Let’s face it, there are things we need that simply cost a lot of money, like moisturizer, natural, dye-free soaps and skin toner.  The fact that I get it all at a trade show, and that some of the labels specifically state, “For Experimental Use Only” doesn’t sway me from the fact that I just saved a TON of money.  I haven’t grown a full beard (I mean nothing more than any other Italian woman my age) and my eye lids are still the same color as the rest of my skin.  It’s all good!

But then I go home and dump the loot out of the free 10 gallon bag I got at the door of the exhibit hall and, while admiring my take, I start to wonder why no one, not a single person, scanned my badge?  Scratch that, one person did and I never received any follow up for it.

My free sample collecting doesn’t consist of drive-by grabbing.  I stop, ask questions (because I am genuinely interested in some of what the exhibitors do) make small talk and, in almost EVERY instance, ask if the booth staffer wants to scan my badge.  I am willing to give that much for the 6 months’ worth of free skin care I just received.  Yet at the most recent show I attended I couldn’t give my information away.

What is going on?  Does no one gather leads anymore?

When a potential client comes to me for a trade show exhibit, part of my discovery with them is to find out how they gather leads.  Do they have a paper lead card?  Are they gathering the information electronically?  Perhaps their visitors are by invitation only so they know who shows up and who does not.  There are so many ways to collect attendee information in your booth and so many reasons to do so.  If my potential client has not considered lead gathering, we dedicate some time during our meeting to the merits of doing so, how to implement it, and where it belongs in their exhibit space.  It’s that important.

In light of our recent economic woes, there is more pressure on marketing employees to prove a return on their investment in trade shows.  Their bosses want to see the data, perhaps a year-to-year comparison of expenses and returns.  They want to be assured that the thousands of dollars they spend on their annual trade show programs are worth the investment.  And marketing employees want to keep their jobs, prove their worth and keep the marketing budgets growing.  So, what happened at the SCC Supplier’s Day show last month?

This is a show that has exhibitors from all over the world.  I spoke with people from China, South Africa, France and the Caribbean.  We discussed dye free soaps and skin care products not only for me, but for my kids, who are on the Feingold Program (www.feingold.org) and do not ingest or practice personal hygiene with anything containing artificial dyes or additives.  I am their target audience, willing to pay big bucks for their products (when not collecting them for free) and still, no one scanned my badge.

At this point, I started to feel like there was something wrong with me.  What was it about me that they didn’t want to get to know me better?  Was I not inquisitive enough?  Did I not prove my need for their products?  Ok, I get that most of them only sell to distributors and not the end users, but most of the people I spoke with were unwilling to tell me who they sell to so that I could buy their products in stores or online.  I even told the soap guy about the tens of thousands of people on the Feingold program and how he can get his products on the ‘approved’ list.  He was interested, I gave him the name and contact information for the National Director, but still, he didn’t scan my badge.  It was like chasing a boy who only wants to date my Chemistry lab partner.

The Benefits of Lead Gathering

So what can lead gathering do for a company?  Well, here are just a few things:

• If your lead gathering mechanism gathers the right information, and is not just a business card dropped in a fish bowl, your chances of gathering qualified leads, for quick follow up by your sales staff, increase exponentially.
• Lead collecting helps you keep on top of who is doing the purchasing from year to year at the companies you currently do business with, and helps you build new relationships where you’re already a familiar face.
• It helps you identify immediate needs and those that are 6 months, a year or farther out in your sales cycle.  It helps you build your cache of potential sales for several months.
• Lead gathering can help you decide if you’re exhibiting at the right shows.  If you are collecting leads from people who cannot possibly become potential partners, clients or end users of the products and services you sell, then you’re at the wrong show.  Give me a call so we can redirect your efforts.
• The cost of generating a qualified lead at a show: $212; the cost of generating a qualified lead in the field: $308.*
• The cost of closing a qualified lead at a show: $705; the cost of closing a qualified lead from the field: $1,140.*

