What are the Best Ways to Advertize at Trade Shows

Trade shows are excellent for many reasons; they are a chance to attract new customers, bond with customers, and launch new products. For brand advertising, trade shows are indispensable, but there are best practices to follow to achieve the best results for your brand. 

Research Vendors 

If you want to make the right impression on the right people, you need to know who they are and where their stall will be; you also need a strategy for approaching and communicating with them. Start your research early, and make sure you have an idea of the target demographics.

A little research goes a long way when it comes to advertising your business at trade shows. Don’t waste time talking to the wrong people; if you know, the people you are looking for, you can approach them more efficiently and get better results for your efforts if you know their faces.

Attract Attention 

Trade shows are intense and competitive; everyone is vying for the attention of the attendees, so if you’re brand stall isn’t up to scratch, chances are the people will walk past you without a second glance; after all, there are more interesting things to look and places to spend their time. 

If you want to advertise your business at a trade show and get the best value for your time, you need to make your stall big and bright. Invest in bold banners, make your stall as tall as possible, and think about interesting graphics and gimmicks to catch people’s attention.  

Booth Location 

Try to get the best booth for traffic at your trade show. If you are stuck out in the corner somewhere, you will not make the best use of your time at the trade show, you might receive some attention, but overall you will be harder to find. Find the best booth by arriving early. 

The best locations at a trade show are close to restaurants and cafes, toilets, and industry giants that are guaranteed to draw a crowd. Even if people don’t engage with your stall, you are very visible; chances are your stall will also be used for directions which helps draw attention.  

Pre Promotion 

As soon as you know you will be attending the trade show, begin advertising. Too many brands leave their social media advertising until the last few weeks before the event, but this is a wasted opportunity. Social media users have a short attention span, so advertise regularly. 

Begin social media promotions after you book the trade show; in the beginning, you can use light promotions, but as you get closer to the date, increase your social media efforts and use relevant hashtags to reach the right people. It means people will expect to see you at the show. 

Product Demonstrations

Trade shows are an excellent way to display your products and show customers how they work. Unlike your online store, customers can see the full dimensions of the product, test the material for quality, and try it for size. Don’t be surprised if you sell a number of units at the trade show. 

If you want to make a strong impression on customers and sell some products at a trade show, make sure you have a demonstration product set up. Have someone available to show people how to operate the product and to give them more information. Why not launch a new product?

Booth Competitions 

Competitions at your booth are an excellent way to generate interest in your products and services before, during, and after the event. There are different ways to offer competitions, and each of them has advantages; you can have small events at the booth, or larger prize draws.  

For prize draws, you want to advertise the event ahead of time, post on social media, and encourage early sign-ups. Make sure you pick an appropriate size for your winners, one relating to your company and brand. Don’t be afraid to offer smaller competitions at your booth as well.  

Merchandise 

Don’t forget to bring plenty of merchandise with you to the trade show. Whether you are selling mugs, t-shirts, and badges or giving them away, this is your chance to create an emotional bond with your customers and advertise your brand long-term whenever they use your items. 

The best merchandise is items that are functional and attractive. Mugs are perfect; even though a white-label mug isn’t the first choice in a home or office, it will be used regularly and stick around for a while. Another excellent example is a promotional USB stick that is ever-present.    

Promotional USBs

USB sticks are used regularly in offices and industries to store and transport files, but there is never one there when you need it. Promotional USB sticks are another perfect example of excellent promotional items, thanks to their functionality and visibility in the daily life of an office. 

Customers simply go online and download the files they need to the desktop and then plug in their promotional UBB stick. Even a promotional stick has substantial storage, so customers can realistically use it for their businesses. Handing one to someone at a trade show creates a bond.  

Business Cards 

Don’t forget business cards when you attend your trade show event. Business cards are the most traditional form of networking; they are also one of the most effective. Make sure you have your names and services on the front and make it eye-catching to ensure better visibility. 

As your pile of business cards disappears at a trade show, your pockets start to fill up with other people’s. Chances are you will store these somewhere in the office when you get back, but you will only remember the ones that left an impression. Make sure you make a big impression too. 

Networking 

Attending a networking event is all about visibility, but it’s also about networking with other businesses in your niche. If you want to make the right connections and grow your business, find a trade show location with high footfall and find an area where relevant people hang out.