Trade shows can be an ordeal – a chore that you have to grind through in order to get your name out there and grab some leads.
But, the most successful trade show participants are those who genuinely look like they’re having fun- because they are.
That’s right: trade shows can be fun, and should be fun if you want to maximize your chances at landing new leads and new deals. That’s because people are attracted to fun. We can’t resist it. When we see people laughing and smiling, we want to laugh and smile as well. Everyone wants to be in on the fun, and you can use that to your advantage.
It starts with the people running the trade show booth. Energy is the name of the game. Make sure the staff you have manning the booth can run the booth with energy. Smiling is a must. Every visitor should be greeted with a smile at the very least. Speak with enthusiasm and passion as well, which not only raises the energy level but also shows you’re serious about what you’re doing there at the show.
Next, it helps to have a game or something fun for your visitors to play. It can be something as simple as drawing out of a bag for a giveaway, or it can be trivia, a scavenger hunt, or something like a VR display. Even a simple display with an engaging (i.e. not boring) video can be fun, or at the least, high-energy music in your booth if allowed.
Some booths we’ve seen had a mini basketball and dart setup, where people could shoot hoops and sling darts. You can even make a competition out of it that the person with the highest score gets a prize at the end of the day (in exchange for getting their contact information, of course).
Try also having a fun table. This is a table with props, like wigs, crazy glasses, goofy hats, mustaches, and other weird and fun things that people can put on and have their picture taken. One display had a TV set up that ran through the pictures that were uploaded as soon as they were taken, so that people could see their goofiness on full display. This may not be appropriate for your trade show, but you’d be surprised at how often you can pull off something like this.
Trade show booths can be fun, and they should be fun. Focus on not just informing your visitors, but entertaining them, and you’ll have more success.
Design Display is a custom trade show booth fabricator that handles every step of the design and fabrication process, from start to finish. Contact us to learn more or to get started on your next project.