One of the most impactful ways of improving your business is to run a trade show booth. It doesn’t matter what tradeshow you attend as long as it has something to do with your business. For example, if you sell an electronic product or interesting piece of technology, then your dream trade show to attend would be CES.
However, when you finally get an invitation or accepted into a well-known trade show, you probably have no idea where to start or how to run it successfully. Fear not! To prepare you for your trade show debut, here is a couple of tips on how to wow the crowd and knock your business into the stars to get more recognition. You’ll attract more customers, investors will get curious and you might even be able to snag an employee or two!
Source: Flickr
Attract crowds with a unique and welcoming design
You aren’t going to pull people in with a simple sign that has your company logo and name. You need to improve your appearances and create something fantastic that will draw in curious people. Set up some open-plan demonstrations of your products, have some employees go with you and dress up smartly to try and attract crowds, or hire someone to create a booth with bright lights, eye-catching designs and luxurious furniture.
Not only do you need to attract people with your booth design, but you also need to make yourself seem approachable. Having some of your employees come along with you is a great way to encourage interaction between people, and they’ll be the perfect staff members for potential clients and investors to speak with because they work for you and understand your products. Make sure you set up demo screens and stations where people can try your products and prepare leaflets to hand out to anyone that’s interested.
Source: Flickr
Don’t neglect security
Although trade shows are usually well-policed, it doesn’t hurt to equip you and your staff members with identification so that you stand out among crowds when people wish to talk to you about your product. Some simple Tyvek wristbands will do the job nicely because it’s a simple and method of security.
In addition to you and your staff members, you also want to ensure that your demo products are safely attached to booth and tables so that people don’t break them or worse, steal your prototypes! Some simple Kensington locks will do the job if your products can be displayed on laptop or tablet devices.
Encourage people to come over and network
There are a couple of ways to attract customers by encouraging them. For starters, you can host contents if your product has a creative or competitive side. For example, if you’re advertising a video game or entertainment service, then you can host a small contest for your booth visitors and offer prizes. You could also offer promotions, such as discount deals for the first few clients or investors that approach you and strike a deal. Make sure that you demand something from people that attend your contests, such as filling out some forms or giving you their business card so that you can network with them in the future.
