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Big, bold trade show displays that are supposed to ‘wow’ don’t always work. If your business, along with all the competition, are creating massive, interactive, bright and colorful trade show exhibits, then you no longer stand out.

There are no tricks or secrets that will always help your trade show booth stand out from the crowd. Bright works when no one else is bright, flashy works when no one else is flashy, tall works when no one else is tall and low key works when no one else is low key.

But, there is still no guarantee that doing what everyone else is not will work. What you really want is a well-done, captivating trade show exhibit that will get the attention of customers. But how?

Your product will sell itself, so showcase it. A trade show display that emphasizes the product and puts it front and center will attract attention. It is important to show what you offer, showcase the benefits and advantages of your product.

People go to the trade show looking for your product, or for your competitions product. So you need bright, well-done displays, but those trade show displays need to show what you do quickly and concisely. A booth display that quickly shows what you offer will present your case well. If your trade show display is bright and flashy, but the passer-by cannot see what you do or sell quickly, it is all for naught.

Work with a trade show display company, explain what you want to accomplish, what is your goal? Use imagination and use your trade show booth to best show and tell people what you're about with a quick, direct visual presentation.

For more information on trade show displays in Newton, contact The Exhibit Source.

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When you’re running a small business on a tight budget, the high costs of a trade show exhibit can make you think twice and instead consider only cheaper forms of marketing.

Other forms of marketing has its benefits but none compare to trade shows when it comes to pure return on investment, especially exponential return on investment.

From ROI to powerful branding, here are the five biggest benefits that your business could achieve from successful trade show marketing.

1. Establish your brand
While most people think of trade shows as platforms for direct marketing, they’re also a great opportunity to establish your brand. Trade show exhibiting lets you show off your branding to thousands of attendees, giving you valuable name recognition.

In order to establish your brand at a trade show, you’ll need to make sure that your trade show booth is perfectly configured for attracting attention. Use custom roll up banners, interactive displays, and other material to make your exhibit stand out.

2. Connect with prospects
Trade shows are a great opportunity to turn prospects into customers. The cost of exhibiting can often become incredibly low once it’s divided by the number of formerly cool leads you’re able to turn red hot.

3. Increase client/customer spending
It’s much easier to encourage an existing customer or client to spend more than it is to convert a new one. By using trade shows as an opportunity to connect with your existing customers, you can work out their problems and propose useful solutions.

Schedule meetings with your current customers and clients, and use each meeting as an opportunity to learn about their needs and position your business as a potential solution.

4. Meet new vendors
Most businesses think of trade shows as an opportunity to expand their customer or client base. Others, however, think of trade shows as an opportunity to expand both their sales base and their supply chain.

If your sales team is taking care of prospects and existing customers, spend some of your time browsing the trade show floor looking for new vendors, service providers, and even lucrative recruiting sources.

5. Expand your industry knowledge
Trade shows that have live presentations and seminars are great places to expand your knowledge of your industry. Visit a seminar and expand your industry knowledge while your sales team takes care of customer acquisition.

From new marketing tactics to brand new technology, trade show presentations are often where big companies announce their latest technology, their smartest strategies, and their most lucrative promotions.

For more information on trade show booths in Newton, contact The Exhibit Source.

Real Business

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Trade shows should be a measurable marketing investment. But planning and goal setting is critical to generating a positive ROI from your trade show investment.

There are many reasons that a company will attend a trade show, mainly generating new business leads, promoting a new product or service, thought leadership, and professional development for team members. A company can accomplish all of this when they approach their trade show activities the right way.

Many factors go into getting a positive ROI from your trade show investment. The most obvious metric to look at of course is whether you generated any new business from your presence at the show.

The following tips can apply to any event a company is either attending or hosting. Preparation and planning is the key. Here’s how.

Choose the right trade show and send the right people. This is the first step in your goal setting process. Figure out why your presence at any given trade show is important. If the purpose to attend is for professional development, then send the key team members that will get the most out of it, and then they can teach others. If the purpose is to generate new business, do your research on the general demographic of attendees. If a large majority of attendees are from companies that could become customers or strategic partners then that is where your focus should be.

