How to Prepare to Exhibit at WVC Annual Conference 2024: Tips for Exhibitors

About WVC Annual Conference 2024

The 2024 WVC Annual Conference, themed “It’s Time to Vet Differently,” is set to take place from February 18-21, 2024, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event marks the 96th iteration of the conference, which is recognized as one of the largest and oldest veterinary conferences in the United States. The conference will offer innovative active learning opportunities, including lectures, hands-on labs, and drop-in learning sessions, along with Vegas-style entertainment and networking opportunities. The conference is expected to host over 12,000 participants, feature more than 400 exhibitors, and provide a wide range of educational sessions.

Who Attends WVC Annual Conference 2024

The show attendees of the 2024 WVC Annual Conference are primarily professionals in the veterinary field. This includes veterinarians, veterinary technicians, practice managers, students in veterinary-related fields, and other professionals involved in animal health care. The conference provides them with opportunities for continuing education, networking, and learning about the latest advancements and innovations in veterinary medicine. The attendees come to engage in a variety of educational sessions, hands-on labs, and to explore new products and services from exhibitors. The conference, being one of the largest of its kind, attracts a diverse group of veterinary professionals from various regions and specialties.

Why Exhibit at 2024 WVC Annual Conference

Exhibiting at the 2024 WVC Annual Conference offers several key advantages:

• Access to a Large, Engaged Audience: The conference, being one of the largest veterinary conferences in the country, attracts a significant number of professionals from the veterinary field. This provides exhibitors with a unique opportunity to engage with a large and targeted audience, including veterinarians, veterinary technicians, practice managers, and students in veterinary-related fields​​.
• Knowledge and Innovation Exposure: Exhibitors at the WVC Annual Conference have the opportunity to showcase their products and services in an environment that celebrates over 96 years of veterinary education. This exposure is crucial for companies looking to establish or reinforce their presence in the veterinary field​​.
• Increased Traffic Through Strategic Activities: The conference includes session-free hours and special activities like the Career Fair and the Vet Detective scavenger hunt, which are designed to bring more traffic to the Exhibit Hall. These activities help in attracting attendees to the exhibitors’ booths, enhancing visibility and engagement opportunities​​​​.
• Ease of Navigation in the Exhibit Hall: The layout and organization of the WVC Exhibit Hall are highly praised by participants for their ease of navigation. This user-friendly environment is beneficial for exhibitors as it facilitates better interaction with conference attendees and enhances the overall experience​​.
• Maximized Return on Investment (ROI): The Viticus Group, which organizes the conference, collaborates with exhibitors to help them meet their specific goals, achieve their desired ROI, and exceed their company’s expectations. This collaborative approach ensures that exhibitors get the most out of their participation in the conference​​.

How to Exhibit at WVC Annual Conference 2024

To exhibit at the 2024 WVC Annual Conference, exhibitors should follow these steps and guidelines:

• Accessing Exhibitor Resources:

• • Key resources available for exhibitors include the 2024 Exhibitor Floorplan, Exhibitor Application, Exhibitor FAQs, Exhibitor One Sheet, and Exhibitor Rules. These resources provide essential information and guidelines for setting up and managing exhibition spaces​​.

• Following the Exhibiting Schedule:

• • Targeted Move-In for Islands & Large Booths: On February 17, 2024, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Exhibitors should refer to the Freeman Exhibitor Service Kit for assigned start times.

• General Move-In: On February 18, 2024, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Exhibits must be in show condition and operational by 8:00 pm on this day.
• Exhibit Days & Hours: From February 19 to 21, 2024, with specific hours for each day.
• Dismantling: On February 21, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and on February 22 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm​​.
• Understanding Exhibitor Registration Hours: The registration hours for exhibitors are provided, detailing specific times on each day of the conference from February 17 to 21, 2024​​.
• Adhering to the Exhibitor Timeline: Important dates in the timeline include:
  • Service Kit Availability: From September 1, 2023.

