Tips For Turning Your Trade Show Displays Into An Oasis
Focusing on your customers and their needs is always a good idea in the sales game, and it’s true for your trade show displays as well. It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in your own problems when managing your trade show booth, and forget to think about the experience your customers – the show visitors – are having.
After all, a trade show is a busy, exhausting experience. Put yourself in the shoes of a visitor (we’ve all been there) and think about that. You’re generally in a crowded, stuffy building without sufficient air conditioning. There’s noise and people everywhere, and uncountable trade show displays all showing off as best they can. You may be rushed, running between the expo floor and various talks and meetings going on at the same time. There’s probably not enough food and drink.
If you’re looking to attract people to your trade show exhibits, consider trying to make them an oasis from any of the above problems. Giving people a chance to get away from the hubbub can make them grateful, plus give you extra time to work with them.
Tips For Turning Your Trade Show Displays Into An Oasis
You probably couldn’t implement all these at once in your trade show booth, but here are some things to consider.
Create a quiet room within the room.
If you’ve got the floor space for it, consider carving out a portion of it for an darker, enclosed space for showing promotional films or demos. (Have some bonus points if you can figure out a way to cool the room.) A quieter place to get away from the rush can be an excellent break for the hassled conventioneer. The double decker trade show booth shown here has an open airy layout below, and a private meeting space above – all in a 20×20 booth!
Have an open, airy booth.
Don’t be cluttered. Focus on putting the highest quality demos and banners stands in your trade show displays, rather than the most you can. Make it an inviting space where someone could find some elbow room. Put up product demos or tablet computers where several people can see them at once.
Give people somewhere to sit.
If most of your promotional materials are literature, or smaller items, throw up some trade show furniture – chairs or other comfortable items. Be creative. Could you pull off bean bag chairs at a business convention? You might be surprised. How about bringing a couch and a coffee table, and putting your reading materials (or even a tied-down iPad) on the table?
Try food and drink IF you can make it relevant.
I often think that branded bottles of water or bags of pretzels, by themselves, are a poor investment for exhibition stands – the visitor just throws them away and forgets where they got them. If you want food items, try to make them unique enough to be kept. This could be a coupon on the package, or perhaps a unique bottle design they’d want to reuse.
Keep an activity board for the trade show.
If you’re at a show with a lot of activities going on, grab an inexpensive LED message board and keep a running list of upcoming events. It’s providing a valuable community service, and helps make your trade show displays a focal point.
Create Trade Show Displays People Want to Visit
In short, if you’re looking for ideas on guiding people to your trade show displays, try to focus on their needs and interests at that moment. Consider the overall visitor experience, and look for ways to make them feel better while they’re running themselves ragged at the trade show. Never underestimate the value of simply making people feel better when it comes to building trust in sales.
For more, check out the three keys to trade show success or how to plan for success with displays.