Trade shows are a $70 Billion per year industry.  Big bucks are being poured into trade show booth space, material handling, travel, lodging and entertainment annually.  What are you getting in return?  If you are not getting the payday you expect out of your trade shows, then it’s time to revise your strategy.  Take a look at how (or in this case, IF) you’re gathering leads and make adjustments.  Don’t forget to look at your booth staffers too.  They have to put themselves out there, nothing between them and the aisle, scanner in hand and mint on their breath.  85% of your trade-show success is in the hands of your staff.  Set goals for them, make it fun and provide incentives for the most qualified leads gathered.  Then put those samples out and clear a path because my stash of Shea Butter is dangerously low!

(*CEIR Study on Economics of Exhibiting)

See how your peers are succeeding now with lead management and other key areas of exhibiting in the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  Click here to request your free copy. 

Tom was frustrated that, even with the wealth of best practices available with just a Google search, too many exhibitors were not searching for and implementing exhibiting best practices.  I know we’ve tried to help them, too – we’ve published about 200,000 words on this blog over the past few years, plus hosted dozens of webinars and hundreds of seminars.

But I also know that, as much as we’d like to eradicate poor exhibiting habits from the face of face-to-face marketing, it’s never going to happen.  Here’s why.

We as trained, established B2B marketers have high standards.  We know about writing ads that appeal to our target audience.  We can list on our right hand the top 5 industry keywords we have optimized our website for.  We know what makes our email marketing CAN-SPAM compliant.

We also learn from the best.  We see the print ads of the biggest B2B companies.  We visit the websites of the Fortune 500.  We receive direct mail from major players — either in our industry, or within the marketing industry.  We might even see a TV ad from a billion-dollar B2B company during the Super Bowl.

But at a trade show, the barrier to entry is much lower.  For every full-page advertiser in an industry publication, there are dozens, even hundreds of companies who get a trade show booth in that same industry’s largest show.  I’ve seen estimates of anywhere from 300,000 to 1.5 million companies that exhibit at trade shows.  Not all these exhibiting companies have full-time, trained marketers — let alone trained exhibit marketers.

What prevents some exhibitors from being exhibit marketers

So why do companies that invest thousands of marketing dollars at trade shows not get professional help, either through experienced, empowered staff or from outside consultants, before they exhibit?   Here are 7 reasons why there will always be exhibitors who aren’t exhibit marketers:

1. B2B companies too often put their trade show marketing in the hands of a well-meaning, but overworked and unprepared administrator — and don’t provide any trade show training, because trade shows look deceptively easy.  They are actually harder than they look.
2. Some exhibit marketers are not allowed to choose their booth staff, and get stuck with staffers who don’t want to be in their trade show displays — and those unwilling staffers plainly show their displeasure to prospects.
3. Some exhibit marketers lack the authority to make the changes necessary to actually market at trade shows, rather than just show up.
4. Some show owners wash their hands of the continuous need to provide coaching to their exhibitors, both new and returning.
5. Some people responsible for their company’s trade show program think they already know all they need to know — and so they don’t want to find out what they could do better.
6. At some companies, there is no primary owner accountable for their trade show program, so multiple departments fight over what to do, or just as bad, don’t care enough to fight over it.
7. Sometimes, exhibit marketers know what to do to succeed, but frustratingly, lack the budget or the time to create a fully integrated trade show program.

Those are 7 roadblocks to trade show success that are never going to go away — at least, not for everyone.  Fortunately, there are companies that want to do trade shows right.  Many of those hundreds of thousands of exhibiting companies want to learn how to improve their trade show results, so we will keep providing as many tips, insights, blog posts, newsletters, webinars, seminars, white papers, and best practices that we can muster.

Are you at a company that unfortunately fits one of those 7 reasons?  It doesn’t have to be a life sentence.  You can take control of your trade show program, and make it one that Tom Nightingale would like.  Even better, be the exhibitor that potential prospects would want to visit, too.

