Too Much Traffic For Your Trade Show Display?!
This may be a strange question to ask, since most exhibitors are busting their butts trying to drum up some traffic to their trade show booth. They’re far from worried about getting too much of a good thing. But the truth is, you absolutely can generate too much traffic—and it’s probably not in your best interests to do so!
Let’s start by talking about a few ways to generate appropriate amounts of traffic to your display booth, and then we’ll talk about how to avoid the downside of having too much.
How do you get the kind of attention and traffic you want? Start with the right exhibit design. There are three things you need to consider: size, layout and graphics. As far as size goes, for many smaller exhibitors, this is pretty much a given: a ten by ten or ten by twenty is all the space you ever buy. But some exhibitors plan for larger displays at their most important shows and smaller booth spaces at the less important shows.
If you might have a need for a larger trade show display at some point in the future, it may be beneficial to think of your exhibit in modular terms, so you can add to it and make it bigger on those occasions when you are able to book more space. Here at American Image Displays, we represent all major manufacturers, so we can design a beautiful trade show booth that will work effectively in multiple configurations and sizes.
For those exhibitors who have more leeway with space considerations, remember that, while size matters, it is only one factor in attracting people to your exhibit. A larger trade show display will usually generate some added traffic, and will physically enable more attendees to enter your exhibit. But size alone isn’t the most effective way to get people interested in what you’re exhibiting.
When you consider the layout of your trade show booth, you first have to realize that most exhibitors are going about this all wrong. If you just take what show organizers offer (a table and two chairs), you’re cutting off your exhibit—and yourself—from the attendees. You’re essentially building a wall between your exhibit and the aisle. Instead, you really want attendees to enter your booth, read your display graphics, and interact with your booth staffers.
When you have room to spare, consider the traffic pattern you’ll be creating, based on where people will enter your booth and how they’ll walk through. Work this out with your exhibit supplier, so your exhibitry will showcase your most important product or service offerings in the highest traffic areas, where the greatest number of booth visitors will see them.
There may be some in your organization who’ll want to pack the exhibit with every product you sell. Be selective. Chances are, certain products will appeal to attendees at some shows more than others, so choose which products to put on display each time, so that your booth doesn’t look like ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound bag.
The next key is graphics. This is an important element of getting the attention of attendees. But so many exhibitors do such a bad job of it that I sometimes wonder if they know what they’re doing. I’ve seen signs overflowing with small, unreadable type or signs propped up on the floor where they can’t be seen (because of that table in front of the exhibit), and other ill-advised attempts to load attendees up on information.
Your graphics should be clear, concise and on message. By that I mean you should focus on two or three specific ideas you want to get across, and repeat them throughout your exhibit, rather than having too much signage or too many messages. Keep signs at eye level or higher, so they won’t be obstructed by people in the aisles or other obstacles.
If you follow my advice so far, you’ll be well on your way to generating an appropriate amount of traffic for your exhibit. Attendees can see what you’re offering, they can get into your exhibit to view your product or read your graphics, or speak one-on-one with a salesperson. Your graphics will be legible, visible and logical. Your exhibit will be the right size for the show, and people will be able to flow in and out of your booth as needed.
So how can drawing traffic to your trade show booth be done wrong?
I’ve seen booths crawling with people, lining up to get an autograph or a picture with a celebrity or sports star. But the biggest problem with this approach is that most of the people crowding that exhibit simply aren’tprospects for the exhibitor’s product or service. They’re just there for the autograph or photo opportunity.
Making it even worse, those crowds are actually keeping people who have a real interest in the exhibitor’s waresaway from the trade show booth! Those people that might be good prospects probably don’t want to deal with standing in line; they just want someone to answer their product questions and potentially write an order.
In that case, the crowd is harming the exhibitor’s ability to do business on the show floor. The booth might have lots of visitors, but the exhibitor may end up writing fewer orders than competitors that weren’t dealing with massive crowds.
The key here is to match whatever you’re doing to entice people into your exhibit with what you have to offer. Just having a crowd in your booth to get a free *doodad* doesn’t equate with success. Ideally, what you want is to attract the largest pool of prospects possible. The next best thing is a steady stream of attendees and a clear, concise method of qualifying those attendees to decide who’s a prospect and who isn’t.
So do you really want a lot of traffic in your trade show display? The answer will vary from one exhibitor to another. Perhaps your company manufactures a high-ticket product, and one or two sales at a trade show is all you need to see your exhibiting efforts as successful. But most exhibitors are looking for lots of leads or orders on the show floor.
Getting those leads or orders requires doing all the right things to make your exhibit displays attractive, so you catch those prospects that may be walking the aisles. You also want to encourage prospects to visit you, although this usually happens before the show, with phone calls, letters or emails to those prospects from your sales staff, inviting them to visit your booth.
Do you need help making your exhibit look its best? If so, we can help. American Image Displays represents all major manufacturers, so we can create an exhibit to fulfill every wish you could have. For more information, call us at (425) 556-9511 or email [email protected].