So you’ve bought your booth space for the next trade show? How much is it really costing you though? With the cost of displays, salaries for employees manning the booth, and promotional items, you are probably spending too much to risk an unsuccessful show, but how can you be certain your booth will draw in the contacts necessary to make your time and money worthwhile?
Think ahead. Every good spy knows the importance of useful contacts. You wouldn’t go into an important top secret mission without knowing who to meet, so why would you go to a trade show without knowing potential clients? Reach out through social media and try to find, and get to know, other people who will be there so you have leads before you even walk in the door.
Creativity. Draw a crowd with a game or video. Find a clever way to draw people into your booth that pertains to your particular business. Anything that will help you establish a more personal relationship with potential clients is fair game, so be creative!
Effective Displays. Small booths can be spectacular! Get creative with graphics and eye catching displays that will stand out from the rest.
This unique display fits perfectly in a 10-ft box space, but stands a crowd-attracting 11 feet tall! While personalized booths like this may cost a bit more, they will pull their weight by attracting floods of impressed passersby.
Effective Staff. Just as super sleuths are trained well before going out into the field, it’s important to train your staff beforehand if you want a truly successful show. It could be helpful to come up with a list of conversation openers to break the ice with potential clients without getting straight to business. Dress your staff in black pants and branded, brightly colored shirts to complete the professional look.
A little planning plus a little more investment might just catch the eye of your dream revenue client! How much are you willing to put into your next show?
-by Jenna Marie, Chief Code Breaker
