- Promotions increase booth traffic by 33%.
- Sponsorships increase booth traffic by 104%.
- Hospitality events increase booth traffic by 86%.
- Advertising increases booth traffic by 46%.
- Pre-show marketing that gets noticed: Go old-school with phone calls, handwritten notes or invitations.
- Media relations: Send press releases announcing what’s new, invitation the media to planned demonstrations in the booth, dedicate one of the booth staff to media relations. Know the color of the press badges at the show, and have your PR staff greet media personnel and show them around the booth.
- Sponsorships & advertising: Pay for the show’s totes, shuttle bus wraps, education sessions, lunches, etc. Host a speaking session or roundtable conversation. Sponsors have a lot of opportunity for exposure.
- Booth attractions: Product demos, samples and hands-on interactions are popular with attendees and can create a buzz around your booth.
- Social media: Get social before, during, and after the trade show. Don’t sell. Rather, engage, provide a resource, entertain, and create curiosity.
- Inviting, organized, open with ways to enter the space, eye-catching, and staffed with friendly faces.
- Entertaining through design, layout, interactions, activities or overall booth experience.
- Educational about your products or services and why your company is a good choice.
- Memorable, unique, creative, inviting, unusual, and stands out from the other booths.
- Booth staff influences 85% of overall first impressions.
- Booth staff influences 80% of final decisions to do business with the exhibitor.
- Booth staff should spend 80% of the time listening, and the other 20% providing solutions (not selling).
- Sadly, 80% of trade show leads are not followed up.
- You shall not sit.
- You shall not create barriers to booth traffic.
- You shall not eat at your booth.
- You shall not accost people in the aisles.
- You shall not have conversations with your mobile phone or other booth staffers.
- You shall not pack (overstuff) your booth with staffers.
- You shall not stand around with your hands in your pockets.
- You shall not put out tons of literature and giveaways.
- You shall not leave early or arrive late.
- You shall smile.