An expo or trade show is an event where the exhibitors are the stars — they pay for the booth and need to leave the event with leads. The host's goal: a satisfied exhibitor. That is why the setup is built around the Exhibitors content feature (with booths, categories, filters, representatives, and a meeting calendar), around Networking with lead capture (attendees scan QR codes on badges, exhibitors save the leads), and around Tickets. Badge printing with a QR code is critically important — that is the mechanism through which lead capture happens.
Decide:
How many exhibitors and what booth structure — categories, levels (gold, silver, bronze), location in the hall (stages, floors).
Tickets — typically yes, often in multiple types (visitor, professional, press pass).
Languages — two to three for international trade shows.
Do you want exhibitor filtering in the app (by industry, booth, floor)? Yes = set up categories and tags up front.
Matchmaking (the attendee sees relevant exhibitors based on interests)? Today this is handled through groups and filters — full AI matchmaking is in development.
Booth meetings — do you want attendees to be able to book a meeting at an exhibitor? You will use the calendar of the exhibitor's representatives.
Single day vs. multiple days — this determines whether you set up sessions and time slots for workshops.
An expo serves contact exchange. The attendee wants to walk the booths, explore products, and meet suppliers. The exhibitor wants to collect leads — scanning the QR code on the attendee's badge at the booth is the fastest way today. The host has to make sure this mechanism runs smoothly.
Modules
Event microsite — the full face of the trade show with a list of exhibitors, the talks Agenda, and ticket information.
Registration form with additional questions — especially questions about the attendee's interests (industry, role, what you are looking for). Used for filtering and matchmaking.
Tickets — typically multiple types (visitor, professional, press pass).
Invitation e-mail / E-mail campaigns — mass campaigns for the public plus targeted waves for professionals.
Confirmation e-mail — with the QR ticket and a link to the app.
On-site check-in — QR scanning at the entrance plus badge printing with a QR code (essential — without it, lead capture at the booths cannot work).
Attendee app — mobile and web.
Content features
Exhibitors (the key content feature) — details of every exhibitor:
Logo, description, categories (industry, topic).
Stage (booth, hall number, floor).
Tags — for filtering in the app.
Representatives — who is on site for the company, contact, calendar for booking meetings.
QR code at the booth so the attendee can save the contact quickly.
Sponsors — with levels (main partner, ...).
Agenda — talks, workshops, presentations on the main stage.
Speakers — who is presenting.
Venue — site map, hall floor plan, floors.
Contact — host.
Custom content — FAQ, rules, code of conduct, map.
Engagement features
QR ticket — in the app.
Notifications — push notifications for highlights (a new exhibitor, a talk, happy hour).
Attendees (Networking) — with QR scanning of badges (the lead capture mechanism). Attendee A scans the QR code on attendee B's badge, then saves the contact.
My Agenda — automatic from the Agenda.
Survey — evaluation for both attendees and exhibitors.
Content features
Sessions with registration (workshops, limited capacity) — if the trade show has a parallel educational program.
Time slots — for booking meetings at booths (the calendar of the exhibitor's representative).
Engagement features
Polls / Questions — for parallel panels.
Online module — livestream of the main stage, virtual booths for exhibitors who cannot attend in person.
Advanced
White label app — standard at large trade shows.
Seating — for parallel conference blocks (a gala dinner, a conference hall).
Nominations — if exhibitors invite their own clients (B2B context).
Matchmaking (system pairing of attendees with relevant exhibitors based on interests) and AI rounds in Networking are planned. Today this is handled through:
Registration form collects interests (an additional question with multiple choices).
Groups — attendees are automatically assigned to groups based on their answers (interested in IT, interested in HR).
Filters in the app — the attendee filters exhibitors by category and tags.
After AI rounds and matchmaking ship, Happenee will suggest specific meetings based on the profile. Not today, the attendee searches on their own.
Polls — at a pure trade show without discussions, unnecessary.
Leaderboard — only if you have a gamified walk (booth stamps, a contest).
Seating — only at an evening gala or a formal lunch. The trade show on its own does not need Seating.
Before the event
Save the date and Early Bird tickets — 3–6 months ahead.
Gradual announcements — exhibitors, main partners, keynote speakers (each wave its own campaign).
Reminder targeted by interest group — "if you are interested in HR, the trade show has these exhibitors...".
Ticket reminder — Early Bird ends, standard opens.
Day before the event — practical info, map, QR ticket.
During the event
Push notifications — opening, keynote, happy hour, a highlight at a specific booth.
Networking — actively mentioned at the opening ("there is a QR code on your badge, scan one another").
Lead capture — exhibitors scan the QR codes on attendee badges (tap a button, record the interest).
My Agenda — the attendee tracks their planned meetings.
Daily Survey — quick feedback.
After the event
Exhibitors get an export of their leads — an e-mail with a table of the contacts they saved during the trade show.
The attendee gets a follow-up — thank-you, evaluation, an invitation to the next year.
Statistics and reports — the host evaluates which exhibitors had the most interactions, the busiest booths, the most popular talks.
Speakers Management / Partners Management is in development. Today you set up the data as the host — bulk import via Excel, or manually. Agree with the exhibitors on a single format for the materials and a deadline for delivery.
A large 80 × 50 mm badge with a QR code is key at an expo. The small badge cannot fit a QR code, and the key trade-show feature is then lost.
Set the exhibitor categories (industries, topics) and tags before opening registration. Every exhibitor must be assigned categories, otherwise the filter does not work.
Automatic matchmaking is in development. If you need personalized recommendations, today this is handled manually (an E-mail campaign targeted by interest group) or through filters in the app. Do not promise AI matchmaking where it is not yet available.
The calendar is managed by the representative (or by the host on their behalf). Before the event, ask the exhibitors to confirm the availability of representatives and set the calendar accordingly.
Each exhibitor gets the lead export from their profile. If you have a central export, make sure it includes the source booth (where the scan happened), so it is clear which leads belong to whom.
Use groups by ticket type (filled in automatically), and at on-site check-in show them in the service app. The host staff will see whether the attendee belongs in the VIP section or standard.
