4 Trade Show Tips Every Exhibitor Needs to Follow
Whether you’re a first-time exhibitor or a seasoned pro, you want to get the most you can out of every trade show you attend. From your tradeshow exhibit design and display signs to your social media and marketing tactics, you need to plan out every aspect and engage your audience at every opportunity. For new exhibitors, this challenge can be daunting, but those with more experience know that they always have something new to learn. To make your next trade show a success, here are four tips for you to follow:
Set your goals
Before you even start thinking about your trade show booth design, you need to set a goal — or several! Think about what you want to get out of your experience. How many people do you want to attract? How many leads to you want to get out of the show? Do you have a number of products you’d like to sell? What’s your main focus? What’s your ideal return on investment? You want to be clear about what your efforts are ultimately trying to accomplish. This will help you stay focused every step of the way.
Plan your trade show exhibit display and booth design
Your booth design says a lot about your business. Your decisions here will represent your product or services and will instantly communicate how you operate to every attendee. When it comes to your trade show booth design, you’ll want to stand out for all the right reasons. Opting to work with exhibit design firms will help you to consider your central message and branding in every aspect. The graphic design you use on your banners should tell an attendee everything he or she needs to know about your business — and should make them want to find out more. Depending on how far away attendees may be from your both, you may even need three types of graphics (long-range, medium-range, and short-range) for maximum impact. Don’t dismiss “little” details like font choice, images, or layout. Those details can have a big effect on your overall success.
Come up with creative interactions
Your business isn’t boring — so your trade show display design and tactics shouldn’t be either. Your methods for interacting with your audience should reflect who you are and what you do. While working with exhibit design firms will generate interest in your booth, you’ll need to come up with new ways to keep attendees there. If your company is especially active on social media, consider holding a contest that makes good use of those platforms. If you specialize in cutting-edge technologies, why not use virtual reality or e-literature to drive home your message? Demonstrations, games, quizzes, and other options will draw people in; then, ask questions and get to know visitors in a non-intimidating way. This combination will make attendees want to find out more — which will translate into connections and sales.
Follow up promptly
Prompt follow-up will make a good first impression great. If you don’t follow up, your efforts could be rendered totally ineffective. Be sure to organize business cards and other information in a spreadsheet, make notes, and contact them within 24 to 48 hours after the trade show has ended. Adhering to this timeline will help keep your business fresh in their minds.
If you want to take your trade show exhibition to the next level, we’ve got you covered. As one of the top tier exhibit design firms anywhere, Branded Area can help you with virtually every step. If you can dream it, we’ll design it. Contact us today to find out more.