CHICAGO — The events industry is full of terminology that might leave rookies scratching their heads.
One key vocabulary word is “sticky,” which is used to describe many successful show floors. If you’re new here, this might sound strange, but don’t worry. This is not “sticky” in the literal sense.
A sticky show floor keeps attendees engaged — and in the expo hall — for as long as it possibly can.
This helps your event feel more worthwhile for both attendees and exhibitors. Attendees who want to stay at an event will be more satisfied with it, and more attendees on the show floor means more exposure for exhibitors, boosting ROI for both groups and making it more likely that they will become repeat customers.
Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) Young Professionals Corner connected with thought leaders to get tips for making sticky show floors.
1. Add Value Beyond the Booth
Genae Salinas, Event Director for The Running Event (TRE) at Diversified, explained that organizing a sticky show floor comes down to creating value in the exhibit hall that extends beyond — and complements — the booths and the business being done.
“We’ll host educational sessions on the floor, which are open to all attendees and exhibitors and typically feature content that’s relevant to just about every role within the running industry,” Salinas said. “We’ve seen so much success with this model that we’re actually creating a second educational space in the hall this year, which we’re aiming to fill with more casual conversations and even live podcasts.”
According to Leigh Mann, Vice President of Strategy & Commercial Development, Clarion NA Energy, DTECH — which took home TSE’s Stickiest Show Floor of 2024 Award at last year’s Gold 100 Awards & Summit — also focuses on creating destination experiences throughout its venue.
Activations such as an Attendee Meeting Zone, outdoor lounges, show floor education theaters, concessions and networking spaces encourage attendees to move throughout its venue while maximizing exhibitor visibility and engagement.
2. F&B Experiences Are a Strong Draw
Salinas added that attendees are flocking to F&B experiences at TRE: Its complimentary specialty coffee stations have become a popular feature, providing attendees with a convenient reason to stay in the hall while creating natural gathering points.
Also, sponsored happy hours and interactive activations during the final hours of the show have become highly anticipated traditions. In 2025, experiences like a s’mores station and a show floor theater meet-and-greet helped keep attendees engaged through the end of the day.
“Something to note is that most of these opportunities have ties with exhibitors and are opportunities for sponsorship. So, we’re creating engaging moments for our attendees while providing brand awareness opportunities for exhibitors,” Salinas said.
3. Know Your Audience
“Listen to your attendees and exhibitors,” Mann said. “The best activations solve attendee needs while creating opportunities for meaningful exhibitor engagement. We’ve learned that exhibitors are the foundation of a successful show floor. The most effective activations are the ones that help attendees discover new solutions, make valuable connections and spend meaningful time with exhibitors. When attendee needs and exhibitor goals align, engagement naturally follows.”
4. Design Your Floor Plan with Intentionality
Diversified’s Salinas added that TRE places destination booths throughout the hall, and attendees naturally travel across more aisles and discover new companies they may have otherwise missed.
“The result is more conversations, more booth visits and more time spent on the show floor,” Salinas said.
Mann explained that in 2027, DTECH is evolving its show floor experience and creating even more opportunities for attendees to stay, connect and explore.
“Returning to a single-floor layout enables the strategic placement of attendee lounges, VIP experiences, education hubs, the Start-up Company Zone, networking receptions, and enhanced food and beverage offerings throughout the hall. DTECH is also exploring new wayfinding and networking technologies to help attendees discover exhibitors, navigate the event more efficiently and make valuable industry connections,” Mann said.
5. Think About Overall Event Experience
“At TRE, the Industry Awards Dinner serves as a marquee closing event that encourages many attendees to extend their stay by an extra day. That added time translates into another full day of networking, meetings and exhibitor engagement, benefiting the entire event ecosystem,” Salinas said.
6. Don’t Follow Every Trend
Mann explained that it’s important to avoid implementing activations simply because they’re popular, because every audience is different.
“Focus on experiences that provide clear value and match your attendees’ interests,” Mann said. “If the reward isn’t worth the effort, participation will be limited.”
7. Don’t Give Up — Keep Iterating — But Don’t Try and Do Too Much
“It took our team years to crack the code on show floor education, and we’ve definitely tried a variety of show floor events and activations that just didn’t quite work,” Salinas said. “They’ve all chalked up to great learning experiences and have ultimately helped us understand what does work.
“In the past, we’ve definitely made the mistake of trying to do ‘too much’ — it’s an easy mistake to make. In my opinion, less is often more, especially on the show floor, where you really want the focus to be on exhibitors and creating business opportunities. Be intentional and build activations that complement and add to your exhibit hall, not distract from it.”
Mann advised organizers to be willing to experiment and evolve.
“Some ideas will be a huge success, while others may not resonate. Gather feedback, measure results and continue refining the experience rather than repeating the same formula year after year,” Mann said.
Do you want more tips for creating a sticky show floor? Subscribe to get the September issue of TSE Magazine, which looks at how Toy Fair has been supercharging attendee engagement, year after year: https://tradeshowexecutive.subsmediahub.com/TSE/?f=paid
Featured Photo Credit: Max Photography, Austin.
