If you have ever attended a tradeshow, you know how overpowering the show floor can be from the time you walk in to the time you walk out. With the buzzing crowds of people walking around and the amount of vendor booths set up, who wouldn’t be overwhelmed? Now, let’s look at it from a vendor’s prospective. As a vendor, it is your job to make sure attendees come visit you, right?
So, knowing how attendee’s feel walking in, how do you think you can stand out from the other vendors? Is it even possible to attract attendees to visit you above all other vendor tables? The answer to these questions is YES! You simply need to focus and create a plan of action to ensure you have a successful tradeshow – meaning, you provide brand awareness of your product or service and are able to collect proper leads from those who are interested in your product or service. The following “secrets”, if executed properly, will help your tradeshow become a huge success.
1. Create a Strategy
Lay it all out on the table. Figure out the ins and outs of the entire show from what to expect from your target audience, to how to market yourself to other vendors exhibiting. Basically, creating a strategy comprises of finding out the who, what, why, and how’s of your tradeshow. Questions like Who is our target audience? and What message do we want them to take away from our booth? Are a few questions you should ask yourself. Other questions like How will we follow up with our leads? and How will we measure results after the show?
2. Market Before the Show
This is crucial to generate interest before the show, so attendees will make a point to see you when they show up to the show. Direct mail, social media, your email signature are a few ways you can market yourself pre-show. Offering an expo discount, coupon or sending one part of a two-part promotional item (where the attendee will visit your booth to redeem the second part) are all methods you can use to help entice attendees to visit.
3. Create an Experience for Attendees’
When exhibiting, you not only want to attract visitors, you want to engage them and educate them. Create an experience they will not forget because if they remember their experience, they will remember your brand over all others. So, first, focus on creating a welcoming exhibit display that sets a good tone for your company. The second part is to plan on how you will engage your attendees. Company uniforms, name badges, surveys, contests, prize wheels and other games will help you make sure your attendees will have a fun and memorable experience at your booth. Finally, make sure you take time to talk to attendees to educate them about your product or service.
4. Make an Offer
An offer provides a way for you to stay in contact with attendees. This is the information collection stage. Find out what you are going to offer to attendees and find out what they will get in return for taking advantage of the offer. For example, offer to enter their name into a drawing to win a free gift if they provide their contact information.
5. Follow Up!
Always, always follow up! This is a crucial step to a tradeshow and many exhibitors forget to follow up, or simply do not follow up. This is a mistake, in order to have an effective trade show, you must do something with the leads you generated during the show. A few ways you can follow up is to simply call all the prospects that gave you their contact information within 24-48 hours of the show. Send out prizes, materials, samples and even thank you letters for stopping by.
If you follow these secrets, and go that extra step to make sure you plan everything before you exhibit, your chances of having a successful tradeshow experience will be very rewarding. If you need further help and even more specific and creative ideas, Antina Promotions is always ready and willing to help clients make their next tradeshow successful!
Creating Memorable Impressions For Your Brand 