Are you planning on showcasing your business at a trade show? These are great ways to attract new customers and make sales.
But, of course, trade shows can be a minefield for many entrepreneurs. The competition is fierce, and you have to find a way to attract as many attendees as possible. You have to find a way to make your trade show exhibits attractive to these attendees. They should understand your business and get motivated to buy your product or service.
So how do you do this? What are the best ways to improve your trade show exhibits? How do you stand out from the crowd?
This detailed guide will show you the best trade show strategies to succeed and market your business:
- Free Stuff
We may never want to admit it, but we all love to receive free stuff! This is an easy way to garner a large crowd to your trade booth.
However, you want to think carefully about what products you want to give out. Most trade booths will give out generic free items such as pens, keychains, stickers, etc.
While you can also offer such products, they aren’t adequate for acquiring customers. While an attendee might use your pen regularly, they won’t bother learning more about what your brand offers. Consider giving an actual product that you sell away. If you sell services, you might want to offer a free trial for the product.
For example, if you sell gym equipment, why not give away exercise bands? If you run a gym, give every attendee a free session at any fitness class of their choice.
- Use Social Media
You want to use the trade show as an opportunity to grow your social media base. In particular, this is the best time to increase your Instagram followers. Instagram differs from other social media platforms in that it’s more intimate.
You can showcase your specific products and services through Instagram. You can share stories of what your brand is doing. You can easily communicate with your followers. This can all be done in an instant. It’s the perfect social media platform while you are at your trade show.
Equip a few of your team members with smartphones and access to your Instagram account. They can take pictures of attendees with the free stuff you give away. Another team member can take videos of your trade booth and share them on IG stories. You can also incentivize attendees to tag your brand on Instagram in exchange for discounts.
- Be Interactive
The only way for your brand to stand out from other trade booths is to offer interaction at your booth. A simple pitch of the company and giving away free stuff is what over 90% of all trade booths will do. This is what you have to avoid altogether.
For example, let’s return to the free stuff giveaway. Even if you give away great products, there’s the possibility that attendees won’t value them. It’s a fact that many of us don’t value things that we get for free. As such, these attendees won’t turn into paying customers.
Consider making your attendees win a free product or trial for your service. For example, maybe you can offer three different products and make your attendees play a game to win a prize. Maybe you can play a quick trivia game to give away a prize. Or you can have a spinning wheel where they can spin for a prize. A dartboard can be another great alternative.
You also want to train your team members on how to speak to the attendees. They should make your attendees feel comfortable with your brand. They should bring out the curiosity in the attendees about your brand. The ultimate goal is to acquire customers and make a few sales.
- Help Them Connect With Your Brand
Before your attendees walk away to the next booth, they have to connect with your brand. We’ve already mentioned social media platforms such as Instagram, but you want to make sure you collect their contact information.
You can have a laptop open with a landing page that you create just for this event. This landing page will explain what your brand is about and what it offers. At the end of this landing page should be a form to collect email addresses.
You should let attendees know that you will send them regular communication on your company’s updates. You can also tell them that you’ll send them an exclusive offer if they sign up for your email list at the trade booth.
You can also give out business cards for your brand. You should have generic business cards laid out at the booth. You also have to give out business cards for reaching out to a specific person. If you sell nutritional supplements, give out business cards of your in-house nutritionist. You can also attract retailers if you give out business cards for your Distribution Manager.
Ensure that before an attendee walks away, you have their email address, and they know how to contact someone within the company.
- Design Your Trade Booth
The final step is to make sure you take the time to design your trade booth. You should use consulting services such as Rockway Exhibits Nimlock to help you figure out the aesthetics of the booth.
Trade shows can be overwhelming for attendees. When they walk into a convention center, they aren’t sure which booth to walk to first. If the booths look similar, the attendees will avoid them. You want your booth to stand out with bright colors and unique graphics. This will draw in attendees faster than any other booth.
Make sure your company’s name and logo are also visible. Within a few seconds, an attendee should understand what your business is about.
Prepare Your Trade Show Exhibits
Now you are ready to prepare your trade show exhibits. Follow the 5 steps in this guide, and you’ll be sure to succeed at your next trade show.
This is a great opportunity to bring in customers and increase your sales! You’ll leave a lasting impression on your attendees and welcome them as loyal customers for years to come.
Make sure to share this guide with your fellow entrepreneurs. You can also find more great business tips on our website.
