Image courtesy of meg’s my name’s photostream
Do you have a tradeshow coming up and are in need of a few tips to make your booth the best booth at the show? It’s a new year and what a great way to promote your business than by attending tradeshows. Check out these easy-to-do tips to help you have a successful tradeshow event.
1. Trained booth attendance. Make sure you take the time to train your booth staff on your products and services. Unknowledgeable staff is unprofessional and will make prospects view your company in a negative way. You want to go to a tradeshow and make a positive impression and gain more cliental.
2. Less is more. When it comes to your display design, don’t create a museum exhibit with works of art– you are creating a trade show display. There are only a few seconds to grab the attention of a potential prospect, so make your graphics simple but powerful. You do not want to be the “new guy” who doesn’t know what he is doing, so ensure that your booth appears simple and professional.
3. Read the guidelines. This may sound self-explanatory, but make sure to read the guidelines for the tradeshow you are attending. Every tradeshow is different; some will ask you to set-up or take down your display in a different manner.
4. Key elements of your display. The key elements of your show display should be:
a. Your company name
b. Company logo
c. A few key pieces of information that you want them to remember, such as what products and services you provide.
Keep in mind that the prospects that are attending will be walking past hundreds of booths at your tradeshow event, so make sure your booth makes an impact quickly.
5. Giveaways. Tradeshow giveaways are an essential piece to helping people remember your company. It could be a key chain or something more unique, like a solar power cellphone charger. Whatever you decide, make sure that your company’s name and logo can be clearly seen.
6. Supplies. Bring a lot of business cards, brochures, magnets, pens, etc. with you. Display them so they can easily be seen and are easy for people to grab in passing.
7. Free or discounted. Gift certificates and coupons are also great things to give away at a tradeshow. This gives prospects a chance to try your products and services at a discount. Once they know how useful your company’s products and services are, they will most likely be a repeat customer.
8. Raffles. A raffle is another great idea for a show giveaway. A raffle will draw attention to your booth and offers the allure of winning something useful. Everybody loves to win free stuff! Whatever you decide to raffle off, make sure that it complements your business and appeals to everyone. Raffles are good for prospects and you, too, because you can have potential leads write down their contact information or drop a business card into a bowl or some other item which enables you to get this information and follow up with them after the tradeshow.
9. Make an announcement that you are going. On your website’s home page, LinkedIn and Twitter pages, list your upcoming show location and date plus your booth number at the event so potential leads can access you easily.
10. Business casual. Dress up just slightly more than you would for work. You’ll appear professional without seeming unapproachable or out of touch. Smile and say hello to everyone that you make eye contact with. Be prepared to start a conversation about your business and summarize the most commonly asked questions people may have about your business. This way, you sound prepared and aren’t as nervous selling your products / services.
11. Comfortable shoes. Your feet will be your best friend at the end of the tradeshow if you wear comfortable shoes. You will have to do a lot of standing at your booth. Rising out of a chair to greet visitors tends to look unprofessional, so being on your feet already when they approach is to your advantage. If you can’t stand on your feet all day, having a tall stool set out in front of your display, not behind, it is ok too.
And last but not least….
12. Keep your booth clean. Keep your booth display orderly so customers can focus on what’s important – you and your product. If your booth is cluttered, they will think you run your business the same way and you don’t want them to leave them with that impression.
If you keep these tips in mind, your next tradeshow is bound to be a success!
Thanks for the help regarding trade shows and how to make an effective impact on the people there. Being someone who loves to go to trade shows, I love it when the booths are very creative and hand out something to walk away with. Those are the ones that always leave the biggest impact on me. Thanks for the information!