If you are planning to display your own booth at a trade show for the very first time, it is worthwhile to invest a little time in strategizing and researching the various marketing ideas that will help attract more customers to your brand and leveraging the exposure for reaping great benefits for your company.

Here are six ways in which you can ensure great success and value for your first trade show booth attendance.

Pre-Trade Show Activities

There are numerous pre-trade show tactics for marketing your brand prior to the main event such as raising awareness, attracting visitor attention and encouraging higher attendance on the event day. While some might deem it as a low priority, your pre-trade show promotional activities are actually crucial to initiating curiosity and exposure. Email marketing, social media, PR and potentially video campaigns are great initial activities to spark interest for your visitors.

Booth Design Over Size

Your trade show displays are the first point of contact with your prospective customers and it is important to pay utmost attention to its structure and design while representing your brand in an intriguing manner. While larger, spacious booths are essentially more comfortable for visitors to take a look around in and personify a brand with larger capabilities, a large booth size as a first-time attendee, however, is not ideal. Spending too many resources on the size and structure of the booth is not a guaranteed success in generating quality leads. Instead, opt for a smaller booth but incorporate high-quality graphics and interactive elements that are consistent with your brand.

Building Genuine Relationships

Customers nowadays are not only looking for great quality products and services, but also a lasting relationship with a brand that they can rely on. A key to building great customer relationships is incorporating a more conversational style and not sounding too rehearsed, cold or sermonic while interacting with your clients. Incorporate warm emotions and strike a personal engagement with your clients to make them feel both comfortable and valued at your booth. Employ the storytelling approach for creating a more informal atmosphere where your customers are not afraid to clarify their doubts or be more vocal about their opinions.

Vibration & Energy Matters

Great enthusiasm and positive energy are the twin factors that will directly influence the appeal and approachability of your booth for your visitors. You must be warm and welcoming while ushering visitors to your booth and exude a positive vibe to instantly put them at ease. Nobody really likes to visit a booth that features a laid-back attitude and booth staff who aren’t willing to pay attention to the visitors passing by. Create a friendly interaction and treat visitors with respect.

Being Interactive

When visiting trade shows, people are essentially looking to pass their time engaging in recreational activities that can add some fun and value to their experience. That being said, if you need to provide your visitors a reason to hang around your booth for longer, try offering them some interactive activities or games that they can engage in. You can also employ the use of latest technology tools, running a contest/raffle or provide free incentives to create a more engaging atmosphere in your booth.

After the Trade Show

Contrary to popular belief, your activity doesn’t end with the wrap-up of the trade show. In fact, how you nurture the relationships you made during the show is actually one of the most important parts of turning those potential leads into a customer or client. One way to do this is by integrating your contacts into a sales automation system or CRM. These platforms help segment your contacts based on their product or service interest, stage of purchase etc. By segmenting your contacts, you can create campaigns and personalized messages to help them make their decisions easier and more effectively. Remember, the fortune is in the follow-up!

Lastly, by focusing on providing your visitors with a memorable experience before and after the show, you are guaranteed to increase your brand trust and value while maintaining your budget. Most potential customers and clients first and foremost see the value of your product or service, but what keeps them loyal is their overall experience with you.​​​​​​​