Leading up to the day of a big tradeshow, most of your efforts will be focused on the actual day – what your tradeshow booths should look like, what the setup will be, who will sell or demonstrate your product or service and so on. But to be really successful at a tradeshow, you have to begin marketing well before the day of the show. Here’s how to make it all work.
1. Let people know that you are going to attend a tradeshow. Do you have a company newsletter? If not, start one now, and let your current clients know that you will soon be attending a tradeshow. Tell the people on your newsletter list that you will be demonstrating new items (if this is true), showing what your product can do, and giving away some items for free. If you make the show sound fun and interesting, you will attract current and prospective clients.
2. Spread it socially. It can be hard to get people that follow you on a social network to see what you’re up to in the real world. Let your followers know that you are working on something really interesting that will appear at an upcoming show, and you may get a follower or two to check out your company in person.
3. Think of something fun. If you aren’t great at creative brainstorming, work with your team to devise a really fun tradeshow activity, contest, or giveaway. You can tie in social networking with your upcoming show exhibit by starting a contest via social media, and then taking that contest to the next level by giving away prizes during a show.
4. Develop a solid plan. Leading up to the show, make sure that you have the right people in place to display your products, show off your business, and really network with attendees. A really good tradeshow plan should take a few weeks to develop, and that includes building out a custom tradeshow display that will help your company to stand out.
5. Think the other way too – tell the people that show up at your tradeshow booth that they can win something by liking your page on Facebook or by signing up for a newsletter. Consider a contest like a raffle to really get people involved (and food works great too – give away chocolate to anyone that signs up for your service!).
6. Don’t underestimate your marketing materials. If you are going to spend a lot of money on an amazing display booth and exhibit design (and it’s not a bad idea to do so), connect that tradeshow booths design with the marketing materials you hand out to clients. You can design brochures and business cards to match your booth display and vice versa. Showing that you have thought about all the details really reflects on the way that you run your business.
Building Your Booth
One of the biggest mistakes that companies make when it comes to tradeshows is thinking that a product or service can stand out all on its own. While it’s true that your company is entirely unique, it’s really tough to make a booth pop in a sea of thousands of other booths – just think of all the people that attend the big tradeshows! You will have to find a way to make your exhibit design stand out, and that includes ordering a display booth that is bold, showcases your message perfectly, and attracts visitor attention. There are multiple options to choose from when it comes to your tradeshow setup too.
If you don’t have a huge budget, consider purchasing used tradeshow booths – we can still customize any used display or booth that you see on our site, just ask! You can also rent out a booth to make things a bit simpler on your wallet. However, the booths that really stand out the most are the ones that are built from scratch based on your specifications. We can really make any design happen, and we can even incorporate various elements into your display like lighting, logos, interactive technology, and so much more. Call us today to speak with one of our designers, and see what a difference a really good display makes.
Keep in mind that there’s a lot of prep work to do before you even get to the tradeshow floor, so make sure you do the legwork!