Before we begin creating ideas that will be profitable, first it is important to know your audience. Trade shows are excellent events for all businesses – provided that they end up being profitable in some way. It is no use trying to snag the attention of audiences if they have no interest in what you have to offer (for example, marketing your laptop-repair business at a show for sports enthusiasts.)
That said, here are several ideas that will help your marketing efforts at trade shows.
1. Be Valuable
Trade shows are a lengthy and sometimes overwhelming experience. Offer seats for people to relax in. Give out water bottles or organic energy drinks. Customers and prospects are human beings, not statistics to beef up your bottom-line profits. Being considerate of how people are is the best thing you can do for your business.
2. Go Visual
Graphics and video go hand-in-hand with consumers – which is to say: all of us nearly. This includes sales pitches, graphics of your products, and catching as many eyes as possible. Make your booth as graphically attractive as possible. Do not give people the opportunity for long to read pamphlets and the like.
3. Get Noticed
Research your competitors’ booths to see what they will do to snag prospects and visitors. Then do the exact opposite of what they’re doing. The goal here is to design your booth in a way that will stick out like a sore thumb. A trade show booth rental is a good idea for executing this. Make an impact on peoples’ attention like a bomb in the ocean. It is advisable to research the theatrics of PT Barnum.
4. Interactivity
Nobody likes being talked at for long periods of time. Especially at trade shows, where everybody’s attention is being fought and bought for. Corral in enthused leads with tablets and interactive touch screens. Whether it’s interactive demos, videos or prize strategies. We’re dominated by interactive technology: use it.
5. Deals
On this day, people are more inclined to buy something from you – especially if it’s discounted. Do not be afraid of creating organic upsells for your products and services. Rather than being informative as a front for selling products, as many trade shows salesmen are won’t to do, offer genuine value in your deals with attendees.
6. Valuable Giveaways
Swag, also known as “Stuff We All Get”, has been around for a long time. Rather than stuffing a bunch of junk in bags that no one will use, include gifts specific to your intended audience. Do you have an assortment of high-ticket/premium products? Include them, instead of useless trinkets like mints or USB chargers with the company’s logo on it.
7. Stunts
Suffice to say that many booths at trade shows are just “talking heads in the flesh.” Snore. Kick things up a notch by scheduling trade show stunts. Nothing involving motorbikes and stuntmen needed. There’s a popular story of a business who brought a gaggle of penguins to their trade shows. Bill Gates once unleashed mosquitos on a crowd to show them how easy it is to contract malaria. Be exciting.
Conclusion
You will find more cool ideas by knowing a lot about the venue. Find out what you can and cannot do, such as with the floor space and lighting. The sky really is the limit as to what ideas you can execute. Draw up as many plans and ideas as to what you can do. This will make marketing at the event much easier for yourself.