5 Tips For Marketing Your Business At Local Trade Shows

Amid digitalization and the increased dominance of the online world, old-school marketing techniques have started to fade away. Don’t you think today’s businesses are missing out on something? Even in the 21st century, traditional marketing strategies such as networking and trade shows remain equally effective. They are one of the most effective ways to reach new customers while promoting your brand.

Believe it or not, business trade shows unfold many opportunities to market your business. You get to meet and engage with people interested in your industry. In turn, you can gain valuable sales leads and increase conversion. Sounds interesting.

Before going all-in with these trade shows, make sure you are ready. You will need proper signage, branded merchandise, business cards, and product displays. Most importantly, you must brush up on your selling and networking skills to make your appearance successful. If you can’t seem to find your way around, keep reading. Here, we outline some tips for marketing your business at a local trade show.

5 Tips For Marketing Your Business At Local Trade Shows

• Do your research well.

When participating in a trade show, you should expect a lot of customers from different backgrounds. You must be ready for whoever enters your booth and displays your selling skills. For that, look at the number of people expected at the show. After all, the more people attend the show, the higher your sales prospects will be.

Furthermore, find trade shows happening at prime locations to get a lot of traction. For example, if you are operating in Florida, Google the search query ‘trade show exhibits Orlando FL’ and make your presence felt in the state’s bustling metropolises. It will allow you to meet other key industry players who could be your potential competitors. Similarly, run localized searches to identify and participate in trade shows in your state’s famous cities.

• Promote your attendance

Does anyone know you are participating in a trade show? If not, you have to promote your attendance at the trade show. You can begin by marketing on social media forums such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Perhaps you can create an event detailing what to look for or any deals for visitors. You can also upload your trade show display pictures so customers know what to expect. Another way to increase visibility and attract attention at a trade show is to use custom promotional inflatables, which can differentiate your booth from others, helping you to stand out in a crowded exhibition hall.  Inflatables come in various shapes and sizes, so you can choose the best fit for your needs and budget. They can also be customized with your company’s logo or branding, which helps to reinforce your company’s identity and makes your display more memorable to attendees. Also, custom inflatables can help customers understand what to expect from your booth and can help attract visitors to your space.

Likewise, develop an email list from your CRM software and send invites to your customers. Also, send a few personal emails about the connections you have made. It can include industry experts, your mentor, or old customers. These strategies will create an audience to promote your attendance and make your trade show successful.

• Identify your competitors

In today’s saturated market, you will face competition from many brands. So, prepare to see your rivals front, centre, and left. You have to outline your competitors at the event to have a mind-blowing campaign at a trade show. The ideal way to do this is by attending other trade shows in the industry and identifying the strategy used by your rivals. It will help you understand how they do things and what you can do differently to stand out.

Let’s say any of your rivals are giving a live demo at their booth; you can think of something more innovative. Besides providing a demo of your products, you can also give away free samples for the visitors to try out. It will give you an edge over the competition, directing more leads and prospects to your trade booth.

• Bring branded signage

The perfect way to have people recognize your brand is by having your company’s branded merchandise everywhere and anywhere possible. Hence, you must make your trade show display a bit fancy and bring a customized cloth and table. Perhaps you can pull up banners behind and put flyers and brochures on the table for giveaways. It will ensure your customers walk away with something to remember you by.

Moreover, bring your business cards along. It might look like a thing of the past, but it is necessary to develop connections. While working at the trade booth, you’ll meet people who are interested in your product or service. Having a business card will come in handy, allowing people to follow up with you later. In addition, having something to give away to attendees will keep the professional feel of your display. Using digital signage can help your brand’s message stand out. Digital signage can be customised to match your branding; some even have templates for trade shows.

• Use interactive technology

Although trade shows have been around for ages, it doesn’t mean they must be old school. You can still bring the latest technology to your booth. It will attract visitors to your stall and keep them engaged. You can put up interactive screens with product information or displays with statistics. Likewise, you can have digital games with virtual and augmented reality to captivate attendees.

Many trade shows also have apps which brands can use to send push notifications about their special offers and displays. If you don’t want to spam people, talk about your brand on the app. You can upload a map or a few flyers to your trade booth. These ideas can bring a massive turnout, especially if you are trying to target young adults or Generation Z. Ultimately, this will grow sales and revenue, maximizing business profitability.

Conclusion

As customers crave real-time experiences in 2024, events and trade shows will be the lifeline of businesses. Therefore, ensure you participate in all trade shows in your region. In addition to proper planning, you must market the trade show brilliantly. From giving away branded merchandise to tracking competitors, you must stay one step ahead in every aspect. It will allow you to maximize ROI and boost sales.