Trade show marketing is an excellent opportunity to bring a product or service in front of thousands of people on any given day. However, at any trade fair, you’ll see a sea of competing enterprises fighting for your attention. Consider these trade show recommendations to ensure that your trade show marketing efforts don’t go to waste. They’ll generate an audience, help you achieve your goals, and allow you to get the most out of your investment.
1. Design, design, design
Because you just have a few seconds to capture an attendee’s attention, you must do so swiftly. In the first few moments, you should impress them with a cause to come to your area. Make sure the design of your trade show venue is visually appealing and functional, consistent with your brand’s image, and appeals to your target customer, from lighting to displays to seating and even your staff’s uniforms. You don’t want to cram the area with too many words. Still, you want visitors to know who you are, so logos should be consistent, conspicuous, and displayed naturally.
2. Use simple materials
Keep it simple if you’re handing out any form of pamphlets or literature (and eco-friendly)—the less wordy and smaller the stuff, the better. No one wants to lug about a stack of brochures (or fliers) that are of little or no use to them. If you think literature is important, create a special offer for it, such as a free eBook or whitepaper, a digital coupon, or an exclusive deal. Attendees will be more likely to keep what you give them if you do this.
3. Winning interactive exhibits
A lasting impression is what you want to make on your booth visitors. Provide them with a task that allows them to interact with your brand. This can range from essential features of a reward wheel to more intricate elements, such as a hashtag mosaic or a virtual reality experience.
4. Enlist the help of experts to engage attendees and communicate brand messaging
Your staff may be excellent at what they do and know everything there is to know about your firm, but that doesn’t imply they’ll learn how to manage a crowd at a trade show. Event staffing agencies can supply you with self-assured, experienced, and professional trade show workers who understand how to engage trade show guests while quietly relaying brand messaging. They’ll help with engagement and lead generation if you provide them with the tools and training they need to succeed. To guarantee that conversations are genuine and sincere, train them on your brand’s history, goals, brand messaging, FAQs, and who you’re targeting.
5. Exhibit hall isn’t the only place to go
While the primary event will take place inside, the possibilities outside the show hall are limitless. Consider deploying a street team to snag guests outside the convention center before entering and offer them a cause to visit your booth before they are assaulted with the “noise” inside. A special offer, a contest, or a better swag item are just a few methods to get people to come to your booth.
6. Distribute Freebies (Useable Freebies)
Promotional items and swag are fantastic incentives, but if the swag isn’t all that terrific, it’ll likely end up in the garbage or forgotten in a hotel room. When it comes to swag, look beyond the box and offer stuff that people will genuinely utilize.
Mobile device chargers with various connectors, umbrellas, and stainless-steel water bottles are among the hottest items. Pens, keychains, and bulky things are not allowed.
7. Provide something that will entice attendees to stay
Once you’ve got someone to come to your booth, you’ll want to give them a reason to stay. The longer they’re there, the more chances you’ll have to make a lasting impact on them. Furthermore, if other people notice a crowd at your booth, they will be interested in what you have to offer. Here are a few suggestions for keeping folks interested:
Attendees will be able to recharge ALL of their batteries thanks to comfortable chairs and mobile charging stations. Mobile charging towers are also an excellent choice if your room isn’t big enough for seating.
- Guests can check and answer emails using laptop or iPad stations.Company or product video
- Interactive components, games, and activities are all available.
- Healthy snacks and cold beverages are available in pre-packaged form.
8. Use social media to reach out to people
For your trade fair, you should already have a social media marketing strategy in place. Engaging with visitors who have checked in at the location or mentioned the trade show on social media is one approach to leveraging social media. Invite them to your booth and use social media to give a particular incentive.
9. Snacks and beverages
Attendees at trade shows are generally unaccustomed to so much walking. Snacks and drinks will be greatly appreciated. Your beverage or snack selection should reflect your company’s culture or concept. Your logo or business card should be affixed to any water bottles or packaging to remind people where they got it from.
10. Promotions and contests
Visitors want to win things, so hold contests, special promos, or prize drawings to entice people to your booth. Make sure that guests must provide you with something to join the drawing or qualify for a reward, such as a business card or the completion of a contact form or questionnaire.
11. Create the appearance
Buyers are drawn to attractive booths. Make your booth stand out by using bright colors and putting thought into the design. It will determine whether or not visitors will stop or walk past. Be clear and visible with your message from all angles, both near and distant. Make sure there are no ambiguous signs and that the lighting is adequate.
12. Create a competition map
Every trade show is different in some manner, whether it’s because of the exhibitors, the layout, or the demographic that the show caters to. It’s critical to map out your competitors at a trade show and provide information on their approach to run a successful campaign.
Attending other industry events and observing your competitors’ layout and demonstration techniques is one method to do it. Based on this information, you can determine what you can do to improve your effectiveness. For example, suppose you know that your competitors provide a live demo at their booth. In that case, you may outshine them by not only providing a demo but also complimentary samples for attendees to test.
Conclusion
Whatever else you remember from this post, consider that when organizing your next trade show marketing strategy, simplicity, functionality, and engagement are the three crucial aspects.