How to create a buzz on your exhibition stand
at a tradeshow…..brought to you by Mille Mogs Blogs

Welcome to my first blog. This month I have decided to share some hot tips with you on how to stand out from the crowd at a trade show. Remember – people attract people!

You have spent a near fortune on your stand; your staff members are trained and ready to man the event, plus you have plenty of brochures, leaflets and business cards printed. You might think that your job here is done but you could not be further from the truth! So… what’s next?

Keep in mind the big picture. You’re competing with hundreds of other exhibitors. You’ve got to ensure that your display is different from everyone else’s.

You may ask yourself…

- How can we create awareness in and around the show?
- How can we attract visitors to our stand?
- How can we be different from our competitors?
- How can we be remembered afterwards?

This might all seem a little daunting just now, but don’t panic!

Here are a few ideas that are sure to get customers flocking to your stand.

Most importantly, you need to create awareness of your company in and around the show and find ways to attract visitors to your stand. The best way to do this is to get your logo seen as much as possible. Printed hats and bags given out at the entrance to the exhibition and from your stand will create a walking advert, promoting your company name and logo. Visitors will see these and even if they have not heard of your company, they will want to track down these items and find out where other people have got them from.

One year, a client of ours gave out printed lilos on the condition that customers took them away blown up… Who could miss individuals carrying a giant lilo under their arm?

Staff members in fancy dress will also create desired attention whether they are wearing a bright yellow boiler suit, fat suit, or you have strapping young men and women in swim wear, they are guaranteed to get a second look! Then it’s up to them to direct customers to your stand. I mean who doesn’t want to dress up as a sumo wrestler??

Another idea is to create a competition. No one can resist, especially when it is free to enter! I love the fortune cookies which can be printed externally with your company name and stand details. Inside every cookie is a small piece of paper printed with a number and telling people to visit your stand to see if they have won a prize.

A sure way to get your stand noticed is by using lights. These will attract clients like moths to a flame. We printed some lovely multi coloured mood lights one year that went down a treat. The clients’ stand was covered from top to bottom in 1000 mood lights that then doubled up as giveaways for their potential clients. The feedback on this was fantastic.

mood light keyrings

Now everybody has a sweet tooth, don’t they? Have you ever thought about tickling visitor’s taste buds with a show stopping chocolate fountain? Or a sweet grabber machine? Or even a pic ‘n’ mix shelf? You’ll have people queuing out the door! You could even hand out smoothies in a cup that can be taken away printed with your logo. Can you honestly say that if you walked past a stand giving out free food or drink, that you wouldn’t stop to grab some for yourself? … I thought not! Once you have your potential clients at your stand, secretly putting their hand in for some more sweet treats, then is your chance to corner them and really sell your product or service. What’s more, remember what I said earlier, people attract people!

If you follow my simple steps above, then your stand is sure to create that greatly desired buzz. However, when your customers get home they will have long forgotten about that hour long chat that you had on your stand. Make sure that when they sort through all their brochures and leaflets from the show, they take out YOUR branded gift and remember YOUR company. It will stay on their desk for the next year as a constant reminder to contact you.

So… you’re relieved that the trade show has come to an end and you’re swamped with emails and other tasks that need attention. You have exchanged business cards with your prospects and given them a brochure along with a printed gift. You might think that they will contact you when they need to order, but your marketing trade show efforts are not finished yet!

My advice is to now follow up. Call all of your new prospects within 3 days of being back at work. I advise that you take clear notes about your prospects at the exhibition so that when you call them back you have a talking point.

Ask them if they received the gift you gave away and whether they liked it. That way you can measure the success of your promotional giveaways. Following up is an added workload but you’re half way there, what with exchanging cards at the show and giving your prospects a gift, it’s a waste not to finish the job!

Call them after the show

If you are exhibiting at a tradeshow do look at our website where you will find thousands of interesting ideas to get your trade show buzzing! Or, if you simply cannot think of anything then give our team at Shout a call and we will come up with ideas for you.

www.shoutpm.co.uk

Above all, good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact us for any further advice.

Tel: 0870 458 9093
Email: sales@shoutpm.co.uk

Brought to you by Millie-Mogs Blogs
Look out for the next edition…