Mastering the art of effective participation in a trade show takes a lot of planning. Standing out in a large room filled with hundreds – or even thousands – of vendors and even more attendees is no small task. You can, however, make your products or services stand out from the rest with a unique trade show set up and customer-centric event experiences. With a bit of organization, preparation, and creativity, you can design show stopping event spaces for your next trade show or expo.
Must-Have Event Materials
Trade shows are a unique opportunity to be seen by hundreds of potential customers in a short amount of time. 88% of companies participate in trade shows to boost their brand awareness and 92% of event attendees come to these shows to find new products and services. Give your brand a boost with attention-grabbing marketing materials that will generate new business leads at your next event.
The first must-have for when interested customers ask for more information are business cards. They are an absolute must for trade shows. Order branded sales flyers and product brochures ahead of your next event as well, and have these items handy for potential new buyers. These marketing materials ensure you make a great first impression on new customers.
Make sure your trade show necessities like tables, tablecloths, and banners are branded and have a cohesive color palette. Having your contact information, product brochures and flyers readily available will create a sense of professionalism your guests will definitely notice. Creating a unified look for your event space will also help your company stand out from the pack in a good way.
Stand Out with Swag
A branded giveaway truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Research shows that people love receiving free promotional items. In fact, 85% of people who receive a branded piece of apparel can recall the advertiser’s name and 50% of customers are more likely to do business with a company that gives them a promotional item. Giveaways will also drive higher foot traffic to your company’s booth.
Event attendees will not be able to resist paying your booth a visit if you have awesome giveaways on hand. T-shirts, coffee mugs, and pens are some of the best promotional items to purchase for trade shows. According to a study conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute, 50% of U.S. consumers hold on to branded writing instruments and these promotional pens generate 2,805 impressions per giveaway. From coffee mugs to journals and popular branded pens, there are plenty of awesome items you can order for your upcoming events.
Make It Interactive
Customer engagement is key to any trade show event’s success. Even something as simple as making eye contact and being friendly and conversational with event attendees can make a big difference in how your business is perceived. People come to trade shows to engage with new businesses and network with their existing customer base. Whether interactions take place in store, online, or at a trade show, customer service is the key to expanding your brand.
Interactive event set ups create memorable touchpoints for your customer base. Enhance your event experience with product demonstrations and learning events. Event attendees will enjoy the opportunity to learn more about your company, products, and services. Add games to your booth for a fun way to interact with your customers and create a standout set up. When people see other guests having a great time at your event space, they will be excited to pay your brand a visit.
Add Some Height to Your Event Space
Branded signs and flags can add eye-popping height to your event space. Keep visibility and readability at the forefront of your design decisions so customers can easily find their way to your set up. The size and height of your signs and flags will depend on the trade show’s floor space and your booth location. If you need help deciding which sign size and layout is ideal for your booth, hiring a designer can set your signs up for success.
Ground-level signage and banners work well for passing foot traffic along floor aisles, but taller flags and signs with stands help customers across the event space easily find their way to your booth. As a good rule of thumb, one inch of letter height adds ten feet of readability. Add your logo and a simple branded message to your signage so customers can easily recognize where to find you.
Success with Step n Repeats
Social media presence can positively impact your brand recognition and sales before, during, and after a trade show event. Approximately 84% of event organizers use Facebook to promote their events followed by 61% who use Twitter and 42% who use Youtube. Give your brand a boost when you add a photo set up to your booth. New and established customers alike will enjoy a branded step n repeat with fun accessories.
Encourage your guests to post their pictures on social media with a trade show-themed giveaway. If the expo you attend has any related hashtags or geolocation tags, prompt customers to include this information and tag your business in their posts. Find accessories or costumes that reflect the theme of the trade show and encourage guests to wear these items in their photos. This social media engagement is a great way to build your brand’s online presence and position your company as the go-to for fun trade show event experiences.
A Showstopping Trade Show Set Up
In the era of Zoom meetings and conference calls, trade shows provide refreshing opportunities to meet your customers face to face. The impressions you make at these events can positively impact your business and sales. Following a live event experience, 38% of attendees visit the company’s website, 32% purchase products or services and 30% use or wear an item with the brand’s logo on it, such as a t-shirt or pen. Apply these tips to your upcoming trade show for an enticing event that will boost your business and make a lasting impression on your customers.
References
20 Powerful Stats on the Value of Trade Shows and Expos
Spingo
Suppliers: 18 Powerful Statistics On The Value Of Exhibiting At Tradeshows
Sage World
Branded Giveaways And Other Promotional Products: Do They Still Have An Impact?
Forbes
GLOBAL ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES IMPRESSIONS STUDY
Advertising Specialty Institute
https://media.asicentral.com/resources/impressions-study-2016.pdf
Maximising your Marketing Budget – What to consider When Planning Retail Signage
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/maximising-your-marketing-budget-what-consider-when-planning-vermaak/
15 Event Planning Industry Statistics and Trends
Brandon Gaille
https://brandongaille.com/14-event-planning-industry-statistics-and-trends/
HOW EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING FUELS BRAND LOYALTY
ATN Event Staffing
