You just paid to set up your tradeshow booth. You’re all packed up, tablets loaded with spreadsheets and information tailored to the visitors you expect to receive. On the big day, you set up your booth and all of the freebies meant to entice people to draw people in, and you sit back waiting for the magic to happen. But it doesn’t. What gives?
The goal isn’t get get people in to pick up a handful of candy and a free pen, it’s to get the people in talking about your business and asking questions – showing an interest in what you have to offer. But in a sea of booths and a limited amount of time, it can be difficult to draw them in. A typical attendee starts the day by walking the show floor, planning the tradeshow exhibits they intend on visiting ahead of time, the must-sees. How can you make it on that list? Here are some tips on how to get visitors to engage with your booth so you can make your trip to the trade show worthwhile.
- Steal the show. There are numerous ways to really stand out in the crowd, and they involve being unforgettable. Basically, you want to have some sort of visual draw, and I’m not talking about the banner graphics or monitors! I’m talking an illusionist, celebrity impersonator, celebrity themselves if you’re that lucky, or some form of can’t-be-ignored personality to get people to wonder, “What’s up with that? I need to check that tradeshow booth out!” And while trendy is good, think long and hard about becoming a trendsetter instead. You want to stand out!
- Giveaways. Sure, people will take those pens, but they’ll be more apt to talk to someone working in your booth if you get them to stop by and enter a giveaway. For ensured engagement, offer something that is irresistible, but only if they answer a few questions about your company. This gets them either asking questions or reading handouts provided at your booth! If you can, offer up free samples to give away as well. If you hype up that there will only be a set amount of free samples available (“First 500 visitors get a free ________”), you’re likely to see a rush of people early on.
- Knowledge is power. Is your company considered a leader in your industry or field? Then people will flock to your booth to sign up for an e-publication of some form. Advertise it like crazy, and watch your email contact list grow. For ease of download, offer a QR code upon signup that leads directly to the e-publication.
- Free wifi. If you advertise that your booth offers free wifi to visitors, you’ll see people flock to your tradeshow exhibit all day long. Yes, I know the exhibition hall offers wifi, but it’ll likely be so clogged up with people tweeting, emailing, and posting status updates, no one will be able to do anything. Set up an Internet cafe-ish area, and watch the people come.
- Advertising. Sure, you want to advertise your presence ahead of time on your company Facebook page and Twitter account, but are you paying for a spot on the event’s website? More importantly, are you purchasing ad space on their mobile app? Don’t ignore this – more people are checking out the mobile app than the website!
- Social media-based giving. When it comes to engagement, you really need to think outside of the box. Increasingly, businesses are realizing that their customers appreciate a charitable gift, and are more likely to do business with a company that does good. Come up with a way to donate – you can have visitors sign a logbook (advertise on social media ahead of the event to guarantee people stop by to sign it), and donate a set amount per email address. For a more creative approach, have people take a picture at your booth on Instagram and assign a specific hashtag – each picture associated with that hashtag counts as a monetary donation from your company.
- Check in. Don’t ignore this simple task – those who check in to the event upon arrival will see others who’ve checked in. Be sure you’re on that list!
It takes a bit of hard work and creative thinking, but you can drive up your engagements on the tradeshow floor. Don’t let your tradeshow exhibit budget go to waste – contact Blazer Exhibits today to learn how we can help you get noticed!