Trade shows are a fantastic opportunity for businesses of all sizes to publicize their products and make new leads. But a bit of prior planning can make all the difference to an average trade show, helping to make it into a success for your business.
If you are planning your next trade show, here are some tips to help you plan for the event so that you can take full advantage of it.
Hand Out Useful Freebies
First of all, you need to take some freebies with you. Do yourself a favor and provide freebies that are actually useful, even if they seem unoriginal. Things like pens and magnets are always going to attract people.
Even better, people will continue to use these items for months or years to come, which is great for long-term branding.
Make Good Use of Social Media
Smart use of social media can help to turn your next trade show into a bigger success. Publicize your presence well in advance to your social followers so they know that you will be there and where to find you. Appoint someone to update your social networks during the event using the appropriate hashtags.
Go one step further by making creative use of social media. Take a photo of attendees in front of your display and then tag them on Facebook, and this will then be seen by their friends and could reach many thousands of people.
Or set up a photo booth based on your brand and allow people to take their own photos and upload them to social media.
Market Your Presence in Advance
Social media can also be used to inform your followers that you will be attending the trade show. Talk about it in posts leading up to the event and encourage people to visit your stand by dropping hints about your freebies or anything special you will be doing on the day.
You can also take this further by advertising online using AdWords. Target people who are looking for information about the event and your ad will show up in the search engines, which could help to attract more people.
Be Different
It can be hard to stand out at a trade show but do your best by doing something different from the other businesses. For example, you could create unique banners, launch a game that people can play, and make it entertaining.
If you’re going to an outdoor event, check the weather beforehand. Use an app that forecasts the weather for Android devices so you know exactly what the weather will do. If it’s going to be hot, set up some umbrellas for shade. If it’s going to be wet, provide cover from the rain.
Check out this resource for some great ways to make your exhibit unique.
Hold a Prize Draw
One of the best ways to generate interest is to hold a prize draw. Make sure it’s a prize worth winning, and then publicize it widely. Get as many people to sign up as possible, and it also gives them a reason to come back to your stall later in the day.
Get Even More from Your Next Trade Show
These tips will help you when it comes to planning your next trade show so you can take full advantage of it and get more from the effort you put into the event. Take a look at your previous trade shows and have a think about where you can make improvements, then plan to make your next event the best one yet.