Marketing Strategies: Creating an Interactive Booth

Having an interactive trade show booth can complement the rest of your marketing strategies. Here are some examples on how to make your booth more interactive

• Bring a laptop to allow visitors to check e-mail
  
• Purchase a USB phone line (www.magicjack.com) and allow visitors to make free phone calls at your booth
  
• Hand out free popcorn
  
• Install a coffee maker and allow visitors to help themselves
  
• Play a movie on a computer or portable DVD player
  

All the above ideas grab attention and invite convention visitors into your booth. Once people enter your booth, do not be afraid to use existing marketing strategies. This can range from asking for a business card to handing out catalogs.

Six Tips to Publicize Your Trade Show Appearance

If you want to attract a crowd to your trade show booth, it might not be enough to have great giveaways, slick marketing materials, and a fancy new booth. Many trade show attendees arrive on the show floor with an idea of what booths they particularly want to see-and you want to be on that list. To achieve that, you'll need to start letting people know well in advance that you'll be there, and give them reasons to visit your booth. Here are six tried-and-true methods for promoting your trade show appearance.

Do a premailing. Most trade shows have a registration list you can purchase, or you can pay to have the show's administrators mail your information out to registered attendees. But you shouldn't stop there. Send a mailing to your in-house marketing lists, as well. It's important to let people know where to find you at the trade show. Include information on your booth number and possibly a map of the floor, with your booth marked.

Give people a reason to come. Don't just send an announcement that you'll be there. Give attendees a reason to see you. Let them know about any special live events or demonstrations going on at your booth. Send out a coupon that can be redeemed at the trade show for a special gift, and be especially kind to your past customers. If you single them out by offering a gift or coupon just for them, they're more likely to want to come visit you.

Announce it online. If you have a website, you should announce your appearance there-along with all the information you'd send in your mailer. This includes a printable map of the floor with the location of your booth marked, your booth number, and a coupon or free giveaway offer that attendees can print and bring to the show. You may want to offer a certain coupon only online, and advertise it in your premailings-this will bring more traffic to your site.

Blog about it. Do you have a company blog? If so, write about your appearance well in advance. It may be a good idea to write a series on your appearance so that visitors are continually reminded of it. Document your planning process, do a write-up on the employees who will staff your booth, or write about the entertainment, demonstrations, and new products people can find there. When you're at the exhibit, assign an employee to "cover" the event on your blog. Do a podcast or streaming video post live from the floor. Not only will this let your visitors know about your appearance; it could also boost your traffic.

Send an email blast. If you do any email marketing, your trade show appearance should be included in your regular emails. Add a tagline at the end of unrelated marketing emails; something like "Visit us at Booth 132 at the Green Media Expo!" You should also write special reminder emails letting visitors know specifically about your appearance. It's also good to include a promotional coupon or giveaway especially for people on your email list. Advertise it on your site in advance, and you could see a boost in email signups.

Write press releases. It's easier than ever to distribute press releases thanks to online services like PRWeb. You can put out a press release about your appearance at the trade show, but you shouldn't stop there. Add a line at the end of each press release you send out mentioning your appearance similar to the one you'd add in marketing emails. This way, you can get the word out about your trade show appearance even on press releases that aren't specifically related to that topic.

The key to getting the word out about your appearance is to start early and let people know often. Use all resources at your disposal, including direct mail, press releases, and online marketing methods to let people know when and where to come see you. Give people a reason to come with coupons, prizes, giveaways, and information about the exciting events and product demonstrations you have planned. With a strong marketing plan, your trade show booth is sure to attract a crowd.

G. Green works for http://www.justdisplays.co.uk a UK supplier of exhibition supplies. For more information on Signage and banner stands visit: http://www.justdisplays.co.uk/

Getting the most out of your trade shows

Looking for trade show ideas and ways to boost trade show traffic?

How to Get the Most Out of Trade Shows

S.A.M. Your Way To An Effective Show!

For your next convention, keep S.A.M. in mind to effectively attract convention traffic and properly measure your trade show success.

S: Strategize your launch by creating objectives. For example, having a certain amount of visitors at your booth, receiving a certain amount of business cards, selling an amount of goods at your booth.

