpeting the expo hall can be explained by “we’re going green”, but the lack of other services and amenities won’t be as easy to justify.

What’s an organiser to do? With the current global economic uncertainty and inflation, expanding high-margin revenue streams is something positive and tangible show organisers can do, starting today. Try not to grow overhead, and it will all drop to the bottom line. When presented as a “win-win” to your clients, these new streams will also make your company more valuable when it comes time to sell your business.

Here are three suggestions:

1. Monetise content. Record your keynotes and most popular educational sessions and place them behind a paywall. Roll out teasers in your event’s e-newsletters all year long.

2. Help sponsors/exhibitors and visitors connect on a deeper level. Sponsors and exhibitors will pay for access to top buyers they don’t know. Examples:

a. Hold a VIP reception with your keynote speaker and select guests where you (the organiser) invite the selected buyers. Limit the number of sponsors and make it pricey.

b. Hold an invite-only buyers special education session for C-suite buyers with a top-level speaker who will address solutions to the pain points in your industry. Again, limit the sponsors and charge for it.

c. Hold sponsored monthly ‘lunch and learns’ online for specific audience sectors and include a meet-up with food/drink at the expo. (Offline to Online)

3. Bring in non-endemic sponsors who want to reach your audience. There are brands who are industry-adjacent or may want access to your clients. How can you partner with them?

By offering new sponsorship opportunities in a thoughtful manner, your show can bring in new revenue streams and improve your own bottom line.

Grimes, McGovern & Associates is a leading lower middle-market Mergers & Acquisitions firm advising media, events, and information services businesses globally.