If you’re reading this, you’re clearly a busy professional or business owner who understands the unparalleled face-to-face marketing, networking, and brand building opportunities that only a trade show, conference, or expo can provide. Sometimes it can really feel like a grind: here are some incredible tips – compiled from interviews with trade show gurus – to make the most of your floor time and rock that show.
Early Bird Gets the Sale
Preparation is key! Always plan to arrive far earlier than when the show/expo begins, and allow a lot of time before the doors open to get set up. At some conferences, all the guests will start pouring in as soon as the doors open, so it can quite easily go from calm to storm in the blink of an eye. Find out which room or hall it is located in: some convention centres can have as many as 10+ different halls, and where it is being held can impact where to park, where to unload your equipment and supplies, and how to direct your staff.
The event’s organizers will be able to assist you with all the crucially important info, such as: how many people will be attending, what time doors open, what time exhibitors can begin setting up and so much more.
Let Window Shoppers Take Your Product Out for a Test Drive
If you’re selling or promoting physical products, make sure to have a visual display. Customers are more likely to purchase products they can taste, test or touch. Many vendors and exhibitors have found great success from providing free product samples, tasters and/or swag.
Get Your Message Out There
Connecting with your demographic once is nice, but forever is better. A great strategy to build a clientele is to try and get their contact details – with consent, of course! In order to encourage sign ups, many brands employ techniques such as “Sign up to receive 20% off your first order” or “Sign up for our newsletter to be entered in our contest,” which have proven track records of success.
Pro tip: If you arm your exhibit staff with iPads, you don’t have to manually enter a box of barely-legible email addresses down the line.
Stand Out in a Sea of Black Curtains
Every single exhibitor is there for the same reason as you: to stand out and make an impact! In a sea of pipe and drape curtains, picnic tables and fold-up chairs, the only way to draw attention to yourself (and your business) is to get a little creative. Booths get more traffic and attention when they go above and beyond with their aesthetic: try colourful signage, lots of photos, interactive displays and fabulous curtains.
Don’t Throw Your Hard-Earned Profits Away on Rentals
Renting curtains, backdrops, and furniture for presentations and shows is pretty common in many industries. If you’re representing your business at multiple shows a year, you could be pouring your money down the drain! Not only are rentals cookie cutter and drab, but they defeat your purpose of standing out. Do plain black curtains that match every other booth really serve your purpose?
There’s a silver lining: QSD is a local business that supplies and manufactures fully customizable curtains and equipment. Backed with decades of expertise, QSD can help you design the curtain system of your dreams that not only perfectly fits your space, but – most importantly – stands out from your competition! Owning versus renting could save you money, and therefore increase your profits. Talk to us – we provide free quotes and can’t wait to help you rock your next trade show.
