6 Tried and True Ways to Boost Booth Traffic

So, you’ve done it. You’ve found event exhibitors, and you’ve got them to commit to one of your event exhibitor packages. Hooray! Just because you have an agreement and they plan to show up doesn’t mean you get to sit back and relax. Unfortunately, your work is just getting started.

You must do all you can to ensure exhibitors leave your event feeling satisfied. If they leave the event dissatisfied, you have a problem. If they leave your event feeling less than impressed and tell others about their negative experience, their opinion can ruin your reputation. And, as anyone in the event industry knows, a ruined reputation is a death sentence.

Instead, you need to focus on helping your event exhibitors be successful. What equates to success at an event with exhibition booths? Foot traffic. The more attendees that visit their booth, the more impressions they make. Therefore, it is important that you offer them suggestions for encouraging more attendees to stop by their exhibition booths. Here are six ways that have proven to be successful.

1. Booth Décor Matters.

The way event exhibitors decorate their booth makes a huge difference. At events like trade shows where there are tons of booths, it is easy to be overlooked. But, the companies that exhibit at events regularly know how to creatively design booths to attract attention. But, for newcomers, you may want to provide them with some examples of great booth décor.

2. Social Media is Your Friend.

You cannot tell your event exhibitors enough how important social media is to their success. While they have heard this before, they need to be reminded to stay on social media throughout the event. They should be posting during the event using the event hashtag, but they should also be creatively using social media to attract attention such as posting polls, using Facebook live or Instagram stories, or promoting social only limited time booth offers.

3. Giveaways, Giveaways, and More Giveaways.

The most tried and true way to get traffic to booths is to give stuff away for free. Make sure event exhibitors have plenty to give away, but also remind them to give away things that align with their brand. Additionally, encourage them not simply to give away free stuff for nothing in return. For example, tell the importance of giving things away in exchange for contact information.

4. Event Apps are Worth It.

It is well worth it to use an event app. By using an event app, all your attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors can have access to important event information. But, you can also use the event app to notify attendees of special offers and events.

5. Promote Contests That Encourage Booth Visitation.

A popular way to encourage booth attendance is to ask exhibitors to partner with the event in a contest. For example, attendees are encouraged to visit a certain group of exhibition booths to be entered into a drawing for a prize.

6. Put Sponsors and Exhibitors on Stage.

In addition to exhibition booths, you can also offer event sponsors or exhibitors the chance to speak at event workshops or seminars. This will put them directly in front of the attendees and give them the opportunity to make a lasting impression. 

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