If you’re a trade show exhibitor, your goal is to attract and engage attendees as they pass by your booth. But what are the best ways to do just that before they walk by and are out of reach?

Here are a few elements that have been proven to have major stopping power.  Incorporate a few, or all, of these techniques into your trade show marketing plan and get ready to reach the masses.

An Impactful Exhibit

Take advantage of the opportunity to exhibit with impact.  Create a unique presence with exhibit size, design, and of course graphics, color and branding. If you have the room, a large exhibit delivers bold and memorable branding and impact.  If your space is limited, reconfigure your modular display to fit current specs or create big impact with a powerfully branded portable display.  Make sure your message is clear since you only have a few seconds to make a memorable first impression.

LIVE demonstrations

Attendees walk the aisles of a show in search of business solutions and products that can/will make their job easier.  But they may be tired of receiving sales pitch after sales pitch being hawked their way. A live demo creates eye-catching action and draws the attendee in to see what’s “going on” at your exhibit.  Now that you’ve gained the attendee’s attention, you have the perfect opportunity to show them exactly what your product does and how it can help them achieve their business goals. Make sure your live demo is easy to see by a large gathering of attendees, and that it gets your message and branding across in a clear, concise and timely manner.

The 30-Second Sales Pitch

You have about 30 seconds to catch the attention of a show attendee before they decide to walk right on by your exhibit, so make sure the opening line of your pitch counts. In order to be effective, your pitch should start with a short description of what your product or service is and a few short details regarding how it can help the attendee’s business goals. Since each show is comprised of a different array of attendees, what works for some may not work for all. Try out several different opening lines as the show begins, and stick with the one that works best.

Captivating Promotions & Incentives

Promotional products, incentive items and give-aways are proven to be effective since they are one of the few tangible and coveted marketing materials that will leave the show with the attendees. When you offer a promotion that your target audience really wants, you appeal to their self-interest enough to get them out of the aisle and into your booth. Once you have their undivided attention, it’s up to you to deliver your best sales pitch.  Overall, incentive items can work, and work even better when they are well branded and appeal more to your target buyer rather than to all of the show’s attendees.

A Welcoming Host or Booth Staffer

A well trained and friendly host can make all the difference when it comes to catching the attention of attendees who are intent on walking right past your booth.  If your marketing strategy is successful, you can expect that your sales team will be busy engaging with buyers, and won’t have the ability to keep up their sales pitch and grab the attention of new passers-by simultaneously.   Hiring a booth host to greet attendees, deliver your initial 30-second sales pitch, and answer some general questions will free up your sales staff to close more deals.  Make sure your host is high-energy without being aggressive, and can easily deliver a genuine human connection that is the hallmark of a successful trade show.

The ability to get more attendees to stop into your booth can sometimes take a few of the above marketing techniques, or at times, all of the techniques discussed.  Depending on your product and the show at which you plan to exhibit, try out all of the elements and revise your strategy along the way to achieve your company’s desired success.

Watson Productions designs and manufactures top-quality tradeshow displays, exhibits, and environments that enable clients to engage their customers in unique ways. If it can be imagined, we can build it! Call us at 516-334-9766 for more information or visit our site at www.WatsonProductions.com to find out how we can help you incorporate these tips into your next exhibit.