Three things you are likely to see at a trade show? Clowns, costumes, and caricaturists. Trade shows can be a great opportunities to network and generate new leads. But between booth rental, labor costs, travel, food, hotels, and supplies, trade shows are also a big investment and everyone wants to know how to get the most for their money. In order to get the best possible return you need to drive as much traffic to your booth as possible. The key is to distinguish yourself from the competition and attract your ideal customer. That’s why we have four tips to drive traffic to your trade show booth.
Some Tips For Driving Traffic To Your Trade Show
Plan Ahead
Over half of trade show attendees plan a list of whom they’re going to visit before ever entering the convention center doors. When your attendees are planning ahead, that means you should be, too. Typically only five percent of an event budget goes to pre-show promotions. And many of your competitors won’t make any effort to connect with attendees beforehand. Set your business apart by putting together a targeted email or direct mail campaign that will encourage attendees to stop by your booth. Consider something like a postcard to make a strong first impression before the show.
Offer An Incentive
Once you’ve reached your target audience through a pre-show mailing, you need to provide them with a solid reason to show up. If you have a new product launching make sure you promote that. If you aren’t launching a new product consider making a special offer. It could be a price promotion, a show discount, or even just a special gift for coming by your booth. Keep your target audience in mind when you are putting together your incentive. While offering an iPad giveaway might get people into your booth, it doesn’t help in the end if those attendees aren’t your target market. Make your incentive something that is targeted toward your ideal customer. It could be a free consultation or a premium promotional item that’s not available to every show attendee. Perhaps you have them mention something from the mailing to be eligible. It’s also a great way to tie in your incentive to your pre-show promotion.
Connect on Social Media
You can begin connecting with trade show attendees before the event happens and continue building that relationship long after the show ends. Check to see if there is an event hashtag that you can use in your posts, as well as tag the event if there is an event page on Facebook, or a handle on Twitter. Create a unique hashtag for your presence at the event and throughout the show post videos, pictures, and anything interesting that happens in your booth. Invite customers who visit your booth to post on social media using your hashtag as well. Use those social media posts as entries for a giveaway. Encourage people to share about your booth on social media for their chance to win a gift. Make sure that the gift has a perceived high value and that it is branded with your company logo. You want attendees to be excited about entering and you want the winner to remember where the item came from. Create signage in your booth that highlights the social media giveaway. And train event booth staff to mention the giveaway as part of their pitch.
Look Sharp
A strong visual appeal and a good layout are essential when you are working in a 10×10 trade show booth. With that amount of space you have about four seconds to draw someone in as they are walking by. The most important thing in booth design is the signage. You want to attract the people who know you, and you want everyone who walks by to know who you are. Make sure that your display is attractive and that it showcases your products or services. Think about creating a layout that invites people in and gives them room to hang out for awhile. Don’t make your booth staff feel stuck behind a table. You want them to be able to freely interact with visitors. Include a benefit-oriented sign. This sign should be highly visible, give people a good reason to stop, and include a solution to a business problem. Other things to consider for your booth include padded flooring mats or even chairs in your booth. Attendees will welcome a spot where they can rest their feet, and it gives you more time to talk to them. Don’t be afraid to be specific with your trade show targeting. It’s okay if your booth doesn’t appeal to every attendee. Focusing on your target customer will get you the leads and networking that you came for. Safeguard Premier Branding Solutions knows that it takes a mixed-media approach when it comes to preparing for a trade show. That’s why we offer valuable solutions for marketing and printing needs to companies nationwide. Give us a call today to discuss your next trade show and see how we can get you the best rates based on your needs.