Friday, November 22, 2019

6 tips to gain attention at this years trade shows

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It’s a little-known fact, but 81% of the attendees at trade shows have buying power for their companies, according to CEIR: Thе Spend Dесіѕіоn: Analyzing How Exhіbіtѕ Fit Into Ovеrаll Marketing. Which means you really should be questioning just how much effort you need to put into your industry trade show when it next comes around. 

There are thousands of trade shows that take place every year and even though the specifics for each industry varies, the premise is just the same when hosting a stand at your trade show. Make an engaging booth with friendly staff and plenty of reasons for people to stop by and visit you, and you’ll make the most out of the opportunity.


According to CEIR: The Role and Value of Face to Face, 92% of people attending trade shows are there to see new products on display. Which perhaps isn’t surprising, but it should certainly make you want to dedouble your efforts and grab the opportunity to show off your new products with both hands. Here are some great tips to help you to stand out and gain attention from your peers at this years’ trade shows.

1.      Booth location and layout

A prime location at a trade show is important because it is likely to be a position with high footfall and plenty of potential new customers. To gain access to these coveted positions, you will probably need to apply early to secure your place. So be prepared to plan a year in advance of attending a show if you want to have a prime location. You could negotiate a contract with the trade show to attend year on year, thus securing a prime location by including a stand for several years to come.

With a prime location secured and the chance at heavy footfall during the trade show then the next thing to consider is the layout of your booth. When thinking about layout you need to consider customer engagement with the booth and your staff.  Here are a few points to consider when designing your booth;

       Stay on brand from top to bottom - Try to keep your branding consistent throughout the stand and make sure the colours match your brand.
       Tell people exactly what you do - Explain to your audience in a clear concise manner exactly what you do
       Stand out - Use bright colours and lighting if it is on brand.
       Be playful - You could capture the customers attention with a unique gimmick which requires interaction from the trade show attendees.
       Put your name on it - If someone is to walk away from your booth with something from you, ensure it has your branding on it.
       Go with the unexpected - Something to spark a question from someone who is intrigued by your stand, or at least will strike a sense of amusement.
       Set a scene - Settle on one theme which will keep your trade show attendee engaged and hopefully asking questions.
       Make the most of your space - If you have space, ensure you fill it with customers and ways for them to interact with either your staff or your booth
       Keep it clutter-free - A clear space will ensure there is nothing to distract your customers from what you are selling.

2.      Booth staffing

Ensuring your staff are trained and knowledgeable about your services or product is essential when selecting staff for your trade show booth. Training staff can start as early as a few months before the event. This, of course, depends on the complexity of your products or services, but will be vital if it is a product or service that requires in-depth or specialist knowledge and understanding.

Employing staff from an entertainment industry background to front your stall, for example a magician or actor, who can then direct any potential customers to the staff trained in-depth about your product or services, can be a way of ensuring some direct interaction from trade show attendees.

3.      Promoting your booth

Start promoting before the trade show begins. If you aren’t notifying the trade show attendees before the event that you are going to be there, how will they know to look for your booth, or know where your booth will be? It can be a crucial key to gaining greater footfall at the event.

Social media is a great platform for you to start a promotional drive for your trade show booth, with a variety of options available. Using Facebook's promotional tools, you can increase your audience through advertising and ensure a higher engagement from potential trade show attendees. Using Twitter and Instagram effectively can make your time at the trade show very effective for your business.

4.      Promotional products

There is a high probability that you will be giving away items for free to potential customers and attendees at the trade show. Here is a list of potential giveaway items that could be stocked on your booth;

       Promotional pens
       Promotional stationery
       Branded lanyards
       Promotional mugs
       Branded promotional USB drives
       Branded apparel
       Branded power banks
       Promotional sunglasses

5.      Competitions

Everybody likes to have a chance of winning a spectacular prize when it’s offered for free, so offering some form of prize to people for interacting with your booth is a great way of rewarding them for engaging with you and your business. Ensure the prizes you offer are aligned with your business, because you don't want to attract the wrong kind of interest, or people who have no genuine interest in your product or services.

6.      Offer some special deals

Make sure you reward people for taking an interest in your booth at the trade show. Give them promotional offers and reduced prices on your products or services. These can be given as voucher rewards or codes, one-time-only money-off promotional discounts, or even as free add-on items if they are to buy your product or services right there at the show.

From branding everything and ensuring you have the ideal layout and staff on your booth, to offering your customers an engaging experience and some free items along with chances to win great prizes and take advantage of special offers, there are lots of ways of catching the attention of your trade show attendees.

Trade shows are a fun and engaging way to drum up new customers and raise your brand awareness and you should definitely take advantage of the options available to you when planning to take part. And with these tips you shouldn’t have too many promotional pens left over at the end of the event.
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Author: verified_user

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