subject: Getting Ready for Your Trade Show Exhibition [print this page] Getting Ready for Your Trade Show Exhibition
Almost every small business owner has been offered to display at a trade show. Most have set up booths, machines, even gaming devices in regional trade shows. But what most business owners neglect to do is the homework prior to attending the show. How do you make sure you maximize your presence at a trade show? It's not as hard as you may think.
There are several methods you can take when showing your product or service. First, you should figure out what is the physical space you have to work with. Where are you going to be located in the broad layout of the entire show? Notice that sometimes, being away from the other booths or being on the outskirts of the rows can serve to your advantage and other times, it can ruin your entire day. After you figure out where you set up, it will be time to prepare your promotional items. Every business at a trade show will have them and yours better be memorable. There are several marketing promotional items that always work. Custom printed bags, promotional pens, and promotional coffee mugs are a trade show favorite. Make sure you have them, but also try to be creative.
Think about the last trade show you were in. Do you remember anything about it? If you do, odds are it was either an experience or a product you still have around your house. Do you remember the brand it belonged to? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, that means their promotional item worked. Try to do the same for your business. There is nothing wrong with taking a formula that works and using it for your own business development. Just ask any soft drink maker, or computer company, or any movie studio. Everyone is inspired by the things around them. Especially in trade shows.
Next, you should think about how to use your trade show promotional items and the rest of your promotional merchandise. Take a look at the schedule of the show. When is lunch? When are people coming back to the main trade area? These are moments where trade show participants are "bottle necked" by standing in lines or walking through doors. This means you have a small space that almost everyone will be walking through or at least exposed to. Try handing out your promotional items in these locations. You may be surprised at the amount of people willing to actively accept promotional items while they wait for their food.
Being a success at a trade show could help your business get new exposure and enhance your sales. All you need to do is think ahead and make it happen!
