Trade shows are huge opportunities to make a great impression. They’re the best places to go for leads for many companies and the connections you make there can drive business for the rest of the year and beyond.
But, trade shows are only great if you take the time and effort to make them great. It’s not just about working hard. You have to work smart and do the proven things that lead to success.
Here are trade show tips to help you bring your A-game to the next show and leave with new business opportunities.
Make Your Trade Show Booth Stand Out
A lot of trade show booths look exactly the same. While they may have different colors and logos, they usually have the same structure and look and rarely go out of their way to grab people’s attention.
The best trade show booths stand out. You can use a unique design, or you can use graphics, digital displays, and motion to capture the eye. The human eye is susceptible to all of these things. We gravitate naturally toward things that are different.
Examine what your competition is doing and do something else.
Make Good Use of Digital
Speaking of digital displays, your booth needs to have some digital elements.
Digital elements include everything from:
- Illuminated logos
- Animated graphics
- Digital displays with video
- LED lighting
- Interactive exhibits
- Virtual/augmented reality stations
Why are these things important? Our eyes catch movement. They catch motion. They catch lighting. Those are big reasons. Another big reason is that digital displays and interactive exhibits increase engagement and time spent at your booth, which are both predictors of success.
And, honestly, they all make your booth look spectacular. You should see some of the creative ways people are using digital to make an impact.
Give Away Something Unique
Everyone gets tons of pens, tote bags, stress balls, and other typical knick-knacks whenever they hit up a show. Those aren’t unique and they definitely don’t stand out.
We suggest having two tiers of giveaways. The lower tier can be things that aren’t very expensive, but are still somewhat unique. These can include cooling towels, adhesive cellphone stands, RFID blockers, mini USB cellphone fans, money clips, and wooden cable winders.
The higher tier can be things you give out in exchange for getting information or having a consultation. These can include earbuds/headphones, tool kits, golf balls, moleskine notebooks, insulated metal tumblers, leather or stone coaster sets, and more.
If people see other participants with the good stuff, they’ll want to know where it came from – which leads to your booth.
Plus, if the giveaway is useful, then they’ll use it more often and for longer, which means your brand stays in front of them.
Trade shows are great opportunities. Focus on being different, on standing out, on doing whatever you can to set yourself apart, and you’ll have more success.
Design Display designs and manufacturers trade show exhibits for virtually any industry. Check out our portfolio or contact us for more information.