An exceptional resource for the best practices in 7 key areas of exhibit marketing is the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  Request your free copy of the 32-page guide by clicking here. 

Make Every Attempt To Locate Your Trade Show Display

Don’t bother pestering the labor crew while they’re busy trying to set up dozens of booths for other exhibitors who are just as frazzled as you are. Instead, go straight to whoever is in charge, explain the situation and ask if they can help you locate your missing trade show display.  The person in charge should immediately designate someone to help you; after all, their reputation rests on exhibitor satisfaction.  Venue management will also be familiar with all the nooks and crannies where a misdirected shipment might end up.  If by some miracle they find your shipment, take the time to carefully check your trade show displays and banner stand to make sure they haven’t been damaged.  If there is some damage, be sure to take a picture, jot down some notes and fill out an accident report with the venue.

If your trade show display is nowhere on the venue premises, contact your shipping or freight carrier and ask them to put a trace on the delivery.  If you have a tracking number for your shipment it shouldn’t take much time for them to locate it and let you know how quickly they can get it to you. If they can’t find it, be sure to file a claim with the carrier.

Lost Giveaways Don’t Have To Shut You Down

It isn’t always your main trade show display that is lost or misdirected.  It may arrive safely while a separate box or shipment with your table top displays or giveaways mysteriously disappears.  If your brochures or flyers don’t arrive, you may want to scan the badges of trade show attendees and make a point to send the brochure as post-show follow up.  Attendees may be expecting to get some take-home information from exhibitors and this way,  you won’t disappoint them.

Lost giveaways are a tougher call.  You probably can’t turn around a special order for branded gifts quickly enough, but there are ways to salvage the situation.  Call a local bakery and order some cookies or some other tasty treat to give to visitors, and be sure to order enough for the duration of the event.  Visitors will remember you for the delicious snack rather than remembering you as the booth that was too cheap (in their minds) to provide a giveaway!

Deflect The Problem With Humor

Depending on what all is missing, you may be able to use a bit of humor to pique the interest of attendees while you’re waiting for your missing booth, banner stand or other elements to arrive.  If you know they will arrive the next day for a week long event, it may not be cost effective to order new graphics for one day.  An alternative might be to order a bold banner stand or sign that says, “Coming Soon! The Lost (Company Name Here) Trade Show Display!”  Attendees always appreciate humor, and they’ll probably stop by to commiserate with you, particularly if they’ve ever been in your shoes.

Preventing A Missing Trade Show Display

To minimize the risk of misdirected or missing elements, be sure to work with a reputable shipping company that uses tracking numbers so that you can keep track of your shipment.  Check in online every day so that you know where your items are along the delivery route and whether it’s been diverted.  Avoid standard shipping if you can, as these delivery dates generally fall within a range rather than being exact and they aren’t guaranteed.  It’s worth the extra money for a shipment that’s guaranteed to arrive by noon the next day if the alternative is three to five business days without a promise that it will arrive on time.

Finally, pack a few of your smaller elements with you if at all possible.   That way, even if the majority of your trade show display is missing, you can at least set out a banner stand or a few or table top displays to let attendees know you’re there.

Get more exhibiting ideas and helpful tips in the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  Click here for your free copy of the report that covers the 7 key areas of trade show marketing. 

Because it allows attendees to network, locate industry trends, new products and services, and find specific information.

• Networking – Social media helps to create a community around a trade show.  Before the trade show, attendees can connect with others who are as like-minded as they are.
• New Product & Services – Locating real-time information about new product and service releases as they happen is integral to attendees.
• Information – Companies and event organizers can listen to what attendees are looking for, and better service their desires at the upcoming trade show or with their trade show displays.

