Trade shows present an excellent opportunity for businesses to get their name out there, reinforce their brand, and interact with customers. However, you are only going to experience all of these benefits if you plan and execute your trade show effectively. With that being said, read on to discover some helpful tips that will ensure your next trade show is a huge success.
Giveaway something unusual
No doubt, you will already recognise that promotional products are an important part of any trade show. However, as you are going to be competing with a bunch of other businesses, you need to stay away from anything too obvious, such as corporate pens and mugs. Instead, why not choose something unusual, which people are not going to expect? This is the sort of thing that is going to make an impact and get people talking. Some good examples include corporate headphones and sunglasses. For some more suggestions, head to Brandables.com. Reusable bags are pretty common, but they are a good option because people are going to need a bag to put all of their other freebies in. Just make sure your bag is big so that is selected over any other reusable bags being given out.
Engage on social media
Social media is an excellent promotional tool for businesses today. Not only should you advertise the trade show on your social media platforms, but you can use this to follow up afterwards. You should also make the most of different content mediums, including photographs, short videos, and blog posts.
See what you are up against
When marketing in general, or carrying out any type of important business activity, it is always wise to see what your business’ competition is doing. Take your time to do your research about the competing businesses at the trade show. Are there going to be any businesses there that you are in direct competition with? If so, how are you going to make sure you stand out for all of the right reasons?
Plan ahead
Planning ahead is another important step when it comes to trade shows, otherwise, you can end up with missed deadlines and inflated budgets. Start by defining your goals. What do you aim to get out of your attendance? This will provide the perfect foundation for your plan. Don’t merely create one plan – put together a backup plan too.
Use design to your advantage
Of course, it would not be right to talk about trade shows without mentioning the design of your booth. The importance of choosing a booth design firm with care cannot be underestimated. You need to look at their portfolio, as well as reading reviews that have been left by prior clients. Head to Eventmanagerblog.com and you can see 100 ideas regarding trade show booths for 2018.
Follow up
Failing to follow up after a trade show is one of the worst things you can do. Nothing will diminish your return quicker. Information could be lost because timeframes for getting in touch with potential leads have passed. With that in mind, creating a plan for following up is a critical step for all businesses.
Create a video about your brand
At any trade show, it is the norm for every business in attendance to have representatives that will talk about the company and their products and services. However, you can go one step further and attract people to your booth by throwing in a visual asset in the form of a cool and modern video.
Make sure your employees are well brief and engaged
The final thing you need to do is make sure you brief all of your employees well and make certain that they engage with people on the day. If your both consists of employees that are engaged in other tasks, such as typing on their laptop, people are going to feel like they are not welcome. At any trade show, your employees play a pivotal role, so make sure they are prepared.
So there you have it: plenty of different tips that you can use to make sure your next trade show is a success. As you have probably gathered, it is not just about the trade show itself, but it is about your efforts beforehand and afterwards too. From planning and marketing to following up, all of this comes together to ensure that your presence at a trade show has been a success.
