Getting ready for the International Roofing Expo 2024? The next IRE Expo is scheduled for February 6–8, 2024, in Las Vegas, making now an important time to start planning for the show and learning from last year.

The International Roofing Expo 2023 event took place March 7–9 in Dallas, Texas, offering contractors, remodelers, builders, distributors, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, and architects a way to come together to learn, network, and grow their businesses. As a comprehensive trade show services provider, Cardinal Expo has had the chance to design, build, and manage client exhibits at this event for several years—and 2023 was no exception.

Whether you’re reviewing your performance at the International Roofing Expo 2023 or looking ahead to the 2024 International Roofing Expo, take a look at our expert insights from the event below.

Table of Contents

• Preparing for the International Roofing Expo 2024
  • Review IRE Expo Exhibitor Guidelines
  • Consider Product Presentations and Demos
  • Organize Your Budget
  • Decide on a Space
  • Share Promotional Materials and Information
  • Market Your Roofing Trade Show Booth
• International Roofing Expo 2023 Trends to Keep in Mind
  • Educating Your Audience
  • Creating Networking Opportunities
  • Getting Involved in Community Events
  • Getting Attention with Giveaways
• Bring Your Best to the International Roofing Expo 2024

Preparing for the International Roofing Expo 2024

Creating the perfect roofing trade show booth, getting promotional materials, developing a marketing plan, and keeping track of important paperwork and deadlines all takes careful planning to pull off successfully. Get started today with these tried-and-true tips for the IRE Expo.

Review IRE Expo Exhibitor Guidelines

All expos have their own guidelines for exhibitors about what kinds of booths they are allowed to have. In the construction industry, exhibitors often want to bring in large demonstration materials, as well as tools that could be dangerous if not handled carefully.

Reviewing what the International Roofing Expo 2024 allows and does not allow will ensure that you run into no issues later on:

• The current floor plan includes exhibit space sizes ranging from 100 to 8,000 square feet.
• Booth types include linear booths, corner booths, and island booths.
• There are three speciality pavilions to group suppliers and manufacturers: the Business & Technology Pavilion, the Metal Marketplace Pavilion, and the Exteriors Pavilion.
• When in doubt, contact IRE’s sales team to make sure that whatever you have in mind will work at their event.

Consider Product Presentations and Demos

Many roofing and construction exhibitors are looking to showcase products that need either a considerable amount of space or an area for demonstrations. Keep this in mind when choosing a booth size and layout for the 2024 International Roofing Expo.

You may want to opt for a 20×20 booth, double decker, or custom larger booth if you require extra space. An outdoor booth is another great option if you need space or ventilation to demo your products.

If you’ll be displaying products—especially wood, metal, insulation, fabric, or other materials—be sure to build in space for visitors to look at and feel product samples. Island displays can allow visitors to approach your products from all sides.

Ensure that the presentation of your products and services is engaging and even interactive to keep visitors as interested as possible. If you offer roofing services, consider using touchscreen displays to allow visitors to explore 3-D models or playing videos that show your services in action.

Organize Your Budget

The first step to planning your visit to the International Roofing Expo 2024 is to get your budget in order. Having an optimized budget can allow you to make your exhibiting more efficient, and can greatly increase the amount of things you’re able to include in your organization’s experience at the expo without running significantly over or under budget.

As a starting point, exhibitors can outline their budgets to balance roughly as follows: 

• Exhibiting space: 10% of budget
• Staffing and travel: 25% of budget
• Exhibit design: 40% of budget
• Show services and premiums: 25% of budget

Knowing even the rough outline of your budget in advance of your trade show planning can make a world of difference in the potential of your organization’s experience at the show. 

For more tips on planning your trade show experience on a budget, check out our blog post on the subject. Using your budget efficiently is what’s going to allow you and your team to perform your best at the upcoming IRE Expo, and will allow you to make connections and improve your business.

Decide on a Space

Exhibit space will fill up the longer you wait, so once you know the booth size and layout that will work best for you at the International Roofing Expo, you’ll want to reserve your space. You can also receive discounts if you’re an NRCA member or if you sign up early enough.

Take a look at the floor plan, contract, rates, and dates on the IRE website. If you know you’re going to attend in 2025, you may be able to get discounts and your ideal booth space by signing up right after the International Roofing Expo 2024 concludes.

Share Promotional Materials and Information

The way in which you present your company’s materials and information is an important aspect of your booth presentation. Having variety in your verbal and written materials can keep attendees interested while giving them the necessary information in different ways.

Larger presentations of information on posters and other displays can help grab visitors’ attention, while having handouts is a good way to allow visitors to take information with them on the go.

If your staff give any presentations or demonstrations, make sure they’re not repeating the same information in the same way it’s shared on your posters, displays, or handouts. Sharing the same information in multiple formats can help it sink in for visitors, but not if it sounds stale or repetitive.

Market Your Roofing Trade Show Booth

Making sure that your new and returning customers know about the expo you are attending is vital to a successful exhibition. There are various ways in which you can market your booth at the International Roofing Expo 2024 and ensure you have attendees coming to see your display and presentation:

• Giving specific customers invitations to the event can be a way to personalize your marketing approach and invite the customers you feel will be of most interest to your company. In the past, the International Roofing Expo has even allowed exhibitors to offer their customers free expo-only admission or 10% off a conference package. Ask their sales team for details.
• Sending out an email blast with a direct link for individuals to register is a great way to reach a large number of potential customers. Within the email, you can include a brochure or fact sheet with your booth number, the floor plan, the products or services you’ll be promoting, and information about any special offers, announcements, or presentations you’ll be giving.
• Sharing on social media can be a great way to inform your audience while connecting with others interested in the International Roofing Expo. Tag IRE Expo’s account in your post and use their #RoofingExpo hashtag to potentially increase your reach and engagement.

