5 Important Factors for Successful Trade Show Exhibit

Trade shows are one of the most impactful tools to grow a brand’s influence beyond their region and it’s something we will not stop repeating until the end of times. There has been a lot said on how to generate a quick return on the investment you’ve put into attending a trade show in the first place. How do you justify paying thousands for hotels, plane tickets, exhibition booth and materials among everything else? The answer has five components and we’ll share them with your right now so that you can return home from a business trip with all the sales leads your heart desires.

Part 1: Engagement is Everything

You have to attack the trade with everything you’ve got. It’s not enough as an exhibitor to stand at your booth and hope to come across potential customers. Engagement is what you should be pursuing even from before arriving in the city. Direct your social media posting to point out that you’re attending the event months in advance. Advertise where you’ll be at the event. Reach out to existing customers and partners to meet up at the event. Once you’re at the event make sure to sign up for any matchmaking services and push for meetings.

Part 2: On the Aesthetics of the Booth

A trade show exhibit goes nowhere, if you don’t have a booth that stands out. This is where you’re most likely to stand out, because the level of creativity when it comes to booths is not that high. If you adopt a theme that runs through your displays, graphics, overall booth layout and branding of promotional materials, then you’re set to be a highlight of the trade show. You’re most likely to be talked about online, which will attract more visitors.

Part 3: Do Anything It Takes to Attract Visitors

Foot traffic is the one metric you want to increase at your booth. Outside the booth designs, there are ways to pique interest. Incorporate video materials to give dynamics. Human brains have been designed to respond to movement, so they’ll follow a fun video to your booth immediately. Have giveaways and contests that run through the entire show’s durations to promote engagement with visitors and have more interested people come on over. You have a lot of options in this regard!

Part 4: You Want to Be Memorable

Have an incredible booth design that is not replicated anywhere else. Introduce a VR headset to transport visitors into a virtual showroom. Offer a unique branded freebie that’s designed well and functional that the visitor won’t be able to put down (or at least be so taken with it to post about on social media). You get what we’re saying. Be smart in how you approach your presence at the event and try to create a moment for visitors who come at your booth. There’s inherent value in being entertaining and fun as a brand – this can easily give you a competitive edge later on when visitors have to decide which brand to choose for their needs. A strong emotional reaction to your name is exactly what you can count on to earn your conversions.

Part 5: Your Company Staff Has to Bring Their Best

All is for naught, if the people at your booth are charisma vacuums, who can’t get through a sales pitch to save their life. Nothing will secure you good sales numbers, if you bring a team that has no idea how to sell. Your success at a trade show is determined as early as selecting who’s coming with you to the event. What you need to look for going into selecting your team – social skills and presentation skills, charisma and energy. Things like sales pitches and product information can all be taught, but if there’s no baseline skill to use this information to convince a prospect buyer that what they’re saying is true, then there’s nothing to be done.

If you’re new in your role as exhibitor or feel somewhat lost in the overwhelming nature of these events, go back to these five fundamental rules and you’ll come out on the other end quite alright.