While it is not always possible to control the location of your booth at the local trade show venue, you do have the power to make the most of the actual display items that you put into the space. At Cowtown Graphics & Signs, we routinely work with companies that want to stand out from the crowd, wow the competition and get the attention of industry insiders and the press as well. Seven steps make it possible.
1. Contemporary Displays Trump Last Year’s Setup
Trade show displays and graphics in Dallas/Fort Worth must look great. What this means is a measure that changes every so often. What was hot three years ago is considered so-so today. Staying contemporary is crucial. Working with a signage maker who has his finger firmly on the pulse of the local business community’s preferences is highly advantageous.
2. Offer Promotional Products Consumers Want
Pens are cheap, but they are the typical give-away item that almost everyone has. Think of something that is a little nearer and dearer to the consumer’s heart. Tumblers are inexpensive when you buy them in bulk. Imprinted with your customized company’s information, this is the type of product that holds an almost universal appeal and gets a lot of use.
3. Don’t Block Your Booth Access
Between the tables – with customized throws, of course – and retractable banner stands, consumers may find it difficult to actually enter your booth. Some companies miss the point that the entire space should be accessible to visitors. By barring the access to the information in the back, you rob your staff members of the opportunity to interact with interested visitors.
4. Incorporate Multiple Interactive Platforms
Some consumers are visual learners. They benefit from live product presentations or recorded clips that you play on a screen inside your booth area. Others prefer to listen to a lecture. For them, auditory recordings at an interactive iPad station can make a huge difference. For the person who wants to interact with your product hands-on, it pays to have models and samples on hand. In short, appeal to each learning style in your booth. Overhead signage reels in the foot traffic by announcing the various interactive events.
5. Social Media Matters
You already know that you should advertise your trade show appearance quite heavily on the social media platforms your favor. Yet do not forget to allow for social media interactivity from your booth. Encourage visitors to post to your profile, post yourself and promote involvement online by announcing specials going on right there at the event. This reaches out to multiple consumers at the event as well as to those who are checking out your Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn profiles.
6. Promote Interactive Behavior for all Ages at Your Booth
Give visitors the opportunity to participate in Q&A sessions, try out the product, win at raffles or answer quiz questions. Selecting multiple forms of engagement is beneficial. Advertise these engagement opportunities with your banners and with floor graphics. If children attend the trade show, have something for them to do as well.
7. Combine Signage Products for Maximum Effect
Our trade show tips for DFW would be incomplete without pointing out that the right combination of signage products makes a huge difference. There is more to putting together your booth than simply bringing every customized and branded product you have. Sketch out your layout, decide on the signage display areas open to you and then plan accordingly.