Trade shows can be a fun experience, but drawing people to your booth isn’t always easy. When you’re competing against larger, flashier booths that are eight times larger and outfitted with televisions and sound systems, it can be difficult to lure people in. If you’re heading to a trade show — whether it’s in Fort Collins, somewhere else in Colorado, or across the country — the first thing you might think about is, “I need a trade show display.” While that’s probably true, you’re going to need a whole lot more than that, and our sign shop can make it all happen.
What are the most vital parts of going to a trade show? Actions Signs is a sign shop, and while we might not carry everything we mention here, that doesn’t mean that the following aren’t important parts of your show. Here’s what we suggest you take.
Trade Show Banners and Displays
Let’s start with the big part of your display, the aspect of it that’s supposed to draw people in left and right. Your trade show banner has to stand out among dozens, and maybe among hundreds. You might be competing with others on the floor who are doing something very similar to what you do, so you have to ask yourself: How can I stand out?
Design is a big part of it. The designers at our local sign shop know how to design trade show displays so that they really stand out. Trade show booths can have banners, table coverings, flags, tents, and complete backdrops. All of these should work together in order to bring people out of the aisle and into your booth.
We can create an entire trade show display for you from scratch or make it match the tables you already have. If you’re updating your design, we can even print a new display so that it matches your existing hardware.
When you get someone to stop by our booth, you can’t just rely on the interest your trade show banners garnered to keep them there. Here are some more items to entice them while they’re there.
Table Toppers
Trade show displays are great, but there’s only so much information they can convey. You want your displays to be crisp and clean, delivering a limited amount of information: the name of your company, a few services you provide, some contact information, and images of what you do.
Table toppers are an excellent way to convey information to people when they get up close to your booth, much more than you dare put on the trade show banners themselves. You can point to the many services you offer, show off all of your services, and even detail how you’re different from your competitors.
Table toppers, even though they might look permanent, can be switched out depending on the deals you’re offering at the moment. If the information changes between one trade show and the next, simply have a new one printed up at your local print shop. Just make sure they look as professional as possible.
Flyers
In today’s world where so much is spent on website and online advertising, the importance of basic paper-based advertising is underappreciated. You can’t really rely on someone to remember your company’s name, web address, Facebook names, Instagram name, and/or Twitter name. They might be seeing hundreds of other vendors, and there’s almost no chance they’re going to connect with you later on any of those platforms.
People like something that they can touch, that they can hold, that they can write additional information on. This gives them the information they need while also ensuring they go home with all of your contact information (if the flyer is designed well, that is!). That information goes with them, and it might even stick around in a pile on their desk for months before they act.
Don’t underestimate the importance of paper, because it gets the point across. Of course, it’s important to not underestimate the importance of…
Business Cards
This might sound obvious, but you want to have a lot of business cards printed up for your trade show. How many will you need? Take that number and double it. What can it hurt? At worst you’ll be stocked up on business for the next year, and handing one out to everyone you meet increases the chances that you’ll get more business.
What happens if you run out of business cards? You stop making connections, and when someone asks you for one then you feel embarrassed and unprepared. That’s certainly something you want to avoid.
Giveaways
Giveaways are a mainstay of trade shows, and with good reason. If a 10-cent piece of candy is going to draw someone in for a potential $10,000 sale, then it’s worth it to have a bowlful at hand.
Of course, it’s not just about drawing people in. Trade show giveaways can be imprinted with your company name and information, putting it on something that people will take home. In fact, if you put your information on something they will actually use — and use for some time to come — you might keep your name in front of them for years to come. While fidget spinner might be fun, putting your logo on a smartphone wallet could “imprint” on your potential customers! Other popular and useful trade show giveaways include reusable water bottles, lip balm, USB chargers, and mints (everyone needs mints since they’re talking so much on the trade floor). You can also have giveaways that are specific to your industry; a lumberyard might have small tape measures printed with their information.
Giveaways aren’t just about getting your logo out there. Humans are hardwired to reciprocate when someone gives them a gift, so if you give them something maybe they’ll reciprocate by purchasing your goods or services. A little investment in giveaways could go a long way.
A Smile
You can never underestimate the importance of a smile, so always take it to your trade show! When people walk past, they don’t want to see you on your phone. They don’t want to see someone who’s bored, and they certainly don’t want to see a look of desperation on your face. A smile has drawn many people into trade show booths, so make sure you practice beforehand.
Ready To Make Your Booth Look Its Best?
We know we are. Our trade show booth design in Fort Collins will take your brand and make it look its absolute best, then print out exactly what you need to draw in the most people possible to your booth. Contact us today to get the process started!