How often are attendees unable to attend the trade show due to reduced budgets or a scheduling conflict?  Social media allows the expansion of the audience.  Blog posts, tweets, and YouTube videos allow attendees to obtain real time information about what they are missing at a key trade show that they were unable to attend.  Across the globe, social media allows attendees to connect from their computers even if they are unable to make it to your trade show booth.

Social media also increases the length of the trade show through the use of hash tags, blogs, and online communities which allow interaction way in advance of the show open date, and long after show close.  Trade show organizers often allow online new product boards that link directly to exhibitor portals and social media communities, making it easier for attendees to navigate the trade show on demand.

So how do you use social media with a trade show marketing strategy?

Plan ahead, involve your sales team, marketing team, and create a calendar of social media activities.  Get buy in from management, ensure everyone knows the brand messaging, and implement your social media strategy using methods of content creation and consistent engagement with attendees and anyone who engages with you!  We will discuss measuring your results in a future blog post, as this is a crucial step.

How have you been successful in using social media with your trade show strategy?  Share your comments below!

Read the report that shares exhibitors’ mindsets about social media and other new challenges presented to them in The Evolving Role Of Exhibit Marketers.  To request your free 36-page copy click here. 

Despite endless test markets, surveys and marketing reports, some new campaigns fall flat and lead to a significant monetary loss when companies invest a large chunk of their marketing budget in a new exhibit design.  But fear of committing to a complete overhaul of your booth elements can be even more devastating.  If you hesitate to implement new ideas, your bannerstands and pop-up displays will soon look tired and out-of-date.  The solution? A trade show exhibit rental that gives you the opportunity to test drive the latest innovations in exhibiting without committing your marketing dollars to a display you’ll have to use for years to come.

Pushing The Envelope With A Trade Show Exhibit Rental

Is your latest advertising or marketing campaign a bit “out there?” In some industries, pushing the envelope is the norm and visitors at conferences and conventions expect a bit of shock factor. If you’re in a more traditional industry, however, pushing the boundaries of tradition or turning the expectations of consumers upside down could backfire. If a new concept has you and others thinking, “That’s brilliant, but… ,” a rental is a great way to do a test market, preferably in one of the smaller venues so that you can get feedback without too much commitment of resources. If your trade show exhibit rental falls flat, you’ll be able to go back to the drawing board without being stuck with booth elements you can’t use.

Rebranding: Defy Expectations

If your company is rebranding itself in order to attract a different demographic, a test drive of a few different ideas before taking the plunge with a new logo or brand identity makes perfect sense.  Consider narrowing down your designs to two different versions, then use trade show exhibit rentals to try them out.  Be sure you ask for feedback from visitors using a simple survey form or interactive feature on the venue’s website or your company home page so that you can determine which version is preferred by your target demographic.  Investing in a completely new set of banner stands, table-top displays and other elements is easy when you’ve already used them in a trade show exhibit rental that “wowed” the crowds.  In many instances, rebranding is successful because it goes against expectations, drawing in a new segment of the market.

Try Out The Latest Technologies

No matter what industry you’re in, your company wants to look progressive and innovative.  One of the simplest ways to do this is with the latest technological advances in display elements.  Technologies like 3-D effects, electronic posters and interactive displays using tablets, smart phones, touch controls or gesture recognition can draw crowds.  But which technology will most effectively convey your message?  The best way to find out is by trying several different options over the course of a few months using a different trade show exhibit rental at each venue, then comparing your results.

By using a trade show exhibit rental to test drive new technologies, company branding and marketing concepts, you can be sure your company is keeping ahead of the curve without having to make a commitment until you’re certain of its success.

Get more information about trade show display rental and custom modular design by reading The Trend To Custom Modular white paper.  This study examines trends in exhibit budgets, ROI, custom exhibits and more.  Click here to request your free copy. 

