Tips for Making Your Business a Hit at Exhibition Events
Big or small, exhibition events provide a wealth of opportunities. That’s because, no matter what the industry is, from tech to crafts, there’s an exhibition event out there for you to network, find new clients, and so on. A successful exhibition can mean expansion, it could mean innovation, or it could just mean you attended. How successful you are depends entirely on how well you break the mold, and, more importantly, how great you are at it.
Getting noticed, of course, is only half the battle. Having a great sales pitch and a parting gift can seal the deal. Then, of course, there are the traditional obstacles – budget. You know you could easily set up an interactive booth if you could only afford not only the space, but to have the booth installed and the digital programming and electronic devices necessary to showcase your ideas. Figuring that there’s no way you can stand out without a budget (no matter the goal) is a fallacy.
No matter what your budget is, and no matter what kind of event, you can be a hit at every exhibition event:
Getting People to Your Booth
Boldness gets noticed, which is why having large, thought-provoking posters can get people to turn their heads. Opt for energetic colors to stand out, and simplicity to intrigue guests over to you. Similarly, not all interactive options require a hefty budget or any programming at all. You could have discount deals on origami cranes that you hang over your booth that guests can then take. You can have a photography wall that brings in guests, and, if you can swing it, take professional photos that the guests will then have to find on your Facebook page.
Adding a touch of fun to your booth is what you need to be a hit because people want to have a good time. Business usually feels like second when you make the experience fun, and giving people a good time will help them remember you. Being remembered is one of the primary goals, because, even if the introduction does not lead to a new client, it could lead to a new customer down the line.
Fun ideas are what generate buzz. Have games, bold designs, and creativity on your side, and it won’t matter who has the bigger booth – people will come by to see you.
Mixing Fun and Informative
Getting people to your booth is the first part of the battle, the second is to have a pitch that feels fun. You’ve already excited every guest who has come by, so now it is time to seal the deal with a speech that doesn’t sound like a speech. To achieve this, train your employees. They shouldn’t have a script to memorize; they should be able to tell guests about your company and about the benefits of either being a client or a customer in a myriad of different ways. Break up the interview by drawing the guest into an interactive part of your booth, pace it out so that it feels natural, and you’ll hold on to their attention the whole way through.
Tip: Take your guests on a journey. You could have a quiz where they need to guess what they are looking at, and then zoom it out to show them the full picture. This is a great tactic if you are a sustainable or eco-friendly company and you want to hammer home the environmental impacts of your industry, for instance. Inviting people in with curiosity will shock them when they find out that truth. From there, you can offer a solution.
Go Beyond Your Booth
Sticking by your booth the whole time means you’re limiting yourself to your platform. You could instead have invitations and have your employees mingle, giving these invitations only out to clients most likely to work with you. This exclusivity and even the secrecy can be very exciting, so long as you do it well.
Even if your main exhibition space is your booth, you can still find ways to venture beyond it and bring more people to you. If your booth is dominated by a bright color, for instance, you can have one of your employees dress in that color and walk around a few times. Association by familiarity can bring people to you without them even realizing it.
A Parting Gift
Parting gifts are quite common at trade shows, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid them entirely. People love getting free stuff, especially if that stuff has value. You could have an event lined up for after the trade show, for example, and give out invitations for free access to that event, and so on. Food, trinkets, and little toys are always a bit draw, no matter how old your guests are. When it comes to choosing the right gifts to provide, you need to strike a balance between informative and fun. An example of this is to have a Polaroid or printer at your booth, take a photo of your guest holding some promotional gimmick (keep it fun!). You can then put that photograph into a custom lanyard from Wholesale Lanyards. They will not only part with a fun memory, but all the pertinent information from your booth.
Trade shows are valuable if they are done right. If they aren’t, they can be a waste of time and money. Standing out and more importantly, connecting with your guests is what will not only make you a trade show hit but also provide the most return on investment (ROI). Invite, interest, and surprise your guests. Do this, and you will make an impact on them. Continue this burgeoning relationship by having a follow-up event (an after-party or meet-and-greet) that you can invite them to. That way, your success does not only rely on the trade show – you have more time to court a collection of clients and prove to them that you are the best person to work with.