• Cancellation Deadline for 50% Refund: November 1, 2023.
• Advance Registration Ends: February 1, 2024​​.
• Managing Booth Fees & Payments: Information about booth fees, payment deadlines, and what’s included in the Exhibitor Package is provided. Fees vary depending on the type and size of the booth, and invoices are sent once the booth is confirmed and assigned​​.
• Ensuring Exhibitor Eligibility: All companies applying to exhibit must receive approval from show management. The focus is on products used in the clinical setting for the treatment of animals or in the operation of a clinical environment. Exhibitors promoting unapproved products can be asked to leave the exhibitor floor​​.

Preparing to Exhibit at WVC Annual Conference 2024

Trade show exhibits are a big investment; here’s what you need to make your time successful:

We’ve created this comprehensive Trade Show Preparation Guide, which you download for free, to help you prepare for the show.

Set Clear Goals for Your Trade Show Experience 

Asking yourself the following questions can help with this task. Once you have the answers to these questions, you can develop a clear plan to reach your goals and measure your success.

• What do you hope to gain from WVC Annual Conference 2024? 
• How many attendees do you want to draw in, and how many leads do you want to generate? 
• What products do you want to showcase? 
• Are you launching a product or promoting your business? 

Do Your Research

Although you can’t attend everything, you can maximize your time by putting yourself in reach of your target audience at all times. Focus on the expos and educational events that are most likely to include your target customers so you can put all your attention on those most likely to buy.

Budget and Register for Your Space

When you register for WVC Annual Conference 2024, be sure to find out all you can about your space, such as its location on the floor, other exhibitors near you, the typical traffic in the area and what’s included in the space, such as lighting.

Plan Your Exhibit

The last thing you want is a cluttered booth. To plan your exhibit, decide on who you want to reach and what products, demonstrations and promotional materials are best suited to their needs. If you’re targeting multiple audiences, consider the best products to launch or showcase to reach a wide variety of attendees.

Advertise Well in Advance

Trade show promotion should start months in advance. Promote your attendance on social media, your website, in press releases and through email blasts to ensure that your customers have time to plan. Utilize information such as the attendee list to reach new customers before the show even starts. 

Tips for Exhibiting at WVC Annual Conference 2024

Engage on Social Media

Use social media outlets to share your trade show exhibit information, drum up anticipation for your giveaways or product launches and share behind-the-scenes tidbits like your team packing for the event or show meetings. Be sure to use the show’s hashtags or other relevant tagging to get your posts into the online conversation. 

Draw the Crowd

Use an interactive display, such as a game, contest or raffle to draw people’s interest to your booth. Giving away prizes through raffles or contests is a great way to collect information about visitors and encourage more traffic to your booth.

Bring Promotional Materials

Make sure you devote enough of your budget to an array of promotional materials. You should have order forms, business cards, price sheets, brochures, flyers and more that you can hand out to visitors to ensure you stay in their minds.

Keep Staff at Your Booth

At a show, you’ll want to attend networking events and educational seminars, so it’s important to make sure that your booth is never empty. When you’re preparing for the show, ensure you have enough team members attending the show to man the booth the entire time the show is open and greet visitors to engage them with your business.

Follow up With Attendees

Following up with your leads is almost as important as planning for the show itself. Take notes during the event to be sure you remember everyone in all the chaos, and take the time to note any opportunities for a smoother event experience in the future.

Planning on Exhibiting at WVC Annual Conference 2024?

With so many veterinary professionals and vendors, there’s no better place to network in the veterinary industry than at WVC Annual Conference 2024. This event not only provides endless opportunities for networking and business relationships, but it also features some of the top educational sessions in the field.

If you’re planning to attend, be sure you make the most of your experience and investment with a stunning booth design that showcases your brand. At Xibit Solutions, we specialize in creating a professional booth experience from start to finish, including show displays and logistics, to ensure you make a lasting impression. No matter your budget or needs, we’ll help you make your mark on the WVC Annual Conference 2024 with customized planning and designs.

Contact Xibit Solutions today to learn more about our trade show booth design services and see what we can do to make theWVC Annual Conference 2024 a success.