A booth at an upcoming trade show will help put your business on the map, network with potential clients and partners, and learn about the latest innovations in your industry. Securing a spot at the show is only the first step, however.
Without preparing for a successful trade show, you might watch attendees walk right by your booth. To ensure your trade show booth is a success, you’ll need to develop some excellent trade show booth ideas to attract visitors and ensure they remember your business.
Post-Covid Pandemic, when trade shows and conventions regained their importance, attendee engagement has become one of the most critical factors. As there is high competition for visitors’ attention, this is critical for your trade exhibit to be exceptional by delivering something distinctive that attracts people.
Research about the right event for your company
Attending the wrong events can be a waste of time and money. It is essential to do your homework on an event’s reputation, clientele, and other exhibitors, before deciding to apply:
- Trade shows should be a good match for your brand image and personality. If you like to take a friendly and informal approach, your trade show booth may be out of place at a highly formal and corporate event.
- Trade shows should target a similar demographic to your business. Who is the primary target audience of the event? Make sure to attend events where people are likely to need your business’s products or services.
- Trade shows should not be saturated with similar businesses, and it is a lot harder to stand out at an event filled with businesses like yours. A show with related but non-competing businesses is ideal.
Attending a trade show can be a significant investment, especially if your team needs to arrange long-distance travel and accommodation.
As a result, the cost of attendance should also form part of your research into the best trade shows for your business.
Besides identifying the right trade shows to attend, this research also helps you tailor your booth to the event. For example, you can take advantage of the foot traffic generated by nearby booths that provide different services to the same audience demographic as you.
Be mindful of your booth’s location
When preparing for a trade show, the booth spots available at a trade show should also play a factor in your decision to attend. The best spots are on the primary circuit for foot traffic, where visitors will pass your trade show booth constantly on their way to other parts of the show. A booth on the outskirts will often be cheaper to book, and however, the extra foot traffic is usually worth a more costly ticket.
When booking a trade show booth location, you can often see which businesses have booked other spots. This is beneficial information and can help you stand out and benefit from neighboring booths. Take a look at photos from previous events to see what your neighbors are offering. If neighboring booths are crowded, it can attract more visitors.
Make the booth layout work for you.
You should consider the overall booth layout when planning your display wherever your booth is in the event.
Think about which directions visitors will approach or walk past your booth when preparing for a trade show. Make sure that the first display they see can grab their attention or curiosity and draw them in. By planning around where visitors will approach from, you can structure the way they encounter displays and features to build their interest and invite visitors in.
Try to avoid creating barriers such as long tables or kiosks. These prevent foot traffic from flowing easily around your booth, creating slow-moving crowds that block your booth from view.
Offer free giveaways
Giveaways generate leads at exhibitions, but some are more effective than others. Many trade show freebies are not very exciting, which can draw less attention and give an uninventive impression of your brand, and it is likely to be forgotten or in a trash bin. So maybe skip the cheap pen or keyring idea unless you can bring a unique twist.
Whatever you choose as a giveaway item, make sure it is light and portable. Many trade show attendees will have come a long way to attend the event and won’t take your freebie with them if it is too bulky or inconvenient to transport. This is a significant consideration at events with an international or out-of-state audience who will be flying back home.
Don’t forget the photo opp.
The benefits of creating a photo opportunity in your trade show booth are numerous. According to 48 percent of exhibitors surveyed, the most successful strategy for attracting guests is an eye-catching booth.
A photo opp gives event visitors a place to have fun and get a break from checking out all of the different booths. This can be a great way to bring in some more foot traffic.
Just as significantly, a photo opp aids your broader marketing and brand recognition efforts outside of the event itself. A creative photo prop or backdrop featuring your brand name and logo ensures that everyone who takes a photo at your booth will also be spreading awareness of your brand when they share the images on social media.
Teach trade show attendees something
People attend trade shows for a variety of reasons. One of the most common is that they want to learn about the latest trends and innovations in the industry. Accordingly, you can attract more of this type of visitor by giving your booth an educational angle.
Besides teaching attendees about your business itself, you can attract more general interest by addressing the broader issues and developments in your sector that influence your brand and discussing how your business is responding to them. With the right approach, you can teach attendees about an exciting topic while also developing your brand’s narrative at the same time. Furthermore, building a booth display that teaches passing visitors also acts as a conversation starter, drawing interested attendees to discuss the topic.
Attending a trade show is an excellent opportunity for your business. When preparing for a trade show, following these tips will help you make the most of the experience by bringing in more visitors to your booth and ultimately generating more interest in your business.
