6 Tips to Create a Standout Trade Show Booth

Posted by Cat Virca in Planning, Tips, Trends

The typical trade show floor looks like one trade show booth after another, rows of tables draped in cloth with bland backdrops. To build something that catches peoples’ attention, build a trade show booth that gives people a reason to check it out. Nathan Yerian tells us how simple it can be in his blog for HubSpot, “6 Tips for Building a Remarkable Trade Show Booth.”

1. Make an Investment in Your Booth. Your company is already putting a lot of time and money into the trade show, so make sure your booth stands out. What seems like an expensive booth now is more likely to be resusable for years to come. Choose a booth that can be modified in size. This gives you the flexibility to adapt to different venues without compromising the visual excitement of your booth or brand.

2. Win the Prize for Best Promotional Items. Generate buzz and attract attention by investing in high-quality swag (no pens, please). They don’t need to be large, expensive items – not everyone needs to win the “big prize.” Go for big impact with the giveaways to people who are real prospects. It gives you an opportunity to collect their contact information. You can also draw attention with an interactive game that lets the winners take home the big-impact prizes.

3. Be a Trade-Show Game Host! Host a game that’s related to your industry and give away prizes. If it’s a fun and positive experience, attendees will sign up to participate in the game. You’ll collect follow-up info, and your trade show booth could be the highlight of the show.

4. Offer a Product or Service Demo. Yerian suggests thinking of trade show attendees as recurring sales calls. This is your chance to demonstrate the value of your product or service to your target market, and show them in realtime why you should get their business. Focus on value, not features, and make it a hands-on demo, if you can, to get the audience involved.

5. Use Technology to Your Advantage. Digital signage and interactive touch screens attract attention and can help differentiate your booth. Use them to show processes, educate about your product or service, or display testimonials. Proximity marketing, or messaging attendees via their mobile phones, is catching on. Send special offers as people stroll past your booth, for example, using a platform like iBeacon.

6. Participate in Social Media. Social media can help you connect with people at the trade show as well as those who couldn’t make it (sometimes they’re the real decision makers). Actively use hashtages related to the trade show so attendees will see your posts, and capture images showing the positive energy at your booth.

Yeiran also offers a downloadable guide with ideas for making your trade show booth remarkable.

Read the full article.