Deciding what to do at a trade show can mean the difference between success and failure. Here, we provide a list of tips to help you succeed.
It can be difficult to figure out what to do at a trade show. On the one hand, everything is there in front of you. Hundreds, maybe thousands of potential leads roam near the edges of your booth.
On the other hand, competition is everywhere. Dozens of businesses, many just like yours, all lined up in row after row, competing for attention. How to stand out?
In this article, we discuss exactly that. Read on to learn more about what to do at your trade show.
Have a Draw
Your booth will be lost in the throng of all that is going on unless you can find a way to set yourself apart from the people around you. Giveaways, games, refreshments, and other attention grabbers are all good ways to get the job done, but you can’t go about it half-heartedly.
Keep in mind that most people will have this same idea. Your attention grabber needs to be…well, grabbing. Digital Spin Wheels are a great way to get people’s attention because they are:
- Fun and straightforward
- Easy to set up
- Covid friendly (players can play from their phones)
Incentivize Social Engagement
Also, consider incentivizing engagement through giveaways. Social media is a huge boon for getting the word out, about your booth while you are at the trade show, and about your business as a whole when you aren’t.
Consider rewarding participants for making posts that involve either information about your booth, or your company yourself. The prizes don’t necessarily have to be big—a free coffee or donut say—and the publicity you get for your efforts will be well worth it.
Create Content
While you’re at the show, it’s great if you can take photos and videos of people interacting with your booth, using your products, and more. These can come in handy for long after the trade show is over when you need imagery for your website and marketing campaigns and don’t want to be reduced to public domain media.
Visit Other Booths!
That right, you’re not a prisoner at your booth! As long as you have someone else still manning your booth, take some time to walk around and meet with the other exhibitors. You can see what’s working for other businesses, network, learn more about your industry, and maybe even find another company that makes sense to partner with. Don’t trap yourself at your booth all day!
Focus on Converting Visitors Into Leads
Even if you charm everyone you come into contact with, you can’t necessarily expect the interactions to go anywhere on their own. Remember that everyone you meet will have visited dozens of other booths.
By the end of the show, they will probably have a hard time keeping you straight from the many other people and businesses they met. Unless, of course, you establish a way to follow up with them.
Sign them up for your company newsletter. Get their contact information. Have them follow you on social media. Something, anything to guarantee future contact.
Without a way of guaranteeing future interactions you just can’t be sure you’ve accomplished anything at all with your time at the trade show.
What To Do During Your Trade Show: Conclusion
Trade shows are tricky, there can be no denying that. During your everyday life, you are of course, quite aware of your competition. At trade shows, however, you see them operating in real-time. Of course, it’s very possible to leave the show with a stack of leads. You just have to make sure to use your time there wisely.
