How to Stand Out at a Trade Show - Tips for a Successful Event Presence

For many businesses and organizations, trade shows are essential for overall growth. Trade shows offer businesses increased overall exposure, networking opportunities, a forum for product demonstration/promotion, and a way to improve brand awareness. It is important for businesses to maximize time spent at these gatherings to get the most out of the experience.Big AZ Promotions has compiled a list to help business owners make a big impression at the next trade show they attend. Below are 6 tips for trade show success:‍

1. Research the Event Prior to Reserving an Area or Booth

‍If you haven’t attended a particular event before, make sure you verify that it is worth attending in the first place. Do people in your target market attend the event? Make sure, before you decide to try and broadcast your message at the tradeshow in question, that the audience will want to listen to what you have to say. Talk to people that have attended the event in the past and get their feedback on what type of event it is. Doing a little research prior to attending a trade show or event can help you target your messaging strategy to more effectively promote your business.

‍2. Stand out, Visually!

‍A large number of organizations and businesses attend trades shows in hopes of showcasing their products or services. In many cases, trade shows are focused on one industry. This means that you are competing against multiple other businesses with similar offerings. Your business is the best choice for trade show attendees to stop and interact with, however they may not realize this unless you grab their attention right off the bat. In order to stand out from the beginning and draw attendees to your booth consider some type of inflatable advertising that represents your business. This will undoubtedly draw people to your exhibit as well as set you apart from your competition.

‍3. Make Sure Your Business Name is Prominent

‍This should be a no-brainer. However, as anyone who frequents trade shows will tell you, there are many stations set up that leave what they represent up to the imagination. Anyone who attends the trade show should be able to clearly see your business name, as well as get a general idea of the services and/or products you provide. This is helped by having a visible banner with a logo or business name.

‍4. Representatives Clearly Identifiable

‍There are tons of people at every trade show. Attendees should be able to discern who actually works for your organization. Be sure that the people representing your business at the trade show wear some type of distinguishable item. Fun hats may not be for everyone, however consider shirts with your business logo, or at the very least official name tags. If attendees can’t immediately see who represents a business, all the hard work you did to draw them to your area will go unrewarded. If someone wants more information about what you do, make sure it’s easy for them to ask!

‍5. Bring More Than Enough Information

‍If you plan on providing people with pamphlets or information about your business that they can take home from the trade show, make absolutely certain that you have enough. The worst case scenario is running out and not being able to provide prospective customers valuable information.

‍6. Add Extra Value To The Experience

‍Once you’ve done the hard part and attracted event attendees to your area, you want to leave them with some lasting value. Part of this is having enough quality information about your business readily available, as mentioned in tip #5; however, providing people with additional value is crucial for turning a basic impression of your business into a lasting, meaningful experience. This could be something as little as free pens with your business logo, branded candy, or other novelty items. You could take it one step further and provide attendees with additional information related to your industry. This could be an additional pamphlet with tips on solving common problems.

Giving people answers to questions and solving problems before they happen will help them associate you with more than just a name and an industry.When you commit the time and effort into attending a trade show or event, ensuring that the effort you put forth best serves your overall business interests is key. We hope that the 6 tips above help you have the best trade show experience possible.