Trade shows are an important source of new business and revenue in many industries, but it can be hard to attract new customers to your booth when you’re competing against so many other similar companies. If you’re bored with doing the same tired setup time and time again, try a few of these ideas to help jazz up your booth at your next show.
Set Up a Demonstration
Customers love being able to see how a product is made or how it performs. If you’re able to, figure out an easy way to either produce your product in the booth, or demonstrate how well it performs. With this kind of setup, you’ll be sure to attract an audience. Once a few people start lining up to see what you’re doing, it tends to draw more, stealing customers away from the booths of your competition and bringing them straight to yours.
Create a Compelling Booth Design
An eye-catching booth is a surefire way to attract new business and stand out at a trade show. Unless you have someone at your company who is skilled in creating a great booth layout, consider outsourcing your exhibit design to an experienced firm. These companies can work with the needs of your company to create a fun and unique layout for your next show. Add in a few attention-grabbing signs and the customers will come flocking.
Give Away Freebies
Everyone loves a freebie, and it’s an easy way to entice potential customers to stop by your booth! Create a fun canvas bag with your logo, and the show attendees will carry it around the market for many others to see, giving you (almost) free publicity. If you manufacture an inexpensive and tangible product, earmark some for giveaways. For businesses that provide services or higher-priced goods, consider a “show special” that incentivizes new customers to order in your booth by giving them a discount. One of the hardest parts of business is attracting new customers, so spending a little money here can pay off dividends down the road with repeat orders.
Although trade shows can require a lot of thought and planning, they can also be a great source of business. They’re a fantastic way to achieve enhanced name recognition with your customer base and can kick start some great relationships that will help grow your company. By utilizing a few of these ideas at your next show, you’re taking a step towards success.
Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.
