Surely you don’t attend trade shows to improve your physical or mental health. Instead, it’s to improve the health of your company. Trade shows provide the perfect opportunity to build meaningful connections, gain brand exposure and gather highly targeted leads. However, if all you do is the same run-of-the-mill actions, trade shows are going to get dull and unexciting very quickly.
Fortunately, there are ways to maximize your time, keep things fresh and be the talk of the trade show every time. Here are five smart hacks to help you master your trade show A-game.
1. Stock Up on Free Swag
One of the best ways to drive traffic to your booth is to offer free swag. Think about some of the items that trade show attendees might need at the moment, such as a bottle of water, a granola bar or a cinch bag to hold their items. People will see these items on the trade show floor, instantly sparking interest.
Once people arrive at your booth, have other promotional products on hand. You might give a ‘welcome swag pack’ to those who sign up, and a stainless steel tumbler to those who share their contact info. For those who simply pass by, offer them cheaper (but still valuable) items like a stylus or ballpoint pen.
2. Offer Interactivity
Another effective way to become the talk of the trade show is to have an interactive game at your booth. Spin the wheel, scratch-off cards, business card raffles, arcade games and virtual reality games are all examples of things visitors can do at your booth. Have a wide range of prizes to reward visitors accordingly.
3. Utilize Social Media
People love free stuff. People love to be entertained. But how can you get your name out there so that people know to visit your booth? With social media!
Prior to the event, be sure to create anticipation on your social media channels. Unveil some of the products that you’ll be showcasing, as well as the games and prizes that people can win.
During the show, involve your at-home audience in virtual games and mail winners prizes. After the show, thank people for visiting your booth and share any neat information from the day.
4. Book Your Space Early
Location is everything at a trade show. Book early (you might even get early bird rates) so that you can get a better spot. Ask the venue if they know who the neighboring booths are, if you can. Ideally, you want to be near brands that complement yours. For instance, if you’re attracting a young audience, you’ll want brands around you doing the same.
5. Partner with Another Brand
You can drive better results by partnering with another brand. Not only will you have more options in terms of the size and location of your booth (you’ll have a larger budget to work with), but also you can benefit from your partner’s audience, and vice versa. And if things go well, you’ll have a lasting relationship that you can work with at many trade shows!
These five hacks are quick, easy and smart. They’ll help get you noticed while also driving traffic to your booth. The rest is up to you, so make sure that you’re armed and ready with intelligent staff, educational materials and more. To order high quality promotional products, contact Inkwell today.