When an event attendee walks into a trade show, they are faced with booth after booth. Many have flashing displays and lights that draw attention, and finding a way to make yours stand out is not always easy.
Yet if you don’t have an attention-grabbing, memorable display, showgoers aren’t going to remember you once they leave. Also, having an eye-catching display is great, but once people arrive at your booth, you need to ensure that the space is memorable enough and engaging enough to keep them there.
Creating a space that showgoers want to spend time in isn’t impossible, but it will require you to be proactive and spend a little bit of time and creativity on the design. Remember, you’ll have a lot of competition, so you want to spend time creating a trade show event space that truly connects with your visitors.
Here are some ways you can not only grab attention but also keep people in your space after they stop for a closer look.
1. Higher-Value Item Giveaway
Almost every booth at the trade show is going to give out some type of branded swag, whether it is t-shirts, pencils, or koozies. Instead of giving swag to everyone who comes to your booth, consider having a few giveaways of higher-value items. The item you choose will depend largely on your budget and your target audience, as well as the type of product or service you sell, but you can get creative.
You might not have the funds or the desire to give away a car, but you can give away an item that has a set monetary value. Advertise that value, and make it greater than what everyone else is giving away, and you’ll find people gravitate toward your booth.
2. Free Consultations
Another way to keep people at your booth longer is to provide a free consultation that you can give right there at the trade show. If they can walk away from the consultation with the information they can use as soon as they get back to their own business, they’ll be willing to stay.
For example, if you have a product that you can easily demo in your trade show space, then offer a product demo that lets them see the product in action. Along with the demo, consult with the visitor to see how your product could meet a need they have.
Maybe you offer a web-based service, such as search engine marketing or web design. Consider offering a free website audit. Have the visitor pull up their site on a laptop you have as part of your display, and offer insight right away that they can use. Then, show how your services could further enhance their site and marketing goals.
3. Food and Snacks
If you are allowed to distribute food or drink at your venue, then consider something more than just a piece of candy. Offer something a bit more substantial, and people will want to come by. Make sure you advertise that you are offering that time.
For example, if the area where the trade show is being hosted has a favorite local doughnut shop, get several dozen donuts to give away in the morning. If there’s a famous local lunch spot, bring in some lunch foods to offer lunchtime booth visitors. Get creative, get the word out about what you’re serving, and watch as the people swing into your booth.
4. A Free Drink
Don’t offer drinks at the venue, as this is usually not an appropriate option, but consider offering to buy showgoers a drink at a local bar after the event is over. Host a happy hour, and give tickets to people who visit your booth and engage with you. This gives you a chance to continue the conversation outside of the trade show, and it will also encourage people to come to your booth.
Remember, a great-looking booth is important because this is what gets people to come to your booth, but you also need to create a space that keeps them there. You need a well-thought-out engagement strategy as well, as this will forge bonds with showgoers and help turn them into customers in the future.
One of the best ways to create an eye-catching and engaging trade show booth is with the help of an experienced exhibit house. Exhibit Options is ready to serve. Not only will we help you build your booth, but we can use our experience to provide suggestions for effective trade show engagement strategies to make your next event an even greater success. Contact us today to start your plan.
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