A few days ago, we wrote up a blog post talking about ways you can dress up your trade show displays to give yourself a bit of holiday flair. Today, let’s take that a step further. After all, anyone can throw up some tinsel, candy-cane colored banner stands, and plastic 
What can you do to tell visitors to your display stands that you really have the holiday spirit, and aren’t simply trying to cash in on a popular trend? Honestly embracing the spirit of the holidays will make you stand out from the hipsters and make a very positive impression on anyone who wanders by your trade show booth.
So, let’s look into a few ways to really embrace the holidays and use them to wow all your guests!
Showing the Holiday Spirit at Your Trade Show Displays
- Be part of a fundraiser. Before the show, call around to aid groups in the city it’s going to be in. There are plenty of charity groups from every religion and denomination who are in need, especially during the dark and cold solstice days. Partnering with one of them and making your trade show booth a donation point is a pure win-win scenario. Even better, with enough advance warning, you can integrate this into your pre-show mailings and social media postings to get more word out.
- Host a toy drive. We’ve mentioned before that freebies work better when they’re a bit exclusive, rather than on buffet. So, here’s an idea: encourage your attendees to swap a gift for a gift. If they bring a toy or clothing item to your trade show booth, they get a little wrapped promotional item of yours in return. It’s a token exchange, to be sure, but it’s the sort everyone gets warm fuzzies from.
- Keep it positive. Business dealings can often be a somewhat cutthroat affair, and everyone tries to slip in a jab at their competition from time to time. However, when the holidays come to your trade show displays, be charitable in spirit as well. Keep it focused on the positives and, hey, maybe you can even compliment your opponents a bit.
- Go caroling! Ok, this is a little wackier, but think about it. If you sent a group of your trade show staff around the floor for some good old fashioned wassailing, you’re going to get a lot of people talking about you. You’ll probably also generate some new fans simply for being willing to let it all hang out for the sake of a little
- Emphasize your green initiatives. While perhaps better suited for Arbor Day, the holidays are a fine time for your trade show displays to talk about how you’re giving back to the planet. Stopping pollution and encouraging recycling is giving a gift to all our children, and there’s no reason to forget that.
Trade show displays are about standing out and defining yourself as a company. When a major holiday is coming up, think about what it means and how it relates to your business’s philosophies. Tying those together means great PR, happy visitors, and possibly even doing a little good in the process!
For more, check out our display swag index or how to keep it real with your displays.