You have done a great deal of prep work to outfit your booth and create just the right booth messaging and design to draw people in. However, what are you doing to engage booth visitors as they enter your booth and keep them engaged? One of the problems is the amount of competition you have on the conference floor, among other things. To overcome these challenges, here are 7 key elements to ensure traffic to your booth and a successful trade show.
Booth Staff
Your booth staff is key to a successful trade show. Send sales and product consultants that are engaging and know the product. There is nothing worse then having a customer come up and ask a question and the sales rep not know the answer. Ensure that your booth staff is well trained to tackle even the most complex questions.
If You Build It, They Will Come!
Interactive booths come in all shapes and sizes. It really depends on the type of product or service you are selling, as well as your budget. Try to think outside the box. Make your booth interactive and you’re sure to draw booth traffic. A touch-screen website or demo is a good place to start. Other suggestions for creating an interactive booth:
- Photo op with a massive shark or other props
- Prize wheel – Spin the wheel, answer a question, win a prize – Not only is this interactive, but it helps attendees learn the product.
- Virtual walk-through of the company’s solutions – If your company has a learning center where they show case their products and services, consider doing a virtual walk-through.
- Prize drawings are also a good way to create booth engagement.
Set Appointments
Some conferences will send out a preshow attendee list. Consider having your sales team reach out to set up preshow meetings while at the conference. Utilizing your presence at the conference and hold face-to-face meetings with current and potential customers. This will help with customer retention and assist with closing more deals. Consider incorporating a meeting space in your next booth design. This keeps people on the show floor and will allow them to see and engage more with your products and brand.
Press Releases
Press releases can be a powerful piece of advertisement to get your message across. If you are launching a new product or service, think about sending out a press release announcing the launch. Include the conference name, dates of conference, and last but not least, don’t forget to mention your booth number in the press release.
Be a Socialite
You should be using social media before, during, and after the show to engage conference attendees. Build excitement by tweeting a teaser Vine video of what your company will be showcasing. While at the show, post different blurbs on all of the various social media platforms using the event hashtag. Include images of your booth, products, and giveaways in both the during and after posts.
The Best Swag Around
“Free.” Everyone likes the word “free,” especially when it has to do with food or giveaways. Giveaways can build buzz in your booth, communicate a message, and create brand awareness. If you choose to distribute promotional items at a conference, make sure to strategically plan out what items you will distribute. Consider selecting the right promotional items based on these three criteria: the promotional item is useful, it fits with your brand, and it’s creative. Make sure when selecting giveaways that they aren’t overused.
Sending out a Message
Think outside the box when promoting your company’s presence at the next conference. If you received the conference attendee list, consider using voice broadcasting. DialogTech’s voice broadcast tool is an effective way to promote your next event through pre-recorded phone messages. Personalize your voice broadcast to include date and time of the event, booth number, location and event reminders. You can also make the voice broadcast interactive by including an IVR (interactive voice response). It allows you to collect information such as meeting requests or demo requests. You also have the ability to transfer the caller directly to a live person.
I hope the tips I have provided will help drive more traffic to your booth. To learn more about how to use voice broadcasts, download our white paper: Integrate Intelligent Voice Broadcasting into Your Marketing and Sales Strategy