International Roofing Expo 2023 Trends to Keep in Mind

With the International Roofing Expo 2023 behind us, exhibitors can look back on last year’s event to see what worked best. Take advantage of this hindsight to help you plan a great booth, share thought leadership, network, create goodwill, and market your company effectively.

Educating Your Audience

Based on last year’s event, a major way to stand out from the crowd and get attention for your company will be to educate your audience at the International Roofing Expo in 2024. Consider the format that will best fit your business:

• Exhibitors can apply to be speakers. The 2023 International Roofing Expo featured more than 111 speakers across more than 60 educational sessions. Categories include general business, leadership, legal/HR, finance, sales/service, sustainability, technical, and workplace safety. Some of the most popular sessions from 2023 revolved around generating leads, alternatives to price-based sales, online marketing, improving estimates, industry trends, metal roofing, low slope roofing, single ply material, leveraging technology, and technical issues.
• Exhibitors can set up product clinics with live demonstrations. This is a great way to draw eyes to your booth while showing what you can do with your products, so make sure you plan your roofing trade show booth accordingly.
• Exhibitors can create unique educational opportunities at their booths. For example, the SRS Distribution Para Latinos booth assisted more than 1,000 Latino roofing contractors with education and networking to help grow their businesses at the 2023 Expo. This is a creative way to make your roofing trade show booth stand out and attract more visitors.
• Exhibitors can participate in outdoor exhibits and special events. If you require additional space or need better ventilation when giving live demonstrations, consider an outdoor exhibit and get in touch with IRE’s sales team to discuss any special events.

Creating Networking Opportunities

Recruiting good workers and reducing staff turnover are two of the biggest priorities most companies have. For the roofing industry, it is even more important—and difficult—to attract and keep workers who are highly skilled, safe, and reliable. In fact, the International Roofing Expo 2023 keynote address focused on this very issue.

Do you find that your brand employs, is run by, or does business with specific communities? Create opportunities to network with this community for both their benefit and yours. Finding a way to involve yourself more intimately with a specific community, particularly if that community is integral to your brand or its identity, can be incredibly effective. Not only does it allow you to grow a more loyal and dedicated customer base and applicant pool, but also it can empower that group of people.

It’s also important to remember that trade expos don’t always need to be boring or strictly educational. It is beneficial to many brands when they let loose and have a little fun. Hosting parties and social events are excellent opportunities to engage in some casual networking.

Examples from the International Roofing Expo 2023 include:

• The IRE First-Timer Attendee reception, sponsored by RoofersCoffeeShop
• The Welcome Party, sponsored by ABC Supply Co.
• The annual ROOFPAC reception, hosted by the NRCA
• The NCRA Awards Ceremony & Cocktail Reception, hosted by the NRCA
• The SRS Extreme Tailgate Party, held in the outdoor space

Finding a way to make your visit to the 2024 International Roofing Expo more fun and interesting will go a long way in making your time there more effective.

Getting Involved in Community Events

Consider these successful community events from 2023 as you start preparing for the International Roofing Expo 2024:

• The Roofing Alliance Construction Management Student Competition ran for its ninth year in 2023 with student teams competing from across the nation. Presentations were given at IRE, making it an excellent way to meet and support young adults with an interest in construction.
• The National Women in Roofing (NWIR) conference was held two days before the International Roofing Expo in 2023. More women attended than ever before in 2023, with over 500 participants! Women are invited to attend, men can show support and network by joining the evening reception, and there are opportunities to participate in community service outside of the conference.
• IRE’s Annual Community Service Day Project brought together more than 70 roofing professionals to complete critical repairs for 3 homes belonging to those who are elderly, disabled, or veterans in 2023. For 14 years, IRE and Rebuilding Together have organized this service day to perform home repairs in the local community. With options to volunteer, donate, sponsor, and spread the word, any organization can find a way to get involved.

Not only are these events a great way to give back, but also to support your networking and recruiting initiatives.

Getting Attention with Giveaways

Back in 2022, one of the highlights from the IRE Expo was Atlas Roofing, who gave participants a chance to win over $120,000 worth of prizes in the 2022 Asphalt Life Truck Giveaway. Your prizes don’t always have to be so monumental or expensive. Finding an opportunity to give prizes that fit your budget is a great way to get visitors interested in your booth and invested in your brand.

Bring Your Best to the International Roofing Expo 2024

Construction and roofing trade show booths are unique, requiring lots of space for featuring products and demos, prioritizing hands-on experiences, and standing out in an exciting, action-packed event. At Cardinal Expo, we have the professional experience necessary to help your company drive results at the International Roofing Expo 2024.

Our team has over 28 years of experience designing and constructing high-quality custom trade show booths. We will work with you every step of the way, from booth design to paperwork, shipping, installation, teardown, storage, and more.

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In addition, we offer a variety of booth sizes and layouts, as well as signage, lighting, and custom options to ensure your display stands out from the rest. We have helped clients for years at the IRE Expo and know what it takes to make this event a successful one for your company.

Contact us below to discuss your roofing trade show booth for the next International Roofing Expo.