Before you can learn how to make a trade show booth stand out, you need to grasp just who that booth is for. Trade show attendees can be a tough crowd. They’re surrounded by booths big and small, each one there to get their attention. Attendees know they are the ones with purchasing power, the ones the exhibitors are trying to woo and amaze. How could you hope to stand out in such a crowd?
For a trade show booth to stand out, you need to mix things up a bit. These 7 epic tactics can bring attendees to you and away from the competition.
Bring the fun and see the magic happen.
Get the best exposure for your business by learning how to put these trade show tips into use for your exhibit.
Table of Contents
Trade shows are well known for showcasing the latest and most innovative ideas within their respective fields. Whether it’s the latest model electric vehicle or the latest ice cream flavor, trade shows can present it.
According to the Display Wizard Trade Show Report of 2022, the lack of trade shows during the height of the pandemic caused companies to lose out on 55% of their standard new business sales.
To make up for those losses, exhibitors need to attract the attention of attendees with buying power and take advantage of face-to-face networking.
How much can an attractive booth really help with this compared to other trade show tools? Consider what attendees themselves had to say about what attracts them to a booth.
Method | Percentage of Respondents |
Competitions | 23% |
Games | 11% |
Stand-Out Booth | 48% |
Giveaways | 34% |
Social Media Campaign | 31% |
Exclusive Offers | 19% |
Other | 12% |
Among various types of trade show attractions, an eye-catching booth was the number one thing that brought in initial foot traffic.
Of course, once you get people you need to work on converting those conversations into leads and sales. A great booth is going to bring potential customers in and get them to stay long enough for you to make the best impression possible.
Making a booth stand out is about more than simply adding flashy lights or bright colors. You want to be inviting, not an eyesore that people in attendance would vote ‘Most Tacky’. While some argue there is no such thing as bad publicity – you are there to do business and generate leads, not win visual awards.
We’ve got seven great tactics for your trade show exhibit that will help you reach your target audiences and get them interested in your products and services.
Getting people interested in your booth starts before anyone even steps foot on the trade show floor. You want people looking for you when they walk in because they’re already excited about what’s offered.
This is where you can leverage your current network connections through
Generally speaking, the more interactive your hype methods, the more vested attendees will become in your trade show display. If you are on social media, consider running a poll where future attendees can vote on what swag you should bring. You may also look into the possibility of allowing registered attendees to book appointment windows with your sales representatives.
The good news here is that even if that person misses their appointment window, you still have contact information that you can follow up on.
In your efforts to bring attention to your booth, good design matters. Certain patterns and colors may draw the eyes’ attention, but be overwhelming enough to discourage someone from actually staying and chatting.
The same goes for lighting and your use of space. Even if you only have a small spot available, you want to make it as inviting as possible. This may require you to go a bit beyond the standard brand tablecloth and office rack pamphlet display.
Are such things useful? Of course, you need to get your brand name out there. The problem lies in that the majority of your competition may be doing the exact same thing. How do you stand out in that case?
Allocate some of your trade show budget into ramping up booth design. On the higher end are professionally made set-ups that can be installed for you and made unique for your specific needs. Even if you can’t go that far, consulting with a professional designer can get you on the right track.
Smart booth designs have a few things in common.
Other aspects of booth design, such as color schemes or the use of LED lighting, should all be carefully considered. Smart booth design has a purpose, and you want to make sure that it aligns with your trade show goals.
The typical swag found at a trade show will include branded pens, maybe some coffee mugs, or the ever-favorite button pin. Now, consider what happens to these items.
Everyone offers pens. These go home and end up in people’s junk drawers and then get lost at grocery stores – there is no lead-generating power here.
In choosing what swag to use as giveaways, quality over quantity is the better way to go. Make your swag unique and useful. The goal is to get people to see it and come to recognize your brand during and after a trade show.
To choose the right things, you can take into consideration the time of year or geographic location. Consider some of these examples.
Make sure you get everything branded. If it’s a slightly unusual item, like the mini-kits, consider stickers or stamps of your brand that can be added on without professional assistance.
Also, be sure to hold back a few choice items for special visitors like long-standing clients that you want to keep happy. It could be for people who purchase or sign up for your service right away.
Creating an experience for people that visit your booth is going to help them remember your brand more easily.
This can be done through interactive games such as live raffles or scavenger hunts. It can also be done via product demonstrations. If attendees are able to interact with the products during such demonstrations, even better.
Immersive experiences can also be incorporated into trade show booth design. Is there a seating area where someone can speak directly with a sales rep? Is there space to walk around and perhaps see visuals of your product or service?
Take advantage of face-to-face interactions and makes sure people’s first impressions are good ones.
Like smart booth design, the use of video or other multimedia tools taps into using visual appeal. Now that live events are back, it’s become one of the big draws of trade show events. People can see for themselves how something works.
However, the case may be that you have a product or service that can’t be easily demonstrated live. A video would then be the only way to bring that experience to potential clients. The other fun option could be a VR test run.
Let’s say you’re at a trade show for building and construction. Your company is set to reveal its latest high-rise crane. You could provide a VR experience for clients who want to know what it’s like to sit in the operating chair of such a vehicle.
This option can get costly, but it’s important to choose video and multimedia options of high-quality images and sound. A well-produced video can also have a life beyond a trade show, so it’s a worthwhile investment.
Roll your eyes if you will, but gimmicks come into play for a reason – they work. The trick is to not overuse it or make it something overly serious.
Presenting at a fashion and beauty show? Check into the local animal shelters to ‘borrow’ well-behaved pets available for adoption and kit them out with a company bandana for a photo booth. You’ll get people flocking to pet puppies and might even help someone find a new best friend while snagging yourself some new clients.
Have a big booth at the Sweets & Snacks Expo? Have a blind taste test contest and get attendees to compete against each other.
Medical Expo? Bust out the classic game of ‘Operation’ and let people play while telling them about the top-notch surgical tools provided by your company.
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
As fun and informative as trade shows can be, they can also be exhausting. Your sales reps might not have a choice but to grin and bear it, but tired attendees tend to disappear after a time.
Having a space where an attendee can get their second wind provides an opening for sales reps to have meaningful conversations.
Depending on how much booth space you have, there are a few options.
Meeting needs in practical and considerate ways can help people associate your company and brand with good emotions. Getting potential clients to feel good about your company is half the battle, especially if competition is fierce.
Now you’ve got all these great ideas for your next trade show booth, but you still need to get there. Trade Show Shipping can get your whole booth and your swag to any show in the United States.
We’ve helped freight ship and set up trade show booths in every industry, from bridal shows to heavy equipment and machinery.
Our experienced consultants can provide you with advice on carriers, shipping methods, and more. As part of our value-added services, we also provide:
Call us today at (866) 415-8986 to speak with someone directly or get an online quote now. Make your next trade show a memorable one with Trade Show Shipping, powered by R+L Global Logistics.
Need help shipping your trade show booth and materials? Fill out a short form or give us a call and one of our trade show specialists will answer your questions.
Need help shipping your trade show booth and materials? Fill out a short form or give us a call and one of our trade show specialists will answer your questions.