Trade fairs can benefit your business on so many levels, but they do take some serious amount of organization, planning, and execution to get right. That is why before you dip your toe in the water of expos it’s a good idea to find out all about how to not just survive, but thrive as well. Something the post below goes into in detail.
Being visually captivating
One of the most vital elements of creating an effective stand at a trade fair is to be as visually captivating as possible. Now there are many ways of doing this, but usually, the most successful stands have a combination of three main factors.
The first factor is an aesthetic clarity that involves branding, company colors and the way that you stand is dressed. It’s the same principle as in a fancy restaurant where people ‘eat with their eyes’ before they have even taken a bite. It is the visual appeal that is most effective in attracting attention. Therefore a clear and ordered stand will draw the eye without it becoming too overwhelming.
The next visual aspect to consider is ensuring that your stand is finished professionally. This means paying attention to extra details such as providing crisp white table clothes to cover functional benches, getting your signage and photos done with foam board printing instead of just using posters, and attending to finishing touches such as fresh flowers, complimentary sweets, and other giveaway items.
Check out the great trade show booth examples in the video above.
The last visual fact to consider is the presentation of the employees running your stall. Smart business attire is suitable, but company-branded clothing is better as it gives off a much more cohesive vibe that will complement the other visual aspects well.
Create a vibe
Speaking of vibes, it’s not just the visual aspects of your stand that can contribute to these. In fact, the most successful booths are the ones that can successfully create a buzz around what they are presenting.
There is a range of options available to you for doing this as well. One is to use music to separate yourself from your competitors and create added attention. Pick something that complements the tone of your brand and ensures that you have enough variety that neither you or your guest get sick of it before the end of the day!
Another way to create a positive vibe around your booth is to bring along a fun focal point. This is usually where tech comes in as you can use TV screens, interactive displays, simulators, and VR experience to get people enthused about your products and services. Other successful options to consider including a photo booth, as these are easy to transport and assemble, or of you are looking for a super high etch option why not offer an AR experience directed at your target demographic?
VR and other tech are a great way of increasing customer engagement at trade shows.
The thing about using tech in this way is that it is a double win. This is because it gives the impression that your company is successful, and at the cutting edge of your field. However, it also automatically creates a sense of curiosity and a desire to engage just by the nature of the platform itself, making it a valuable resource.
Be proactive
Next, it’s vital to remember that creativity can make the difference between sinking and swimming in a trade fair situation. Yes, people will come to your stand, and some might even engage you in conversation, but instead of hiding away and hoping the will pass quickly, it’s important to get out there and network.
Now, this is much easier for the extroverted than the introvert, but that doesn’t mean the latter cannot experience success in these areas as well. Something that this post goes into more detail on.
The main thing to remember is, no matter what your personality type, smiling, and handing out information that is useful, or a free gift that has some value to the expo attendees is a great, proactive way to bring people to your stand. Then the folks staffing the stand itself can further engage potential customers with their expertise and the material and resources they have available.
Educate the audience
Offering some educational and entertaining presentations and workshops while at an expo is another way that you can engage potential customers and get the most out of your stand fees. Perhaps you can demonstrate how using your product or service will make people’s lives easier or save them money?
Another option is to create a presentation that involves using your product to make something, or offering some useful information on a related area in the field in which you specialize. Follow this up with some videos in the same vein too, and it can help you to raise your brand awareness and get those in your target demographic engaged with your products.
Offers work
Some of the most successful trade stands that I have seen at expos are ones that don’t just try and educate people about their brand, but also use the fair itself as a great way to shift their product.
There is no need to be shy about this either, as stock can all but fly off the shelves if you price and market it right. The best way to do this is to offer a discount on individual items in the form of a special offer for the length of the fair only. Then add to this by providing a further discount when customers purchase multiple items.
Be sure to have branded bags though, so other fairgoers can see that people are buying from you. Then you get even more free advertising and can truly cash in on this opportunity.
Of course, if you haven’t got a product that is small or mobile enough to sell from you stand there are other ways that you can encourage sales that are directly linked to you fair attendance. Offer a substantial discount for using a trade fair discount code that you give out, and be sure to make this a limited time offer to encourage people to act as soon as possible.
Get organized
Next, a massive mistake that many trade fair noobs make is that they forget that pulling off a successful trip is all about being organized. To do this effectively, you have to remember that it can take some time to put things like this together.
Remember that the printers will need advance warning to create boards, banners, flyers and business cards. You will also need to consider the type of tech you want to hire well before the event and make sure that you get the booked up with plenty of time to spare.
Don’t forget either that you need to consider your transport situation, as some business may need to hire a van to get all of their resources and stock to the site in an efficient manner.
Offer a trade
Lastly, but perhaps most crucially, the thing to remember about a trade fair is that you are completing with hundred if not thousands of other companies for potential customers time and attention. In fact, some of these other may be your closest competitors.
Branded free gifts and samples will definitely get people’s attention.
What this means is that you need to have something of value to attract people to your stand in the first place and to trade with them in payment for their time, attention and most importantly of all their contact details which can then be turned into warm leads at a later date.
What you offer as a trade can vary. It could be the chance to participate in a giveaway, the opportunity to be entertained, the chance to try out some new tech, or the opportunity to get a discount on products they are interested in. In fact, on occasion companies use a combination of all of these to ensure that they don’t just survive at their first trade fair bit that they genuinely thrive instead.
