Companies large and small are always looking for ways to boost their bottom lines. Some company leaders do this by cutting costs and others do it by trying to pump up their profits. Most of them, though, use a combination of these two strategies. It is also important for the company to make sure it is also investing in itself. The age-old adage of “you need to spend money to make money” is as true today as it was ten or a hundred years ago. One way to invest in yourself as a company is to attend trade shows, but if you are going to spend the time and money to do that, it is important that you get the most out of it. Trade shows are tremendous opportunities to meet new clients and customers, check out the competition, and learn more about what is new in your industry. So take the time to design and build the best trade show booth possible, one that will attract more people to come inside. Below are some tips on how to do that.
Build up the hype before the trade show
The people attending the trade show, both the customers and the competition, often take the time to look up who will be having booths. Make sure you are signed up well in advance, so you can begin advertising and promoting your booth long before you arrive. Use large, vibrant pictures to make it look inviting and talk about what you will have there, even if you can’t list it specifically.
Use social media to bring in customers
Hopefully your company already has Facebook and Twitter accounts and you are using them to promote your brand. Make sure you are also using them to announce that you will be at the trade show, and mention some of the specifics of what you will be doing there. Announce, for example, a raffle that you need to stop by the trade show booth to enter.
Make your booth bold and colorful
It doesn’t matter how much you promote or advertise your trade show booth, if it doesn’t look inviting and exciting, nobody is going to bother to stop. So make sure you spend some time and money on the design of your trade show booth. When you are in a room with hundreds of other booths, you need for yours to stand out. Use bold colors to make that happen, but don’t use too many. Pick no more than three colors, make them good ones, and use them aplenty!
Use your airspace
Trade show booths are small by nature, and it is always up to you to make the most out of the space that you have been allotted. If you are one booth in a crowded room, try hanging something in the airspace above your booth. When people look up, they will be able to see it no matter where they are in the auditorium. You can also build a tower up from your booth. It will catch a lot of eyes!
Hand out good giveaways
Let’s be honest, sometimes you need to “bribe” people into your trade show booth. This is because everyone else is doing it and you shouldn’t be ashamed to join in the game. But why not hand out something a little more interesting than a pen? Canvas tote bags are great, useful options.
About the Author: Michael Klein has been writing about trade show displays for various companies like Nimlok Trade Show Displays for more than 5 years. When not writing, Michael loves to watch baseball and practice his golf game at the local range.
