Think back to your last trade show. Which booth do you remember? There are only two or three booths that are recalled by any visitor to a trade show. It’s just too overwhelming.
To be effective your booth must stop folks in their tracks. It must provide a reason for them to interact with you. The marketing message must be simple and easy to remember.
The booth that wins best of show always has…a theme that is fun.
For example: When I exhibited at the Direct Marketing Association show at McCormick Place in Chicago – I knew I’d need a gimmick. I wanted national direct mail prospects to know that my print and mail service was centrally located in Wisconsin. My theme was “Wisconsin produces much more than cheese – Print and Mail at ABC Company.” I served up a cheese tray of Wisconsin aged cheddar samples. Everyone in the booth wore a Cheesehead hat. We wore cheese-art ties. There was a drawing for a Wisconsin cheese gift box.
We were the hit of the show. People wanted to pose with the cheeseheads for pictures. They brought colleagues to our booth for cheese samples and to sign up for the drawing. Every visitor remembered the cheesehead booth when we followed up after the show.
There were hundreds of booths and thousands of attendees. But my booth was one of the few that was remembered.
How will you get attendees to stop at your booth during you next trade show? I’ve compiled a list of 11 ideas that will help you start brainstorming.
Attend a local show – not in your industry – and borrow an idea from the most memorable booth. Businesses at smaller shows come up with great low cost themes.
- Get controversial. If there is an issue that concerns everyone in your industry – make a statement – on signage, t-shirts, hats and educational handouts. You’ll have people talking to you.
- Start a petition. People love to have their voices heard. They’ll remember that you helped them send a message to the governing bodies.
- Try video marketing. This is becoming a huge online tool. It works in trade show booths too. Stream video from a live event, a tour of your business a product demo. Make the video available as premium on CD.
- Create a game or contest. The more visual, interactive and fun, the more people you’ll attract.
- Do have a drawing. Don’t let everyone enter. They must provide name, address, phone and e-mail or they don’t get to enter. Ask a yes/no survey question that qualifies them as a prospect. You’ll have their undivided attention while they fill out the form. More importantly you’ll have their contact info for follow up marketing.
- Dress up. Everyone in your booth needs to dress for the show. Wear matching hats, t-shirts, ties, corporate wear or even fake mustaches. But something that identifies employees and carries out the theme. Goofy can be fun and memorable.
- Get out from behind the table. Move your 10 foot skirted barrier to the back of the booth. This will invite visitors into your booth. They can talk to you without being jostled by other attendees passing by.
- Don’t sit on folding chairs. You never want a customer to be looking down at you while you pitch your product. Stand up or sit on a stool. A 4 foot high counter or podium inside the booth is perfect place for you and the prospect to speak eye to eye.
- Make your own 4×3 name badges. Your first name should big and bold. Include your full name, title, company and booth number. Pin your name badge on the right side of your chest so it is visible when shaking hands. Exhibitor name tags provided by the show are usually hard to read. If on a lanyard they hang down at your waist and 50% of the time the dang thing is flipped backwards. Provide readable name badges for everyone working your booth.
- Be a guerilla marketer. Make noise – within show rules – that adds to your theme. Bells, whistles, instruments, a microphone or recorded sounds attract attention. Create smell. Aromatic food really draws a crowd.
- Keep visits short. Don’t let a visitor tie you up for 30 minutes with long winded tales. Your job is to greet and meet as many good prospects as possible. You want to tease them with your pitch, get their contact info and then offer to follow up after the show.
Trade shows are an effective marketing strategy. They are an excellent way to meet customers and increase your company’s exposure. Make every appearance a memorable event for you and your customers…and you’ll certainly increase your ROI.
Posted on November 29, 2011
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