5 Things You Need To Do Before Your Next Tradeshow

by | Apr 21, 2016 | Exhibit Planning + Strategy

Exhibitions aren’t rocket science, but there are a few key things you have to do to get the kind of returns that will make you fall in love with tradeshows. Below are the top 5 things to consider:

Halfs Of Green Cabbages One Standing Out From The Crowd Red

 1. Why are you attending the tradeshow?

Are you trying to generate brand awareness because you’re new to the market, get leads or take orders?

Get clear on this because it will impact everything you do from design, staff training, interactives – everything! If you don’t know why you’re really going (or it’s not a good enough reason) save your money and your sanity. Stay at home.

2. Think of each tradeshow like a product launch

How can you create a campaign out of your trade show attendance?

Generate excitement in the lead up to the show and if possible allow for multiple touch points setting the expectation with a call to action so your visitor adds you to their ‘must see’ list.

3. Get the team on board

You need to be dedicated to the whole tradeshow process, not just show day. Getting everyone on the same page will do wonders for their confidence on show day as well as the results you come home with.

Implement little staff training in the lead up to the show. Only 20% actually do, even though 80% of what a visitor remembers at a show is the staff. Crazy.

4. What’s your key message?

Even if your brand is a household name that will bring in crowds regardless, the quality of your visitor will greatly improve if your key product offering, feature or benefit speaks directly to your audience. For those smaller businesses this is the most important bit of advice I can give you!

If you can’t contact people in the lead up to the show because you’re new to the market, what would you say to a new client? This is what you have to represent visually so they can see it walking by. More on key message here.

5. Pre-show marketing

Do yourself a favour… Make this a must rather than a nice to have!
Start at least two months before each tradeshow so you can get in front of your market a few times. Most people have the best intentions of showing up, but life gets in the way.

Make your theme/brand recognizable because it’s human nature to look for patterns so it will start to look familiar.

** This is an exert from an article published in the February 2016 edition of Spice Magazine. To read the full article of Jess W’s click here.