A trade show is an international fair organized for businesses in a particular industry so that they can show and promote their latest products and offerings, interact with clients, business partners, and competitors, and study global market trends. It is considered as one of the most important events for businesses to boost their sales and brand awareness. While most trade shows are characterized by booths, exhibits, displays, and trade show displays, it is possible to organize a more personalized event, like a seminar, workshop or even a session. Whether it is a simple seminar with a few invited speakers or a packed seminar hall, there are some key points to consider when planning a trade show event.
The main aim of any trade show event is for potential customers and clients to come and visit your booth so you can present your offerings and make an inquiry about your product or service. With the right marketing strategy, you can have an excellent trade show booth experience and increase the number of visitors to your exhibit. Here are some tips to help you plan an effective trade show marketing strategy:
Use promotional items as incentives to attract attendees. Give away promotional items such as printed or blank pens, magnets, brochures, bookmarks, or business cards to attract participants. The trade show convention centers should have promotional items, giveaways, and booth access control systems that will give you the opportunity to hand out free promotional items to all attendees upon registration or entry.
Organize giveaways on the day of the trade show. Attracting participants to your booth means that you need to set up and fill out your booth, including banner displays and other advertising materials, well in advance of the show. You can also hand out free promotional items or freebies, like mugs, mouse pads, or key chains, to all attendees upon entry and prior to the expo.
Hand out your business cards to all trade show attendees upon registration. Give away your business cards before the event, while supplies last, or immediately after sales end. If you want to maximize promotional items benefits, hand out your business cards immediately following the expo.
Use social media to market your booth, products, or services. Social media is one of the best ways for you to reach out to prospects, create interest in new products, and boost brand awareness. Social media also helps you create buzz about your booth at trade shows, which helps draw attendees in. For example, if you’re attending a tech-focused trade show in New York, you can share the brand and information about your company via social media.