Expo Participant Guide
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Your Guide to a Successful Business Expo!
We're excited to have you as an exhibitor at our 2023 Expo & Job Fair. This page provides important information about event setup, booth guidelines, marketing tips & materials, and more! Please read through all information carefully. Contact Strategic Initiatives Manager Yuliana Nelson at yuliana@santamaria.com with any questions or concerns.
Thursday, February 23rd, Radisson Santa Maria
8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m.: Expo Exhibitor booth set up
***Exhibitor booth set up MUST BE COMPLETE by 10:00 a.m.!***
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Expo open to the public
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Expo Exhibitor booth tear down
The Expo closes to the public and tear-down will begin at 2:00 p.m.. Please do not begin tear-down until the event ends at 2:00 p.m.
Set up begins at 8:00 a.m. only and not any earlier and must be completed no later than 10:00 a.m.
Expo participants will drive up to the main entrance of the hotel to check-in & unload. There will be signs and Chamber staff to direct you where to go.
Some dollys/hand trucks may be available to assist with unloading, but we highly encourage you to bring your own. We also encourage you to bring additional help for unloading and setting up your booth.
Once you have unloaded your vehicle, quickly move your car to the parking lot so you can free up space for others to unload.
Booths not set up by 10:00 a.m. will be denied access and will forfeit their booth without refund. Please plan extra time to accommodate for unloading!
BOOTH SIZE
Booths are 10’ x 10’.
BOOTH FURNISHINGS
Booths will have one 6’ table with a tablecloth, 2 chairs, and a small trashcan. Outside booths will also have a similar
set up.
DRAPING COLORS
This year’s tablecloth colors will be black.
THEME
Yee-haw! This year's Expo is western theme! Dress up your booth space and/or yourself accordingly! Have fun with the theme and get creative!
ELECTRICITY
Most booths will have access to electricity, but you MUST supply your own extension cord. In some cases, the outlet will be a few booths away so make sure you bring a lengthy cord to reach if you need electricity.
WIFI
Wifi access will be available. The hotel will have login information on a card at your booth.
SALES
No merchandise, food, or other items may be sold during Expo.
This year, we have a secret panel of guest judges determining Best Booth!
All Expo booths participating in this year's western theme will be eligible to win. Our judges will be asked to consider how well each booth integrates the event theme, how engaging and fun the booth is, and how original and memorable the experience was with that booth/business. All of these components will factor into their decision of who gets their vote for “Best Booth”!
The booth with the most votes will win a FREE booth at the 2024 Business Expo and bragging rights! Good luck & get creative with this year’s western theme! Yee-haw!
We encourage all of our attendees and participants to share their Expo experience with on social media.
We'll be holding a contest and giving away a $100 gift card to Cool Hand Luke's, donated by American General Media! Full details will be available on our Facebook and Instagram closer to the event.
All exhibitors will receive an Expo Passport. Those who purchased a space on the passport will have their booth included on this list. Participants who go around to each booth listed can enter a drawing for a chance to win a prize package from Farm Supply & Santa Maria BBQ Outfitters!
Please note: If your business is participating in the passport, please have a sharipe on hand to initial people's passports.
- Develop a “grabber” -- a reason why people should come to your booth. This might be a raffle for a valuable gift or an interactive game. Collect business cards when people come to do this so you have leads to follow up on after the show!
- Be creative in furnishing your booth. Find ways to make your booth stand out and be as inviting as possible to your potential customers.
- Hand out promotional items with your name and phone number on them for visitors to remember you by!
- Bring coworkers, staff or colleagues with you so that you can visit other booths. This is your opportunity to
network with other businesses too! - Engage with people. People generally aren’t going to strike up a conversation with you if you’re sitting behind your table, arms folded waiting for them. Move the table so it isn’t between you and your audience, get out
there, stand up and engage people. Prepare something to hand to them and or to say that will get them intrigued and interested in your product / service.
Help us spread the word and invite people to visit your booth at Expo 2023!
We have marketing materials available (English and Spanish) for you to use at this link. Please tag us (@santamariavalleychamber) when you're promoting Expo, so we can share your content on our channels, too!
Advertise with the Santa Maria Times! The Times is offering a special for any booth exhibitor who would like an ad in our Expo Insert, which will go in the paper. We'll also have extra inserts at the Expo, which we will distribute to the public.
For more information, contact Danyelle Chavez at dchavez@santamariatimes.com or 805-739-2232.
Any questions regarding Expo 2023 should be directed to:
Yuliana Nelson, Strategic Initiatives Manager, Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce
(805) 925-2403 ext. 814 or yuliana@santamaria.com.
If you have questions on event day, please contact Yuliana on her cell at (805) 720-6977.
Thank You Chamber Investors & Prize Donors!
Events like Expo 2023 are made possible thanks to our Chamber Investor Program Sponsors. Additionally, we would to thank American General Media (Brenda Corona), Farm Supply, and Santa Maria BBQ Outfitters for donating prizes for this year's event. We appreciate your support in being Catalysts, Convenors, and Champions for our local community!
