Trade shows are a great opportunity to network with potential customers, partners, and influencers in your industry. But how can you stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression on your trade show contacts? Here are some tips to help you impress them before, during, and after the event.
Before you attend a trade show, you need to have a clear and concise pitch that summarizes who you are, what you do, and what value you can offer to your contacts. Your pitch should be tailored to your audience and their needs, and it should highlight your unique selling proposition. Practice your pitch with a colleague or a friend, and make sure it is engaging, informative, and memorable.
In my experience inclusion and feeling welcomed in a personalized style makes an attendee much more engaged. Trade shows can be overwhelming so if you make it more accessible and warm you will have happy attendees and exhibitors.
I have found that having 3 different pitches is important and being able to jump to one in an instant when you first LISTEN to the contact's problems and how you will solve it.
Start by identifying your target audience. Who are you trying to reach at the trade show? Once you know your audience, you can tailor your pitch to their needs and interests. Focus on the benefits of your product or service. What problems does it solve? What needs does it meet? Keep it short and sweet.
@Marin and @Tony nailed the most important aspects, I think. Being welcoming, authentic and open is key, but then actually listening to what your visitor is telling you? Vital. Don't start pitching until you know what problem that you're trying to solve.
Your booth is your visual representation at the trade show, and it should reflect your brand identity, your message, and your goals. Your booth should be attractive, inviting, and professional, and it should showcase your products or services in an appealing way. Use colors, graphics, banners, and lighting to create a positive and consistent image. Also, make sure your booth is well-staffed, organized, and equipped with enough materials, such as brochures, business cards, and giveaways.
I often find an attractive booth to be of open concept design. Due to corporate identity, some big corporations tend to have booth design that looks too high tech or “intimidating” to the visitors. Staffs manning the booth need to be friendly and smiling too.
Sure it's traditionally good to have your logo up top so people can find you from a distance, but it must be followed up by what problems you are solving.
Your trade show booth is your first chance to make a good impression on potential customers. Make it count by designing a booth that is visually appealing, informative, and engaging. Consider using a theme for your booth. This will help you to create a unified and cohesive look and feel. Use interactive elements in your booth. You could also offer visitors the chance to try out your product or service for themselves. Make sure your booth is well-staffed with knowledgeable and friendly staff members. Your staff should be able to answer questions about your product or service and provide visitors with a positive experience.
In my experience, simple and clear messaging on booth graphics is key. By keeping it simple, this leaves an opening for potential customers to come into the booth area and ask questions and get the interaction you want.
A trade show booth is one of the most important marketing pieces you have as a business. MAKE IT ENGAGING. And no I’m not talking about screens or swag. Make it full immersion to what you do, or linked to what you do that is blatantly obvious. Leave no ‘stone unturned’ when it comes to the creative aspect, treat it like you would at the entrance line to your favourite ride at an amusement park. Go all in. Once you’ve built it, it will last you for at least an entire year, so invest in it. Stop with the swag and the pin up banners, make your booth stand out by giving it an undeniable element (a centre piece so to speak) that represents your brand. And if all else fails and you can’t think creatively, DM me or go to www.FloorZero.ca
During the trade show, you need to interact with your contacts in a friendly, confident, and respectful manner. You need to show interest in them, listen to their questions and concerns, and provide them with relevant and useful information. You also need to use body language, eye contact, and tone of voice to convey your enthusiasm, credibility, and professionalism. Avoid hard-selling, interrupting, or dominating the conversation, and instead focus on building rapport and trust.
Keep you focus on those in front of you. It is super easy to avert your eyes to something else going on, but you MUST be attentive to the contact, or at the least involve them in what caught your attention.
Smile and make eye contact with everyone who comes to your booth. This shows that you're interested in what they have to say and that you're happy to help. Be willing to answer any questions customers have. Even if you don't have the answer to a question, offer to find out for them. Offer refreshments or giveaways. This is a great way to show your appreciation for visitors and to make them feel welcome.
Show attentiveness to attendees who enter your booth. Encourage them to lead the conversation with their needs, wants, and questions while steering clear of high-pressure sales techniques. Begin the process of building a meaningful relationship.
