When you’re attending a trade show or convention, it’s all about exposure. So, here are some simple and effective ways to get more people to notice your booth.
Get a Good Location
Your booth location will determine a lot of your success at a show. The old adage is true: “location, location, location.” Does anyone need to be reminded of this? Yes. We see this advice all the time, and yet many businesses still don’t get in until the last minute, forfeiting the best places in the show. As a result, they’re stuck behind a pole, or in the back where residual foot traffic happens.
If you’re willing to pay extra, and get in early, you can secure the places at the trade show where people have to walk by your booth in order to get to wherever they want to be.
Price locations are sometimes grandfathered in to businesses that have been booking for years. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good spot.
Get A Good Look
Buyers are inherently attracted to good-looking booths. Use bright colors and really spend some time on your booth. If you have to, hire good exhibit design las vegas to help you build your booth.
Use clear signs and lighting that focuses attention on your product. The idea is to show off what you have for sale, get people interested in your offer, and then have someone from your booth “rope them in” for a demo. From there, you can either try to sell to them right then and there or get their name and phone number so you can follow up later.
Make Your Business Approachable
Your business needs to be approachable. In addition to having the right look and an appealing design, your booth needs to be approachable. Smiling staff and a host that’s knowledgeable about your products or services helps.
You should have a variety of different display options that appeals to different people. Some people will want flyers, while others will respond to pamphlets.
Still others will want to see video on an HD screen or tablet device.
Make sure that there is plenty of booth staff to accommodate the demand at all times.
Offer Show Specials
One of the best ways to get people interested in your booth is to offer specials. Highlight your show specials so potential buyers know that they get a discount for buying. Or, give them some other special offer, like a free gift (something that’s valuable).
A special might be a free gift that compliments your primary offering. For example, if you’re selling drills, you might give away several boxes of high-end screws, a set for outdoor use, a set for drywall, a set of finishing screws, and so on.
This adds value to your offering.
A lot of businesses are familiar with discounts, and this is certainly one way to get people to buy from you, but it can also cheapen your product if it’s a high-end offer. For commodity products, however, discounting can move products faster than you can blink.
Whatever you choose, your show special should be posted, clear, and easy to understand.
Give Out Snacks
Food wins over some buyers, and it’s worth doing if the show allows it. Simple refreshments, like tea, cookies, crackers, or other hors-d’oeuvres will help set you apart from the crowd – especially if no one else is offering what you are.
Now, there is a danger that people will just stop by for the free food, and this does happen a lot. But, you will also attract people who will stay and check out your booth, and this is where you really need to be on top of your game.
When people stroll up for free food, you need to have hosts that engage the people coming to you. Direct people over to the demonstration (you are doing demos, right?) or to your product salesmen so that potential customers can get a first-hand look at the problems your business solves for them.
Do Contests and Promotions
Everyone loves winning free stuff. If they win something from you, it almost doesn’t matter what it is, they develop a certain kind of feeling toward your business. Make sure that you require something from the attendees before they enter the drawing or qualify to win.
It could be them filling out a questionnaire or agreeing to be called after the show, or a simple business card exchange.
Photo credit: CES 2012 – Corning Gorilla Glass / Flickr