A: Automate everything by allowing booth visitors an unrestricted flow of information. This refers to allowing visitors to freely gain access to your flyers, catalogs, and other such material without having the need to ask for such items. Essentially, this method is accomplished by using literature racks and tables instead of hiding the precious information in boxes or behind booths.

M: Market for traffic by marketing your attendance at the convention. E-mail your current customers an invitation to your booth. Let website visitors know you will be present at the show by creating a link.

Unique Gifts Generate Trade Show Traffic

Next time you walk around a convention, take a look at the free gifts you get.  Chances are they include: pens, magnets, key chains, and the list goes on.

The problem is these gifts are very repetitive, and as such lost any possible true meaning in generating a surge of booth visitors.

For a truly unique gift experience, one that will be cherished for a long time, think about wirenames!

These presents create a timeless gifts by taking a person's name, and transforming it into a decorative piece.

See more at: http://www.wirenames.com/

Go Green To Increase Tradeshow Traffic

With prices nearing $4.00 per gallon, most people are now trying to run greener lives.

Your trade show booth can become the convention hotspot by helping others reduce their carbon footprint. 

To help increase trade show traffic at your next show order cotton tote bags.  Print "ABC company helped me turn green" on one side and "Top 5 ways to be green" on the other side.  Although the top 5 ways to be green can be argued, the top 5 easiset ways are:

1. Unplug Electronic Devices
2. Use More Cold Water
3. Switch To Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
4. Take Public Trasit, Walk, Bike, Carpool
5. Buy Local Fruits and Vegetables Or Grow Your Own

(source http://greenopolis.com/myopolis/blogs/aresende/top-10-ways-be-green)

S.W.O.T. Your Way To More Traffic

Sometimes the best way to do something can only be found by trial and error.  Unfortunately, using such a method can be timely and expensive.

Here is a shortcut to find out what kind of trade show display will work best for you:

Next time at a convention, walk around and take in information about other trade show booths seen at the show.


Organize your information in the following way:

Strengths: Controlled characteristics that lead to an advantage.  For example, a booth being very visible because of its sheer size.

Weaknesses: Controlled characteristics that lead to a disadvantage.  For example, are the trade show booth colors dull?

Opportunities: Uncontrollable characteristics that lead to an advantage.  For example, a booth placed near an entrance.

Threats: Uncontrollable characteristics that lead to a disadvantage.  For example, a trade show booth's visibility being blocked by another display booth

Free Long Distance Contest

Contests are not only a great way to attract traffic to your booth, but is also a great way to establish a source of "power prospects" for the rest of the year!

The trick to running an effective contest is to have a grand prize that almost everybody wants! No matter what year, or your location people are always going to want to 1) Save money 2) Make more money 3) Get a luxury item. If your grand prize falls under any of the 3 categories, then you are on the way to having an effective contest.

The next key is gathering everyone's information quickly! Nobody really likes filling out a ballot, it takes time! One of the best ways for people to enter the ballot is by having a place for people to drop off their business card. This method is fast, easy, and inexpensive to maintain! Believe it or not, having a business card drop off will help boost tradeshow traffic because of the quickness and ease, as opposed to a ballot entry!

Lastly, for a great tradeshow idea, or contest idea...give away free long distance for a year as a grand prize! The magic jack is a USB device that allows you to plug in a telephone to your computer and make calls via the internet. On another note, your grand prize winner will also be thrilled once he or she realizes the free long distance also comes with free voice mail, free call waiting, and free caller ID!

If you really want this product as a grand prize go to: www.magicjack.com

Your cost for the entire contest is $25.00 ($20.00 for one year service of free long distance + one ballot box)

Include A Chair At Your Tradeshow Booth

Conventions are not made for people who need a short walking break!

Trade shows often have plenty of space to walk, but not enough space to sit and catch breathers. Normally, convention centers do have benches on premises, however they are almost all located just outside the exhibit area, forcing people to leave the show in order to sit down.

This causes an inconvenience for those who wish to continue with the show but simply want a small walking break. It forces such people to walk over to the entry, pass security (again), and then walk all the way back to the point they had left previously.

Scenarios such as the above, provide a significant opportunity to boost traffic at your booth. Including a comfortable chair as part of your tradeshow display will allow your booth to become a hotspot!