So you’re taking your business to a trade show – but how are people going to differentiate your stand from the myriad other exhibits around? It can be all too easy for customers and clients to get lost in the sea of possibilities, and especially for newer companies, it can be difficult to separate yourself from the herd. One solution is to have a really eye-catching display to make your booth stand out and draw in the crowds. There are a few different ways you can go about achieving this; below, we lay out a few of the most useful strategies.
Videos and Slideshows
Posters and banners are so passé (although you are still likely going to need them in your booth, so make sure to get in touch with someone like https://dandreavisual.com/large-format-printing/ to ensure you’re covered with those!). Visitors to your booth will appreciate an animated video or slideshow display highlighting what your business does. If you don’t have the right equipment for this, you can borrow or rent it for the course of the show; most venues will have stands and racks available for mounting flat screens during trade shows.
Interactive Experiences
Building on the animated display idea, how about an interactive display? You can mount tablets on specially designed stands to give booth visitors the chance to interact with your business in the way that makes the most sense to you. Maybe you’d like them to fill out a survey, or you have a product demo they could try out – or perhaps they could even double as point-of-sale devices.
Social Media Promotion
There’s no train like the hype train. Prep your clients and customers when leading up to the show by trailing your attendance and inviting them to visit. Both Twitter and Facebook are good for this – Instagram can also be a good idea if you are a design business or very images-focused. Don’t forget to add your social media handles to your display!
Giveaways and Contests
Everyone loves free stuff! Use the aforementioned social media profile to bring people to your stand by highlighting giveaways – branded merchandise like pens, mouse pads, magnets, brochures and business cards – or even food, like for example a basket of cookies on the table. That will keep people coming back! Gift certificates are another great way to show people what your business can do, as free services are always popular, and once they’ve used you once they’ll definitely consider using you again.
Or, you could offer a draw prize that can appeal to anyone and that somehow complements your business. A fun trick is to have people drop their business cards into a fishbowl or gift bag, which means that you can use this information later to follow up with the entrants.
Physical Factors
Make sure that your display table is properly arranged, with with larger items at the back, and shorter items in front. The different levels will look tidier and draw clients’ eyes more. Also, consider using a template of your company name to make a sign that you can hang on the wall behind your booth. Use a tablecloth that represents your company’s colour scheme and image.
Also, try putting up a stand-alone presentation board, if your trade show venue will allow it. You can use this to promote your services to your clients and show how they will benefit from them. Pictures go a long way here, so be creative and make sure it stands out! And don’t forget the company name and logo, of course.
Hire a Celebrity
If you’re feeling particularly creative, and you have the budget for it, consider hiring a celebrity – and you can create an unforgettable experience at your booth that clients will remember for a long time. If you have a particular product to launch, theme, or major year in business to push, there are experienced trade show entertainers that can customize their show in whatever way best fits your goals.
Conclusions
There are many ways to enhance your trade show presence and make sure that clients and customers make a beeline for your stand. Remember to plug your upcoming appearance on social media, and then make sure that the booth itself looks great. Then you can enhance it and really draw in the crowds with videos or animations, giveaways, and real live entertainment!