Follow the 7 P’s. The military saying– proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance is the best way to tackle a trade show, spend a good month planning your method of attack. All trade shows are different, but usually with various levels of sponsorship come certain perks such as the attendee list (GOLD), whitepaper submission, branding at the conference, and often a speaking role. Take advantage of all of them. You’re paying for it anyway. Once you have the attendee list, have a team go through the list and identify good potential customers and make a list for outreach.

Set up meetings and events in advanced. The purpose for outreach of course is to set up meetings. If your plan is to pay a ton of money to sit at a booth, or walk the trade show floor, don’t bother going. Schedule dinners and invite a handful of potential clients. Plan a cocktail reception in a hotel suite and give a small presentation.  

Have a team member speak at the show. This is one of the most important ways to really stand out at a trade show. This shows that your presence has been vetted by the event planning committee in charge of the trade show and of course that you are a thought leader in your space. Nothing builds trust faster than teaching something of value without asking for anything in return.

Give something away of actual value. Whether or not you are investing in a trade show booth, if you plan to give something away, give something away of value that will get their attention.

Build relationships, don’t sell. If you are going to invest the time and energy to attend, send your relationship builders. The trade show, reception, or after you speak is not where you will close a deal. Work towards scheduling a follow up meeting for as soon as possible while the trade show buzz is still in the air.

Do proper marketing before and AFTER the show.  If you are investing the time and money, make sure you plan accordingly. Prepare some content about your presence at the upcoming trade show and host it on your site. Use all of your social channels and schedule various announcements as the trade show or conference nears. Use these social channels during the trade show. Have someone there taking pics and video that you can use for marketing purposes later.

These are tips for tackling a trade show the right way in order to measure a successful outcome. Be sure to keep track of event success so you can make any needed strategy adjustments along the way. For more information contact The Exhibit Source.

Forbes

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Most businesses know that trade shows can really boost your business. They are the perfect way to get your brand in front of people who otherwise might not have found you. Trade show attendance is still going strong.

According to a study, the internet has actually helped boost trade show attendance by around 30% among younger professionals. The reason: Attendees want to have that face-to-face connection with businesses they're considering purchasing from.

So how can you best position your brand to garner some of that attention?

Choose the Right Show

Nothing is worse than paying for a trade show exhibit and expensive space at a trade show and then finding that your product or brand really doesn't fit with the overall atmosphere or theme of the show.

Take the time learn about the trade show before purchasing booth space. Determine whether or not your price is in line with other products at the show, what sort of atmosphere surrounds the show, and get a feel for what type of attendees the show attracts. This bit of homework can save you a lot of time and money.

Show Your Personality

Think back on the last trade show you attended. What was the most memorable trade show exhibit for you -- the one that just showed a display of the company's products and handed out some literature? Or the one that was interactive, charismatic and made people feel welcome.

Being outgoing and friendly is one of the more crucial parts of getting your booth noticed at a show. Make an effort to greet people passing by, strike up a conversation with them, and ask questions. Try to find out which of your prospect's problems your product could solve, then tell them about it.

And don't forget to exchange contact information or give the visitor your brochure or promo gift so they won't forget you as soon as they walk away.

Bring Along Promo Gifts

A promo gift that fits in with your product's theme and is branded with your logo and contact information is an invaluable tool at any trade show.

For best results, make your promo item something useful that relates to your company and printed with your information.

If it provides some sort of added value to the visitor, they’re more likely to hold onto it instead of throwing it in the trash once the show's over.

Design Your Space

A visually appealing trade show booth will draw in more visitors, and it doesn't have to cost you a fortune. All of your printed items should be of high quality.

Try using a banner stand or two next to a tabletop booth display of your product, brochures, and other materials. Banner stands are one of the more affordable display options at most trade shows.

Of course, if you have the budget for it, a fancy booth can be a great draw too -- but it's not a necessity for making your show appearance successful.

Trade shows can be a great source of prospects for small businesses, as long as you plan ahead.

For more information on trade show booths, contact The Exhibit Source.

Business Review

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