Exhibition Display Stands: Getting The Most From Freebies
It’s hardly a secret that a large number of exhibition show visitors go visit the exhibition display stands for the free swag. In fact, according to the Event Marketing Institute, 70% of trade show attendees visit trade shows specifically to pick up freebies. It was by far the most-cited reason. That said, at least half of visitors are still there to learn, not simply to mooch.
This is both a blessing and a curse for your exhibition display stands. It’s great that it’s easy to get people to visit your booth, but you have to wonder how well you’re actually engaging them. Are they going to remember your trade show displays after they get their free pen, calculator, or branded shopping bag?
You need to be smart about how you use freebies at your trade show booths. Read on for some tips!
Great Uses For Free Swag At Your Exhibition Display Stands
I. Make your visitors give you something in return.
This works especially well on free products that are a little bigger or more expensive, unlike simple pens or pencils. It doesn’t have to be much, just withhold the freebie until they sign up for your mailing list or let you scan their badge or otherwise give you a little basic information about themselves.
This is something that can be worked into conversations with visitors to your trade show displays, along the lines of, “If you’d like a free T-shirt, all you need to do is get your badge scanned and answer 2 questions”.
II. Make them more exclusive.
If you have a limited budget for freebies or want to ensure they only go to quality leads, try sending out coupons (real or virtual) to people already on your sales and leads list. This encourages people with whom you already have some relationship to drop by your exhibition display stands for more discussion, and if you have cool swag, it makes it seem a bit more elite. This approach helps maximize your returns.
III. Make your freebies memorable.
This is one of the biggest issues I see at exhibition display stands that I visit, that all too often, their freebies are totally generic. One pen is going to be pretty much like any other, and is likely to simply end up at the bottom of a drawer, never to be remembered (until the day they try to use it and it doesn’t write and gets tossed).
Try to put a little more creativity into your offerings. Look for products that tie into your business that your visitors will actually want to use or play with. Consider having desktop toys like little puzzles, or items that would be of use in the home/office of your target market.
Fundamentally, if your exhibition display stands’ freebies vanish into a bag and are forgotten, it was a waste of money. A little extra spent making them good can pay off in the long run.
IV. Leverage social media.
Social media is a great way to reach out to people at your exhibition display stands, and you can work it into your freebie strategy as well. Have special gifts (or “prizes”) for people who “check in” on FourSquare at your location, or who leave you messages on your Facebook or Twitter feed.
If your event is going on for several days, this is a perfect way to spread the word about your trade show displays and encourage more people to come visit you as the days pass.
Key Takeaway
In short, make freebies at your exhibition display stands interesting, useful, and a bit exclusive. Don’t just hand out cheap swag willy-nilly; make it a part of your strategy and encourage visitors to do something for you in exchange.