Your company has just paid severe money to register for an upcoming trade show, so how can you make the most of it?
Trade shows can be a fantastic way to reach new customers, generate new leads, and build brand awareness. Unfortunately, most trade shows also have hundreds of other exhibitors competing for attention.
What can you do to make your trade show exhibit display get noticed? Don’t start planning your next trade show until you read these helpful tips for standing out.
Stand Out From the Crowd at Your Next Trade Show Exhibit Display
Create Anticipation
If you want your trade show exhibit booths to be noticed, you must create a buzz and build up the hype before the event even begins.
Anticipation is powerful, so you want to get attendees excited about what you’re going to offer—so that they make a beeline for your booth as soon as the conference opens.
How can you do this? Consider using email or social media to tease attendees, letting them know something amazing is coming without giving too much away!
Remember that the best companies will start marketing their attendance long in advance. If you wait until the trade show has begun, you’ve missed a critical opportunity.
Give Away Something Awesome
If there’s one thing attendees love about conferences and trade shows, it’s the free giveaways. It’s always fun to get something for free, but attendees aren’t going to be impressed with boring giveaways like magnets or keychains.
Instead, think of a unique gift idea that’s so amazing that everyone at the trade show will be talking about it. It helps to think of something useful, like a portable phone charger or reusable bag.
That way, your gift will get used rather than sitting on a shelf, collecting dust.
Giveaways are more than just fun promotional items—they’re also an effective marketing tool, so be sure your business name and logo are printed on each item.
Be Personable
One of the best ways to get noticed at a trade show is simpler than you might think—be friendly! Many businesses take a serious approach to trade shows, focusing on networking and the hard sell.
Yes, that’s why you’re there, but remember that people can sell a salesperson from a mile away. Often, one of the easiest ways to get remembered is by being genuine, friendly, funny, and laid-back.
After a long day of attending the trade show and speaking with a million salespeople, attendees are likelier to remember the person who treated them like a human rather than a sales target.
Design a Unique Booth
Have you considered custom trade show exhibits? They’re one of the most effective ways to differentiate your company from the competition.
Most trade shows provide standard white booths and black-and-white signage. However, why not go for something unexpected and design your booth?
It gives you complete control over your booth’s look, feel, colours, and usability, making it the best work for your needs.
You can reuse your booth at the next tradeshow, lowering your cost per use.
Host a Contest
Holding a contest at your booth can accomplish two great things—increase interest in your stall and generate a lot of free social media coverage.
For example, why not design a fun photo booth as part of your exhibit where attendees can take selfies? Come up with a special social media hashtag for your brand and ask attendees to post the selfies on their accounts using that hashtag.
Then, after the trade show ends, randomly pick a winner and mail them a fantastic prize. Most everyone is willing to share a photo if there’s a chance of winning something, but even better, your company reaches a whole new audience via social media.
However, there are plenty of ways to hold a contest—even something as simple as collecting business cards in a fishbowl and pulling out a winner can also be practical.
Follow Up With Attendees
Ideally, your trade show should collect details from everyone who stops by your booth, such as an email address. But what do you do with all of them?
Always follow up after the event—this is key to building relationships. It’s estimated that 40% of exhibitors wait 3-5 days after the show to follow up, but why wait that long?
You want to strike while the iron’s hot and while your company is fresh on attendees’ minds. Why not send an introductory email the day after—or even a LinkedIn connection?
You want to foster your connections right away, which will help your business grow.
Make the Most of Your Trade Show Exhibit With These Tips
Whether brand-new to trade shows or an old hand, you want to maximize every opportunity. These trade show exhibit display tips should help you design an irresistible booth that attendees will love and want to tell their colleagues about!
Using the ideas above, start brainstorming ideas for your next event. Planning and design can take some time, especially with custom booths, so it’s a good idea to get started as far as possible.
Your hard work is sure to pay off once you see the look on attendees’ faces as they approach your fantastic trade show booth!
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