The 8 points covered in this post are:
- Perform product demos
- Buy/hire an eye-catching exhibit
- Make the first few words count
- Who doesn’t love free stuff
- Bring the right team
- Use movement and music in your displays
- Try something unusual
- Use the media or a recognizable face
Trade show marketing is hard work. If you haven’t worked out your strategy, it can be extremely disheartening and chances are you won’t be able to achieve the results you wanted. You keep trying to catch people’s attention, but they just walk right on by.
If you want to be successful, you have to be smart about your approach because you are essentially competing with the other exhibitors in getting their attention, the lead, or the sale.
Start stopping trade show attendees in their tracks with these 8 tactics.
1. Perform product demos
People love having something they can watch, not just something they have to listen to. Having a conversation with someone can be interesting, but they probably don’t want another rehearsed speech from another exhibitor.
A quality demonstration can help you in getting the attention you deserve and leaving your mark in your prospects’ minds. With an interesting product and an engaging presenter, people will stop and watch your demonstration. An engaging presenter and a well-crafted presentation are the keys to drawing your prospects in.
2. Buy/hire an eye-catching exhibition stand
Putting together your exhibition stand can be hard. While you might not want to be too flashy, it’s a mistake to be hugely understated. You will get lost among other exhibitors if all you have is a printed tablecloth with some brochures and business cards on the table.
You need to work out something that will make people see you from across the room. They will be more likely to come over or to stop if they’re already walking past.
3. Make the first few words count
Having the right words is essential, and engaging someone in the first couple of seconds is vital. If you don’t get their attention right away, they might lose interest quickly. You need to work on your opening to get people to pay attention and listen to your pitch.
4. Who doesn’t love free stuff
Everyone loves free stuff. If you can give something away, make sure that you do it. There are several ways you could run a giveaway. Give away items with your brand name on them or free samples of your product. Or perhaps hold a competition or raffle to give away a bigger prize.
5. Bring the right team
The people you choose to staff your booth can be the difference between a successful trade show or a failed one. If you need to, hire experts for your trade show, do it. The people you staff your booth with needs to be confident as well as knowledgeable about your products and industry.
Your staff is one of the keys to a successful trade show.
6. Use movement and music in your displays
If you want to catch someone’s attention, music and movement can do it. The noise or the moving detail helps people to pick you out from the crowd. You could have anything from a screen with graphics to music from a speaker.
7. Try something unusual
If you can do something a bit different, it’s guaranteed to make people curious. Consider something unusual you can add to your booth. It doesn’t necessarily have to relate to your product in any way. It could be a fun game or something in the design of your booth.
Something like a mascot might be a good unusual idea that will draw attention to your brand and booth.
8. Use the media or a recognizable face
It can take a bit of work, but people may be drawn to a booth with a media presence. You can achieve this by arranging for someone to interview you or be at your booth documenting the show. Some brands arrange for a well-known name to be there on their behalf too.
Try these methods to stop people at trade shows if you want to be noticed.
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