This marketing doctrine is based on the perennial philosophy “At the end of reasons comes persuasion.”  The Art of Persuasion is an age old idea that has been vigorously scrutinized since the days of Aristotle.  The road to persuasion as traveled by Aristotle is constructed of 3 elements: Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

Ethos (Greek for ‘character’) refers to the credibility of the writer or speaker or in our case the exhibit marketer.  Ethos is affected by the person’s reputation as it exists independently from the message – his or her expertise in the field, his or her previous record or integrity, and so forth. The impact of ethos is often called the argument’s ‘ethical appeal’ or the ‘appeal from credibility.’  Hint: As an individual marketer, start creating a buzz about your individual credibility using social media channels.

Pathos (Greek for ‘experience’) is often connected to emotional appeal. Paint a visual picture to ‘appeal to the audience’s imagination.’  A plea to pathos causes your audience not just to respond emotionally to your trade show booth but to identify with your point of view–to feel what you feel. The power of Pathos moves your audience to action.  Hint: Don’t just claim the features of your products.  Use vivid emotional language to paint the features that will benefit your audience coupled with sensory details of your trade show exhibit design.  ”Remember facts and figures do not make an emotional impact but stories and vivid language do.”

Logos (Greek for ‘word’) refers to the clarity of the claim, the logic behind the reason, and compelling clause of its supporting evidence.  The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes called the argument’s logical appeal. Hint: This is where perennial marketing comes into play.  Keep the pipe of education flowing.  Keep your target audience informed with technical details such as e-books and white papers.  Use facts and figures to support your argument.

(Source: Ramage, John D. and John C. Bean. Writing Arguments.)

The landscape of digital communication has given us marvelous opportunities to harness our concepts of ethos and logos.  However, pathos scores high in the events that involve face-to-face-marketing such as trade shows.  Trade shows are ideal venues where you get to test the different flavors of persuasion.  You get to test the levels of persistence, logic and exuberance that is needed to drive an idea to a close.  Professor Jay A. Conger, author of Winning ‘Em Over states that, “Persuasion is a process of give-and-take.”  To persuade effectively, we must not only listen to others but also incorporate their perspectives into our own.  Above all, persuasion involves testing a position, developing a new position that reflects input from your target audience, more testing, incorporating compromises, and then trying again.

Persuasion can be a force for gigantic good and trade shows are fertile grounds to foster it.  Persuasion pulls people together, drives new ideas, stimulates change and hammers out constructive solutions.  ”To do all that people must understand persuasion for what it is–not convincing and selling but learning and negotiating.”

Put the power of persuasion to work for you by incorporating ideas from the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper in your trade show marketing.  Click here to receive your free copy of the 36-page book filled with tips for successful exhibiting. 

Trade show Displays:  Success Comes At A Price For Every Business

However, like any marketing endeavor, participating in trade shows comes with a possibly lofty price tag.  Beyond the investment in the trade show displays themselves, there are a vast assortment of other expenditures to consider.  Staff training, travel and a slew of other random disbursements can quickly add up, making securing optimal return on investment at every single event not only a focused goal, but an imperative requirement.

Despite the large margin for executional error at trade shows, there are some tried and true strategies to help guarantee success.  If you’re hoping to avoid the big “Epic Fail” label at your next function, try these critical pre, during and post-show tips to help eliminate these possible miscalculations and missteps.

Minimize And Eliminate Room For Error With Trade Show Exhibits

The pre-show phase is all about planning, planning and more planning. Researching the very best exhibits offered in your industry is a critical first step.  Ask questions like: Have we participated before?  What were some of the results yielded?  What, if anything, do we want to do differently this time?  Staying focused on previous benefits and achievements will solidify your return venture as a leading exhibitor that clients want to check in on again!  Beyond determining which events to attend, the pre-event phase is also when you select which team members will man the trade show booths at the function.  Finally, once your team is chosen – train them!  Having an ill-prepared staff is a surefire way to achieve epic failure!

