5 Fundamentals for Increasing Traffic to Your Tradeshow Booth

There is no scientific formula for guaranteed success at a tradeshow, however there are many standards that have proven over time to be effective. These are some basic guidelines that can help you yield a higher ROI from your next event.

1. Booth Design and Graphics. In order to stand out from the numerous other companies exhibiting at your show, your booth must have an eye-catching display. As people walk by, you have less than 5 seconds to capture their attention. The graphics on your booth should contain a short sentence (7 words or less) that explains what your company does, along with clean, clear, high-resolution images that represent your key ideas. No one is going to stop and read a long paragraph or a list of bullet points, so make sure the pictures send the message instead. You should also display the most important information at eye level. When in doubt, contact the show management team for tips on your exhibit. They will know what has worked for past exhibitors at that particular show and will be happy to share their expertise. They want you to succeed so that you will come back and exhibit again, so take advantage of this useful resource.

2. Staff. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR.org), 85% of being successful at tradeshows depends on the effectiveness of booth staff. It is vitally important that tradeshow attendees want to talk and interact with your staff, so they should always exude professionalism. Their attire should include matching shirts with a company logo, their clothes should be clean and ironed and their name tag should be visible at all times. In order to appear approachable, they should never be sitting, eating or conducting a personal conversation. Prepare each staff member for striking up conversations with prospects by making sure they each have 3-6 engaging questions that will stimulate thought, lead to conversation and help to understand the person's needs and wants better.

3. Giveaways. Handing out logoed promotional products is not only a standard at most tradeshows, but is also one of the most effective ways to make a lasting impression on attendees. This aspect of your exhibit should be treated with extreme importance and factored into your budget. The product that you choose should be designed to increase recognition, communicate a message, motivate an action, or promote your business. While planning your giveaways, keep in mind that spending extra money in order to buy something more effective will be well worth the added cost. For example, if you plan to purchase tote bags, buying one with a zipper may cost more up front, but it will provide a much higher return. While most people will use any tote bag at the tradeshow itself, yours will actually make it home with prospects since the zipper makes it much better for traveling, and they can use it to bring home the other materials picked up at the show.

Another way you can differentiate yourself from your competition is to give attendees the option of receiving your giveaway by mail after the show. Many attendees will appreciate not having to lug it around all day, and you will get to make another impression when there is less competition for their attention. As an added bonus, this provides an opportunity for you to build trust with each person by making a promise to them and then following through with it.

4. Lead Collection. Your tradeshow experience will not be successful if you do not have an effective plan for capturing leads. One of the best ways to do this is to rent one (or more) of the scanners from the show management team. These will allow you to scan the badge of each attendee who stops by your booth and record all of their information. If you do not have it in your budget to rent the scanner, other effective methods for recording your leads include collecting business cards or having short forms for the staff to fill out as they talk to each visitor. Holding a random drawing for a nice prize can also provide added encouragement for people to volunteer their information. Just keep in mind that however you decide to capture leads, it must include a way to take notes on the conversation had with each person. On any given day of a tradeshow, booth staff will be talking to countless people and it is important you remember what was discussed so that it can be referenced during the follow-up phase.

5. Marketing Materials. As every exhibitor will be giving away numerous materials at your show, it is necessary to let attendees decide what information they receive and when. In addition to your giveaways, offer a variety of marketing materials such as catalogs, brochures, information sheets, tip sheets, price charts, etc. Extremely interested people may not mind carrying your full catalog around all day so that they can have it for immediate use when they get home, while individuals who are further away from making a decision may just want the basic facts about your company to take as a reminder. Still others may not want to carry anything with them, and prefer to have everything mailed to them later. Regardless, you must be able to accommodate every type of customer and prospect in order to achieve maximum results. Your materials should also have a consistent theme and design. Keep the same colors and style throughout everything related to your exhibit, including pre-show mailing materials, emails, booth design, marketing materials and follow-up information. Keeping this consistency will make it easier for attendees to remember any previous contact and will help you to make a much stronger impression.

Exhibiting at tradeshows requires a large investment of both time and money, but they are also an incredible opportunity to introduce your product & services to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of potential buyers. Following these basic guidelines is an easy way to ensure a higher return on your investment and a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.