Trade shows can be a major expense for a business, and the worst feeling in the world is walking away from one wondering if you have made an impact with your market.

The Draw

 Trade shows are often fast-paced events, with throngs of people creating a flow that is easy for the potential customer to get pushed along by. Your booth must have a draw to pull them out of the flow. The best way to do this is a clear, concise message easily identified in the few moments a customer has to make the decision whether or not to step in to your booth. The lengthier the message, the more likely the potential target is to give up and move on – this is the generation of shortened attention spans. A lively, colorful, well-coordinated booth will draw eyes and draw legs. On the flip side, a stodgy, basic booth projects a lack of innovation or ambition. Themed booths can be a draw, but ensure that the theme is appropriate for the event and crowd. Even if your product is not particularly exciting, there’s no reason for your display to be boring.

The Hold

Once you’ve pulled the target in, you’ve got to keep them. An area to step in to, off the path and out of the way of traffic. A seating area with refreshments, such as water bottles or packaged snacks with the company logo on them. The water bottles could serve two purposes – to refresh the weary attendee, and if you let them know you have a recycling bin for when their done with the bottle, a possible return visit later in the day for more face time. Your booth must be comfortable and welcoming.

The Info

 This is the boring part, but without it, all the flare and swag in the world won’t help out out, as people will walk away thinking “Well they were nice… what were they selling?” Conversely, information overload is detrimental as well, as literature detailing everything your company does creates clutter, and is likely just to get tossed in the trash can later. Keep it small but effective, with the ability to bring the customer back later, and please, keep it organized.

The Give

Nobody likes walking away empty-handed from a booth. Swag bags are the talk of many a show, so make sure you’ve got something that can be stowed in a bag and used that day, or at a later date. Individual bottles of hand sanitizer with your company logo on them are great for potential customers – chances are they’ll be shaking lots of hands over the course of the day. Same goes for breath mints – no one wants to have bad breath when talking to a future business partner. You don’t want all your giveaways to be something that can be used and disposed of though, you need to provide them with constant reminders. While pens are the tried-and-true way to go, they don’t stick out, and get lost easily. Instead, think of unique items that could be used on a daily basis in our increasingly technology-centric world or be conversation starters. Branded USB drives, dashboard smartphone holders, and tablet/smartphone stands are useful, constant reminders. One sure way to get more customers to visit the booth, as well as to get leads, is through a large-item giveaway such as a branded leather computer bag that they need to fill out a contact form to enter a drawing for.

So make sure to make your mark at the next trade show, and make sure your printing company can meet your needs every step of the way. Automation Graphics offers a wide variety of trade show solutions that can be printed to fit whatever you can think up. Contact us today!