During the show itself, companies need to stay vigilant about executing everything that was strategized before the function.  Every member should look professional and the displays should remain organized and operational at all times.  Meet, greet and manage all the available contacts that wander into your booths using the pitches that were practiced well in advance of the function itself.  Remember, the goal of the day is always about gathering as many quality new leads as possible.  Your team should be ready to graciously extract themselves from empty conversations and dialogues to quickly move onto warmer, more promising engagements for maximum results.

Once the convention has finished, it’s time to ward off the final threat of failure facing your organization.  Many businesses simply move on to the next function without carefully gleaning through the leads, contacts and business cards gathered.  Major marketing misstep!  Always ensure that every lead, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant, gets followed up on.  It may not convert immediately, but if monitored closely and properly, these leads can yield biggest return on investment possible: a sale!

Use the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper to help avoid huge mistakes at your next trade show.  Click here to receive a free copy of the guide that includes almost 100 tips for the 7 key areas of exhibit marketing. 

You’ll also see a lot of bad designs!  Too many pictures, confusing messages and, what does that say?  It’s so small and there is so much text, I can’t even read it!

When it’s time to design your trade show display graphics, consider a few important points:

• Who you are:  Obviously you want to be easily found in the show hall.  An effective way to accomplish this goal is by not only placing your logo & branding at the maximum height, but also repeating it in several different locations throughout the design.

• What you do:  Great, your prospect has found your booth.  Now, can they quickly understand what your company does?  A tagline or short sentence should be near your logo, so that the attendee can relate who you are to what you do.

• How you can help them:  Now that we understand you’re the “Acme Anvil Company” and you make “The most durable, USA-made and reconfigurable anvils” in the world, it’s time to explain why this is important and how it will add to their bottom line.  For example “Our anvils will increase your productivity by 37% and cut down-time by 1/3rd.”  Short bullet-points are another effective way to share this message, but don’t get too carried away.

In addition, consider the following items in your design:

• Photos:  Not too many.  Make sure the resolution is good.  Should they show your product in action?  Does a photo help relate your service to a solution? Think about these questions as you start your design.  Do you need photos at all? Maybe an illustration instead?

• Text:  Think billboards.  Keep editing.  Less text = more readable, quickly.

• Lighting: How will lighting affect your graphics?  Exhibiting in Vegas?  Did you know halogens are banned at a few locations? Should you use spot lights to accent?  Or, maybe backlighting? Just like in your living room, lighting will set the tone & mood for your trade show booth.  How about some specialty lighting?

• Technology & interactivity: An easy way to gain more attention is to add motion and technology is very cost effective these days for making that happen. Add some monitors, loop a video or pictures and you’ve easily attracted more people.  Now, make those monitors or iPads part of your lead qualifying process by turning them into an interactive game and you’ve hit a home run. Don’t forget about social media too; Tweet some pictures, upload a video to YouTube and share on Facebook.

What are your best tips for designing great trade show graphics? Share a tip by commenting on this post!

Design is one of the seven key areas in exhibit marketing covered by the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper. Pick up your free copy to see the top tips and strategies from your fellow trade show marketers by clicking here.

The official definition of drayage (aka material handling) is the unloading of your exhibit properties, storing up to 30 days in advance of the show at a warehouse, delivering properties to the booth, the handling of empty containers to and from storage, and removing of material from the booth for reloading onto outbound carriers. (Freeman)

