How to Get Noticed at a Trade Show Exhibition

Trade show exhibitions are a great chance for you to reach out to existing and potential clients and build a name for your brand. They’re also a great opportunity for your staff to learn on the job and you could also benefit from other elements of the trade show – like listening to a seminar talks for a cheeky five minutes.

The reality is, trade show exhibitions are almost part and parcel of every business and can be very valuable tools, provided they’re utilised correctly. So how do you get you and your stand noticed at a trade show without spending a fortune?.

Become a media partner

If you like being in the spotlight, then it may be worth becoming a media partner or a sponsorship. This sounds like a costly investment, but you might be surprised. Some events are willing to provide sponsorships free of charge providing you can offer something in return. So if you have a valuable service, think about how you can leverage that to lower costs – if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Give out freebies

This is standard trade show behaviour, but if you’re not doing it, people are going to immediately lose interest, favouring the stand next to you who are giving out freebies. Try and be creative and as outrageous as you can. If you don’t like the idea of freebies, then swap it for a prize draw, but make sure it’s relevant to you, your business and your customers otherwise you could end up with a whole bunch of irrelevant leads.

Use flag poles

Almost all stands have a banner as well as a backdrop covered in their brand, and this is great for making yourself identifiable, but when you’re cornered in the little area you’ve been allocated, it can be difficult to attract those passing by. Using flag poles and portable flags is a great way to stand out from the competition and also attract the attention of visitors both near and far. This is something very few businesses invest in, thus making it a more effective technique for those who do decide to go down this route.

Boast your best features

Essentially you want to showcase your business’ best features but some people feel uncomfortable with being too self-praising, and often it can seem ingenuous or like a hard sell. This is easily combatted by boasting your best features on your advertising. Phrasing such as ‘As seen on/in…’ or a list of companies you’ve worked with is a great way to add credibility to your brand without going on about it to every person you meet.

Give clear value

There are some trade show stands you walk past and don’t even pay attention to the company name. Or some you speak to and then never remember. This is because they don’t offer a clear value to you. Why would you remember someone who offers you no benefits? Make sure you’re clear about the value you offer to your customers and what visitors on the day can gain by speaking to you.