Making an Impact at Tradeshows

No matter your line of work, it’s a pretty safe bet to say that your industry hosts a number of tradeshows & events. Whether you’re an attendee, exhibitor or a host, surely you’ll need to do something to stand out from the clutter and showcase your brand as vibrantly as possible. But how? How can you both attract the attention of your peers & prospects while buying enough good will to deliver an effective message? The answer is promo!

Think back to the last time you attended an industry event. How many different vendors were there? However many, they were there for a reason. To educate, to sell and to gain a market foothold. Well, as the consumer let me ask you this, how’d they do? Were they successful in garnering your attention and delivering a lasting impression? It’s probably safe to say that you forgot more than you remember and that’s completely fine, it’s the norm! It’s hard to standout in the first place but to standout and deliver a lasting message seems impossible. However, I can assure you it’s not!

Enter promo: Why is promo the answer to your marketing prayers? That answer is two-fold. When it comes to tradeshows & events, you’ll need to attract attention. How? Creative and captivating booths & displays. Great, now that you have their attention, how are you making it memorable? An enticing & useful promo product!

When it’s all set and done and the event concludes, you’re probably going to need a second suitcase to carry home all of your giveaways. But you’re not going to go through the hassle of checking another bag at the airport, are you? Most items will probably get left behind in hotel rooms or dare I say heaved in the trash! As a marketer, that’s your worst nightmare as quite literally, your marketing spend is being thrown away. The key is selecting a product that your end-user will find everyday use out of. In return, you’ll maximize your ROI.

Event Display & Booth: When it comes to standing out at your event, you need to equip yourself with the right display tools. You’ll probably need table covers, pop-up banners, display racks and maybe even pop-up tents depending on where your event is being held. It’s critical that you maximize your floor space to display your strategic messaging in an organized fashion.

Beyond the tools that you’re bringing along to the show, make sure you’re using them properly. It’s important to develop messaging that begs a question. Now, you don’t want to confuse attendees, but you’ll want them to ask you a follow-up question because you caught their attention which increases engagement!

We did this at a recent tradeshow where our banner read “Yes” with very little context. This message was a huge success, it caught the attention of attendees walking the floor because they were wondering “Yes…yes what?” so naturally, they asked. “Yes” referred to yes, we can provide any promotional product that you could imagine. This is where the conversation starts and at this point, you’re able to deliver your message. It opens the door to your pitch. But after your pitch, will they remember what you told them?

Promo Product: So, you’ve just given your pitch, you have a prospect that’s interested in your product/service but they’re off on their way to meet with more exhibitors, maybe even your competition. Are they going to remember your brand & your message? You can hope. But rather than rolling the dice and crossing your fingers, give them a token of appreciation for their time and something to remember you by. Give them a tradeshow giveaway!

When it comes to effectively selecting a tradeshow product, think big and plan small. You’ll want to give away a product small in size but big on impact and relevance. Why small? It’s easy to pack in a suitcase and carry around in a backpack for the rest of the day. Everyday use? You want your end-user to find practical use in this product in their everyday lives so that they actually use it, thus, giving your brand constant exposure. For example, a portable charger is a great tradeshow giveaway item because everyone’s always on their phone so it’s something that your audience will get use out of, maybe even at the show! On top of that, they’re compact, a little larger than a pen. They’re easy to carry around and easy to pack for the trip home.

Giving away a portable charger is just one of many products that holds weight as an event giveaway. But let this example guide you towards selecting the perfect product that leaves an impact while displaying your brand both vibrantly & accurately.

Adding it all up: When you head to your next tradeshow, come prepared and ready to leave a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. Create an intriguing & organized booth experience and leave your guests with a parting gift. Put your brand on the forefront using physical marketing!