Top 5 Recommendations to Control Drayage Costs

1. Consolidate Shipments Under 200 lbs. into One Shipment.  There is always a minimum drayage charge for every shipment delivered to the warehouse or show site.  By consolidating shipments, your charges will be based on the total shipment weight, instead of individual minimum charges.  Plus, by consolidating, your properties will stay together and have less of a chance of being misplaced!
2. Know the Material Handling Rates.  Sometimes it is less expensive to ship your trade show exhibit to the warehouse, and other times it is more cost effective to ship direct to the show site.  Some shows now include the cost of drayage with booth space, but usually require you to ship direct to the show site.  Do your homework, review the show kit, and compare freight costs, the timing of the arrival of freight, and what makes sense for your booth space.
3. Know the Target Dates to Avoid Overtime Charges.  Every warehouse accepts freight between certain hours and for each show there is a warehouse deadline.  If you miss this deadline, overtime charges are often 25%+ more than the standard rates. Consider shipping direct to show site if you can, or if the shipment is small, ship it to your hotel and hand-carry it into the show.  Again, this information is within the show kit.
4. Understand what is Considered “Special Handling”.  Did you know that if carpet and padding is shipped with your crated exhibit properties, that special handling charges often apply?  If a truck requires ground unloading, or if you ship via FedEx, UPS, Airborne or DHL, that these shipments are also charged at a higher rate?  Understand the general contractors’ definition of special handling and work with your traffic manager to ship your items properly labeled, in the right size truck, and not mixed with loose items.
5. Is Your Move-In or Move-Out Target Date on an Overtime Day?  Many shows have targeted move-in and move-out dates.  Perhaps your trade show booth is scheduled to move out on a Saturday even though the show ends at 2 PM on Friday. Review the show kit to find the person you can contact to request to have this date changed. Many times this will be allowed, but of course it depends on the size of your booth and where you are located on the show floor. It does not hurt to inquire, as it could save you $$$.

Get the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper to cover all your trade show marketing needs. This guide reveals the most effective strategies and tactics exhibitors are using today to boost results and stretch their budgets.  Click here to receive your free copy. 

Your Trade Show Promotion Should Tie In With The Rest Of Your Trade Show Messages

Before you start brainstorming your promotional ideas keep in mind that consistency in all of your trade show messaging increases attraction, retention and memorability and should help with the overall qualification of your leads and prospects.

So please consider whether or not you can create a promotion that reflects the key messages you are trying to communicate at your show. Some simple examples:

• If you are promoting a unique product or service would  your promotion be considered by others as unique
• Is your key message quality – would your promotions or giveaways be considered quality by others

Where To Look For Promotional Ideas

I could provide you a list of the most popular promotional products, trade show booth entertainment or competitions but these lists tend to outline fads or the standard staples of any trade show like pens or mouse pads.  Instead I would suggest that you look around and see what others are doing well, tailor it to your needs and do it even better!  Some places to look include:

Attend trade shows and other events: Attend events both in and outside your industry to see what others are doing and how they are doing it.

Social media: With the increasing popularity of social media into marketing plans there are so many organizations creating promotions to increase their likes, followers and overall exposure across various social media channels.  Take a look at these promotions and think how they could work for you in a trade show environment.

The oldies: I am talking about radio, television and print.  They have been around for a long time; there is conjecture as to whether they will survive the digital age regardless, they are still a great place to look for competition ideas for your next trade show.

Retail: The next time you go shopping keep your eyes open, particularly towards the aisles in a shopping center where companies take casual leasing space.  These “exhibitors” often have a tough audience to try to attract and have to think of unique ways to draw people in (sound familiar?)  Maybe you will find something here that would suit your organization at your next trade show.

Promote! Promote! Promote!

In my experience the most successful trade show promotions are the ones that are well thought out, reflect the overall messaging of the company in question, and are leveraged and promoted to hilt.  What do I mean?

Promote your trade show presence and promotion before your show, at your show and after your show.  Here’s some ideas:

• Use Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other social media to announce your show promotion before the event, remind them of your promotion during the event and outline the results or outcome of your promotion after your event.
• Outline and promote your trade show presence and promotion in mailers or brochures pre-show, at-show, after-show.
• Promote your trade show presence and promotion on your website.  Don’t forget to post photos and comments after the event too!

Increase your booth traffic with the Creating Effective Trade Show Promotions book.  Click here to get the guide that takes you through the entire promotions process, from setting goals to measuring results.