It’s that time of year again: trade show season. Which means millions of dollars of marketing are on display in booths across convention centers everywhere. But there’s a secret to making trade shows work hard for your brand. It’s not about the budget. It’s about the experience.
No matter what size booth you have or where it’s placed in the hall, a smart, strategic approach is what really matters. Because you’re not there to win the biggest booth award. You’re there to make the connections and impressions you need. Here are five tips that will help you do that.
Tip 1: Build Anticipation With Pre-Event Messaging
Once your audience enters the trade show, your brand is competing with everyone, so it’s easy to feel lost in the noise. Make the most of your time before the show. Pre-event emails, display ads and social posts are a perfect way to tell people where you’ll be and why they should be there too.
Tip 2: The Best Booth Graphics Have The Fewest Words
No one’s likely to read a paragraph just because it’s printed on a wall. You need to resist the temptation to say it all and instead think like a billboard for booth graphics. Seven words or less will make the most impact. Construct a tight message that is ownable and memorable and make sure imagery is impactful and reinforces the theme. Once people are drawn in, then you can give them collateral or even better, talk to them in person about your brand.
Tip 3: Bring Swag Items Worth Taking Home
Everyone probably has a drawer full of branded drink koozies, squeeze balls and ballpoint pens from last year’s show. So stand out with a unique and useful branded item to hand out at your booth. Even better, tie it to your brand message, even if it’s a little forced. A branded pair of socks can communicate how “you stand up for customers.” But low cost, practical items like flashlights and gloves are far less likely to end up in the hotel trash and actually make it on the flight home with a potential client.
Tip 4: Everyone There Wants Something To Do
No one wants a boring booth. So give your trade show audience a job. The best booth experiences are not budget busters, they’re quick, fun and on-message. Customize a dartboard to represent your product’s usefulness. Even pulling a prize out of a simple mystery box is more compelling than having nothing to do at the booth.
Tip 5: The Show Doesn’t Really End Until You Say It Does
Everyone’s exhausted after a trade show. So have your post-show communications ready to go in advance. That means having emails and posts written and capturing quality photos during the show. Not everyone is going to make the trip this year, so make sure they hear what you wanted to tell them in person.
We love trade shows. Almost as much as we love farmers and ranchers. So if you’re looking for support with your next agricultural event, reach out to us at team@wearemccracken.com.
