Trade shows are an amazing opportunity to explore the untapped market of a business. It’s a place where exhibitors can meet hundreds of eager prospects searching for solutions under one roof in just a few days. It is also a great way to meet prospective investors or future business partners.
Numbers Behind Trade Shows
According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), there are more than 14,000 trade show events held annually in North America. While there are hundreds of reasons people attend these trade shows, 51% of these attendee’s plan on buying a product or service, and 98% of people are more likely to purchase a product or service after attending a face-to-face event.
Planning a successful trade show requires organization, creativity, resilience, and more. So here are 9 tips for you to plan a successful trade show event:
Define Your Objective
If you have decided to participate in a tradeshow, the first thing you need to do is chalk out your marketing objectives. Analyze what you want to achieve out of the exhibition and set your goals accordingly. Having clear objectives and goals will help you with budgeting, scheduling, defining trade show booth ideas, and will also help you with the overall planning of the booth.
Usually, the main objectives of trade show booths are:
- Brand Awareness
- Lead Generation
- Relationship Building
These are the general goals, but you should always define your goals based on your individual needs & motive.
Decide Your Message
Formulate a key message for the show based on your marketing objectives. Everything in your booth, including your marketing supplies for the tradeshow, should highlight your key message. Think of unique ways to incorporate your key message in your trade show booth. This will create a lasting impression in the customers’ minds and increase your brand recall value.
Hire the Right People
It is very important to hire the right people while building your trade show booth. The staff you employ will bring your whole booth together. A good and proficient sales staff will liven up your space and attract more prospective customers to your booth. So, hire a set of well-trained and professional staff to accentuate your brand identity.
Choose the Right Show
There are thousands of trade shows held annually in the U.S. alone, so choosing the ones that will net you the best bucks is very important. Start by researching all of the large shows in your industry, but don’t forget about the smaller, targeted shows, which can open up a niche market for you. Determine which shows your customers are attending, and where your competitors are setting up their booths. Then get some marketing essentials for your booth and sign up early to get a good spot.
Get Some Marketing Essentials
To set up your tradeshow booth no matter how big or small, you’ll need some marketing essentials to make it stand out.
- Custom Canopy: Get a custom canopy pop-up tent and set it up in your booth or as your booth. These tents are extremely portable and easy to set up. Also, you can customize them in the way you want.
- Banners & Signs: Custom banners and signs can help you display your message with ease and reach a wider audience. Choose big vibrant signs to put around your booth to stand out from the crowd.
- Custom Stickers: Stickers are a fun and effective way to make an impression in your customers’ minds. Distribute some free stickers on your booth with fun slogans and quirky quotes with your logo so your customers can stick your stickers to their assets and promote your brand wherever they go.
- Promotional Table Cover: Ordinarily, in your store, you can use any table cover you like or not use it at all but at a tradeshow where it is all about making an impression in the customer’s mind – you will need a custom table cover. Your booth will be lined with multiple tables, using a branded tablecloth that displays your message and company vision can help you stand out and help your customer remember you.
Additionally, you can also get custom flags so your booth is visible from a distance and can be easily spotted. If you are selling a product, make sure you sell them in customized packaging boxes.
Promote Your Presence
According to research, about 75% of show attendees already know the booths they want to visit before they get there. So, make sure to start promoting your booth a few weeks before the start of the event. Spread your message on social media, create a landing page, consider an email campaign, work the phones, or conduct a press conference to generate anticipation about your exhibit’s presence.
Build Networks
Networking especially at trade shows must be one of your prime goals. You are likely to meet many potential clients and customers at these events. So, while planning out your booth and making arrangements for trade show supplies stock up on brochures, catalogs, business cards, etc., and keep them handy at your booth.
Make Your Booth Welcoming
One of the most important things while planning out your booth is to keep it warm and welcoming. This has a lot to do with your sales staff, but you can achieve this through eye-catching marketing supplies as well. The trade show event planners, when asked can make suitable adjustments and create space so that you can entertain a larger crowd at your booth and also give it a friendly vibe.
Attract & Engage
After all your planning, time, and money spent the last thing you want is an empty booth. You only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the attendees. Provide an immersive experience, or catch their eye with movement and action, such as:
- Interactive media
- An in-booth presentation
- Product demos
- A game or contest
- A prize wheel
- Guided booth tours
- Entertainers (i.e., magicians)
- Charging stations
- A refreshment lounge
Final Thoughts
In a pool of exhibitors and competitors, it is necessary to incorporate trade show booth ideas that are unique and set you apart from the crowd. Be it designing your booth or accessorizing it with custom banners, flags, stickers, signs, canopy, etc. In a trade show, you should always concentrate on creating a unique identity for your brand which will help you in the long run.
Resources:
Planning a Successful Trade Show
https://www.digglescreative.com/blog/planning-a-successful-trade-show.html
The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Successful Trade Show
https://www.exponents.com/our-blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-planning-a-successful-trade-show/
5 Secrets to Successful Exhibition Planning
https://www.skylinewhitespace.com/5-secrets-successful-exhibition-planning/
5 Do’s and Don’ts for a Successful Trade Show
https://www.gevme.com/en/5-dos-and-donts-for-a-successful-trade-show/
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