How to Drive Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth
How to Drive Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth
How to Make Your Trade Show Booth Stand Out
Trade show season is fast approaching! From January to March, the trade show industry is at its peak, with expos and industry conventions in cities across the country. In the wake of the pandemic shutdown, in-person events have returned with enthusiasm. In the spring of 2022, we saw a major decrease in B2B event cancellation rates, and overall, the trade show industry is on track to continue growing toward pre-pandemic numbers.
It’s estimated that the trade show planning industry will reach $18.2 billion, which is a massive increase after having dropped to just $11.5 billion during the widespread shutdown in 2020. And, though hybrid events seem to be part of the new normal, 95% of trade show professionals prefer in-person corporate events. Trade shows are here to stay—trade show exhibitors and event attendees have seen massive success with connections made during in-person trade shows.
These events bring exciting possibilities for you and your company, as they have for generations. 60% of respondents to a survey of professionals reported plans to attend more future trade shows. With the industry investing in its future, it’s the perfect time for you and your company to start planning your trade show appearances!
But with the increasing number of corporate events, each with a higher turnout than in recent years, how do you set your company apart? How can you get people to stop at your booth when there are dozens more? At Merchology, we want to help your company put its best foot forward. 90% of trade show attendees say they attend these events actively seeking new products and services, so now is the time to get ready to present your company’s unique goods and skillsets! Below are some tips for how to make your trade show booth stand out!
Trade Show Booth Ideas for Your Next Corporate Event
Spread the Word About Your Booth Beforehand
With digital media in your corner, it’s easy to start the buzz about your trade show or expo appearance before the day comes! And, by using a similar design scheme in your promotional marketing, event attendees will instantly recognize your display. You can also use social media and email marketing to hint at surprises or giveaways at your booth—get them excited and leave them wanting more!
Staff Your Booth Well
It’s important to have the right people staffing your trade show booth. 59% of marketers say that salespeople are the best employees to station at your booth. In general, they’re charismatic, approachable, easy to talk to, and knowledgeable about your company. Along with the company leaders and managers, you need to bring to your expo or industry conference, be sure to bring members of your sales team, and you’ll have potential clients and business partners flocking to your booth in no time!
Create an Eye-Catching Display
Using bright colors will automatically draw the eyes of trade show attendees. Be creative with your brand’s colors, and don’t be afraid to use them boldly. You don’t want your booth to get lost in the noise of the event, so avoid using washed-out colors. Of course, it’s important to stick to your branding, so splashing a handful of random neon colors won’t do much for you. Odds are, your brand colors are bold, particularly your primary brand color, so you’ll be able to create brand recognition while drawing eyes (and traffic) to your booth!
Show Your Excitement!
Potential clients and business partners can sniff out what’s genuine and what isn’t. If you show your real passion and excitement for your businesses, it can set you apart from others in your industry who aren’t excited to be there. Don’t be afraid to smile, laugh with people, and have a good time! If you’re having fun, the people around you will, too. Those you spoke with will associate you and your brand with a positive memory, and they’ll be more likely to seek you out after the event! Great conversations can turn into business dinners, which can turn into real partnerships. So have fun!
Create an Interactive Experience
You can give facts and figures about your company’s success rates all day long, but unfortunately, most of it will go in one ear and out the other. We’re often more likely to remember visual demonstrations than data points, although data is necessary for promoting your brand. Give an interactive product demonstration to show that your company’s goods live up to the hype. Host a game that gets your visitors to participate. Offer discount codes in exchange for a selfie and a tag on social media. Give your potential new contacts a chance to interact with you and your brand, and you’ll be stuck in their heads.
Be a Convenient Place to Stop
What better way to create a positive impression than to offer a helping hand? Trade shows and industry conventions are long days full of walking, learning, presenting, and networking. Make your booth a place where people can stop to rest! Set up a charging station so people have a place to plug in their phones. Offer coffee refills, canned beverages, water bottles, and snacks to give tired attendees a pick-me-up. Set up seating so people have a place to get off their feet and have relaxed chit-chat or a moment of quiet time.
Make Your Giveaways Memorable
At trade shows, everyone is handing out branded items. So, to make your custom merch memorable, you have to start with the right products. Everyone else will be handing out cheap, disposable giveaway items that everyone will throw away as soon as the conference is over. Investing in high-quality. Give away larger items like custom electronics or logo-branded coolers as raffles or social media prizes. For smaller trade show handout gifts, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity. At Merchology, we have custom giveaway gifts that are available at lower price points but still offer excellent quality. Be sure that your trade show gifts are in line with your company’s brand message and values by choosing memorable, prime merch products. Check out our Custom Trade Show Giveaways Buyers Guide for ideas for this trade show season!
Contact Us at Merchology
Need more custom merch options for your next trade show, expo, or industry conference? Contact a Merchologist today with any questions about products, logo decoration, shipping, and more!