It's every trade show exhibitor's nightmare. You've made the commitment. You've paid your fee. You've sent out invitations to the list of trade show attendees inviting them to stop by your booth. You're expecting a crowd, but instead of beating a path to your table they loiter and dawdle at other booths while you drink stale coffee and sulk.
Trade booth disasters are usually attributable to a variety of factors, not the least of which is a lack of flash to flag down booth browsers. Let's face it, a little eye-appeal goes a long way in an environment where bold displays, blinking lights and other head-turning diversions abound. We used an oversized graphic of a rollercoaster to attract browsers to a financial services client's booth. The accompanying message of helping businesses through their "ups and downs" piqued curiousity and generated strong traffic throughout the show.
Reliable booth-boosting things you can do to improve traffic and convert browsers into prospects include:
Hold a giveaway or raffle. Visitors to your booth fill out a form with their name, company, address and phone number . You get new names for your database, they get a chance to win a gift card or other prize.
Showcase what's new. Whether it's your first appearance at a trade show or your tenth, the question on every attendee's mind is always "what's new?" Seeing and hearing about what's new in their industry is what brings most people to the shows in the first place. Prominently display your latest product or place information on a new service where your prospects can't miss it.
Have literature available. Gathering useful information is a top priority for most trade show attendees. They want to know how you can help their business run more efficiently and profitably, what products or services you can provide to increase their competitive edge, and what insights and tools you can offer to take them to the next level. Make sure you give them your best sales pitches in printed form with an ample supply of brochures, ad reprints and flyers.
Limit "booth sitters." You want to make your booth inviting, not intimidating. Too many of your people sitting around the booth ready to pounce on a prospect can scare people away. When things are slow, send a few out on a break or to run an errand.
Use islands and counters. If you have the option, islands and counters are worthwhiled additions to a booth design. You can use them to draw attention to special items and make maximum use of your limited space.
For more ideas to drive sales check out archives or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.
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