Ray Milligan- Fibrenew NewOrleans& Northshore I see way to many people just sitting behond a table. You have to be on your feet,positive,energetic, a smile on your face and selling youself first. You are the company and your first impression to that potential customer will make or break you. Get your literature, smile and hand it out to potential customers even the ones that are passing you buy. Its amazing the number of people that may read your literature that had no idea someone does what you do or that type of product or service was even available. You are now getting calls because you handed out a 20 cent brochure that can make you hundreds or thousands of dollars but more importantly a happy customer that sends you referrals.
Show an interest in show attendees. Know your product well. And know hero products and their standout ingredients well. That includes upcoming launches and groundbreaking ingredients. Found out if they’re buying or just “learning more” ( it’s okay to ask nicely ) and tailor your time to that response. Not all buyers happen the first season— and they’ll remember salespeople that were dismissive, if and when they return next year. A bad attitude could also prevent them from visiting a company website altogether.
After the trade show, you need to follow up with your contacts to maintain the connection and move them further along the sales funnel. You need to send them a personalized email or a handwritten note within 24 hours, thanking them for their time and interest, and reminding them of your value proposition. You also need to provide them with any additional information or resources they requested, and invite them to take the next step, such as scheduling a meeting, signing up for a demo, or placing an order.
Personalize your messages. Mention something specific from your conversation at the show, such as a pain point they mentioned or a product they were interested in. Be genuine and likable. People are more likely to do business with people they know and like, so let your personality shine through in your follow-up communications.
YES! You will stand out if you follow up. I have been on both sides and sad to say a good 80% of the exhibitors at trade shows NEVER follow up. Even a simple, Hey! Thanks for stopping by our booth...
I agree, follow up is key. We provide our Tradeshow Clients with a 3D Interactive Booth Tour so the can revisit the booth, click on Hotspots to learn about products and services you we showing in your booth.
Another way to impress your trade show contacts is to leverage social media to increase your visibility and engagement. You can use social media to promote your participation in the trade show, share photos and videos of your booth and your products, tag and mention your contacts and influencers, and join relevant conversations and hashtags. You can also use social media to follow up with your contacts, share useful content, and provide feedback and testimonials.
Before, during and after the event should be plenty of fodder to share with your followers. Tell them what, where and why you will be exhibiting. Share photos and video from the event. Include your contacts in the videos (with their permission of course) and then post about all the great contacts, leads and inspiring ideas you found at the show after the event.
Finally, you need to measure your results to evaluate the effectiveness of your trade show strategy and identify areas for improvement. You need to track and analyze key metrics, such as the number of leads generated, the conversion rate, the revenue generated, and the return on investment. You also need to collect and review feedback from your contacts, your staff, and the organizers, and use it to refine your approach for future trade shows.
Giveaways that are used regularly will keep you in front of your potential clients. Make room in the budget for items that will have a clear imprint of your company name and logo. Get creative to stand out from the crowd. Consider items that promote sustainability such as bamboo utensil kits, reusable storage containers, and travel laundry bags. Your "swag" will be remembered, and your company will be providing items that reduce a traveler's footprint. Additionally, you will be distributing an item that has less chance of going to the landfill.
Choose the right staff to work on the stand and train them, train them, train them. Trade shows are won and lost on the conversations between the stand representatives and the visitors. Budgets are traditionally spent on the flashy stand and the largely 'pointless' gifts, etc. Little attention is given to staff choice and training them. This is bordering on criminal. "Let's take Johnny as he is local"...... but Johnny is also annoying and lazy. Wouldn't flying Sally in be a better use of our money? We are a far better chance of converting leads this way??
You can impress your trade show exhibit visitors by first determining who they are, what they want to see, and then providing them with the most knowledgeable and well trained booth personnel possible. The savvy exhibitor first determines who their targeted prospects are, and then creates an exhibit to attract those attendees and inform them of their products value by stating features and benefits that support value. Once the attendee identifies him/herself as being interested, the well trained booth staff takes over with gently probing to establish the level of interest and what is needed to satisfy the prospects concerns. All communications between booth staff and prospects are recorded for immediate after show follow up.