Trade Show Marketing 101

Trade shows are a lot like popular music. You either love it or hate it, and there is rarely a middle ground. Companies that take part in a trade show will either say it was the perfect opportunity to showcase their company to potential customers, while other companies will say it was a huge waste of time and resources for the company.

Why are there two different opinions regarding what is generally the same trade show format? The reason is that many companies do not really know how to market themselves properly for the trade show.

First time exhibitors at a trade show often do one of two things. They put too little time into their booth and it is passed over for something a bit more interesting, or they put too much time into the booth and it becomes complicated and ‘busy’. For vendors at a trade show, understanding how to market an exhibit will draw more people into the trade show.

Trade show marketing for exhibitors is not a complicated process. To do it properly, exhibitors should follow the following tips for a successful trade show marketing campaign.

• First, they should look at how they market themselves to their customers . Does their logo and slogan match what they are selling? Is it simple or complicated? Are there more questions about what the exhibitor’s logo means that about the products they sell?
• Second, getting a second opinion is very important in every industry . Writers always have someone look over what they write, and exhibitors at a trade show should have someone from outside the industry look at their exhibit to offers pointers and ask questions. You may know what the stuffed gorilla in the exhibit is for, but attendees may not.
• Third, many attendees of trade shows go to trade shows on a regular basis , and if they see the same exhibit over and over, they may not continue to go to it. This is why it is important for exhibitors to change things up, including who goes to the exhibit, so there is always something new to see.
• Lastly , and possibly most important in trade show marketing for exhibitors, is to always think about what they are wearing . Many exhibitors will wear suits and ties, but this can turn attendees off of the exhibit. Instead, they should be casual and the outfits should change with each trade show to keep things different each time.

Trade show marketing is very important, and improper marketing means that a trade show opportunity could be completely wasted.

Remember, your trade show booth can make or break your business so be sure to plan out your booth concept carefully to be able to carry out the message and goal that you are aiming for. By doing this, you can be assured that you shall close the exhibit with a new pool of potential business clients.