Trade shows can be an excellent platform to promote your product and/or service. The trick is to know how to capitalize on the opportunity and to ensure that you use strategies that can provide you maximum brand visibility. Sometimes, people go a trade show without any preparation and then wonder why no visitors came to their booth. You need the best trade show booth ideas and banner stand displays in order to boost your brand.
Here are the eight best trade show booth ideas that can help you promote your services or brand:
1. Plenty of Giveaways
Consumers love freebies, and they are usually not picky about what they get as long as it’s free. Remember, we are all a part of the SFN Society: the something-for-nothing club. It is thus always a good idea to have little giveaway items that would attract their attention and also provide you a means to get some easy visibility.
Indeed, giveaways don’t have to be expensive or fancy; they can be as simple as free pens, hats, t-shirts, calendars, scented candles, key chains, etc. You may even have your brand/logo etched onto these items. It might be a good idea to state a limit on how many free giveaways will be available every day.
2. Host a Prize
Another way of attracting visitors to your booth is to give away a prize. Ask the visitors to fill in a form or enter a sweepstake. Again, the prize does not have to be very expensive; just something that would attract your target customer’s attention so that they would be motivated to participate. Prizes can be a great way to promote your brand, and you can develop a list of potential customers, as well as have the opportunity to interact with them.
3. Offer Mobile Phone Charging Station
This is not a typical strategy but it is one that might work wonders with today’s device-addict consumer. A common complaint from consumers at trade shows is the lack of mobile charging stations and if you provide them this facility, not only will they be eternally grateful to you but this will also give them an excuse to hang around and browse through your product/service information and brochures, etc. It does not cost a lot to have several charge stations, and while the consumer is waiting, you can always initiate a conversation.
4. Provide Free Wi-Fi
This is another strategy aimed at the device-addicted generation who always needs to be connected. Most trade shows are held in enclosed buildings where Internet data connectivity is not always good. And, because most people can’t live without their internet, you can set up a few laptops and offer free Wi-Fi. This is a great way to build your brand and establish a good reputation.
5. Host a Contest
When you host a contest, people will come to your booth because everyone wants to win a prize. You don’t have to offer a free trip to Paris or a weekend getaway in Aspen. But you can certainly make it interesting by making it competitive and by offering something related to your brand. For example, if your business is gardening, you can offer a book on gardening or a free garden makeover.
6. Offer a Place to Relax
Trade shows can be tiring, and in many cases, there is nowhere to rest. You can offer a few seats near your booth. This will also give you time to chat with the potential customer. While it is desirable to have nice big comfortable chairs, budget and space restrictions may only allow you to offer this luxury but a few chairs here and there is better than nothing. At the same time, you may want to offer a free beverage like water or tea/coffee for your visitors.
7. Give Away Samples
Depending on the type of your business or service, giving away samples is a great way to entice customers. For example, if you are in the confectionary business, you can offer free samples of chocolate. Or if you are in the beauty business, you can offer samples of lipstick, mascara or perfume.
8. It’s Time to Go Hi-Tech
If you want your booth to be the star attraction, then go hi-tech. Be creative with visual marketing and introduce interactive screens. Consumers love to play around with high-tech games and visuals. While this may be a little more costly, it is also a great magnet for attracting potential clients.
The primary objective of hosting a booth at a trade show is to get noticed and hopefully build a list of contacts to generate revenue for the company. The only way to generate attention at a crowded, busy, and tiring trade show is the entice them with special attractions, incentives, and free goodies that would attract anyone to your booth. Remember, free feels good, and we always think we’re getting a deal if it is free, whether it’s free Wi-Fi or a free keychain.