Trade Show Marketing Tips For Your Business

Well known to be one of the most popular outlets for business professionals, trade shows serve several important roles. These highly trafficked venues allow for a great deal of exposure towards your product, and can attract many new leads your way thus amplifying your client base. Being around other like minded individuals often leads to great new networking opportunities,

as well as the ability to monitor rival companies' developments. You may even discover a helpful service to enrich your business or personal life. These shows are very competitive, and it is quite easy to become overwhelmed at the whole process. One of the most key things to keep in mind as you prepare is how you will stand out from the crown. The following 6 tips will do just that, in addition to providing sound advice on other trade show marketing strategies.

1) Plan Ahead. Make sure to obtain all relevant material, such as brochures, videos, CD's, and handouts a few days beforehand. Make checklists and have everything packed away and ready to go the night before. This step is important to relieve trade show anxieties, as a stressed-out staff is less than optimal on the big day.

2) Be Eye Catching. There will be tons of other booths at a trade show, sometimes several hundred, so what will make attendees want to check yours out above all others? You must be visually appealing to stand out in some way from the competitors, while at the same time boldly conveying your services in an easily identifiable fashion. There are a plethora of ways to achieve this, including interesting graphics, elaborate booth designs, and interactive stations- these are always a popular choice, as attendees are drawn to both partaking in the activities as well as watching others. Be careful to avoid sensory burnout, however. While you must have an attention-grabbing booth, too much going on can detract from the overall message you are trying to convey and end up resembling a circus attraction.

3) Match the Feel of Your Booth to its Appearance. If you are an internet based business dealing with serious customers, a pastel orange booth with a popcorn machine for the sake of having a popcorn machine might not be the best idea; instead you should aim to attract people through a more relevant approach, such as an interactive or hands on demonstration. Your brand should be consistent through and through.

4) Be Tidy. Trade shows are hectic, crowded, and messy. To see a clean, uncluttered and organized booth lends a sense of professionalism while at the same time making it easy to move around and see your information.

5) Be Friendly But Concise. While your booth's contents as well as your actual service being offered are no doubt important, it is crucial to remember that human interaction is equally as vital. You and your staff are in essence salespeople, and should view your face to face exchanges with this in mind. Be friendly and warm, making sure to give all the details of your product while listening to the specific details of what your potential lead has to say to you. Do not spend an excessive amount of time with any one person, because this will limit the amount of leads you can get in a day and deters people from approaching when you are engrossed in a conversation. Too much time spent with one customer means you may be missing others.

6) Offer Promotional Products. The average trade show can have upwards of 400 attendees, with most viewing around 25 booths. Is it unreasonable to think that being inundated with so much information in a short period of time causes very little of it to stick? Having an interesting booth is most certainly a leg up on the competition in this respect, but it is usually not enough on its own. In order to really cement your business in the minds of potential customers, it is absolutely imperative to use Promotional Products. Promotional Products can consist of anything imaginable, from tote bags to stress balls, and contain the logo and information for your services.

These products have been seen at trade shows forever, and with very good reason-they simply work. This tried-and-true approach has many advantages to you as a business owner. Everyone likes to get things for free, and by offering goodies you entice people to your booth and foster feelings of goodwill between the customer and your business. It is a well known psychological principle that the more you come into contact with something, the more comfortable with it you become. By offering attendees something tangible that is also useful, they will be reminded of your company and the good feelings they have every time they use your promotional product. Putting contact information directly onto the promotional piece allows users to easily find you via phone or web. Another major bonus is the free advertising afforded to you whenever an attendee wears a shirt with your logo, or shares a branded pen with another, etc.

Which promotional product is best? There is really no consensus, so it is smart to browse a reputable company who deals exclusively with promotional specialty items, such as Pyra Promotions who can help you find the perfect promotional item for your next trade show. Not only will you enjoy extremely reasonable prices by dealing with such a company, but the customer support and staff knowledge available is second to none.

In summary, trade shows can be an invaluable tool for helping your business grow. Smart marketing choices, such as the use of promotional products ,will both attract leads and ensure they continue to come in like they never have before. The most important thing above all else you can do is to actually GO to a trade show, so what are you waiting for?

By Rich Tansky