Six tips for a successful trade show display

Companies that want to stay competitive must focus on maintaining a public exposure, and a trade show is one of the best ways for a company to connect with potential customers, suppliers, and competitors all at once. Having a trade show display at a show offers significant opportunities to enhance a company's image, generate new revenue, stay on top of the latest industry trends. Plus, can be a lot of fun.

If you are interested in your company having a trade show booth in a show there are a few things to consider.

First of all, trade shows come in all sorts of sizes. The size of the show can vary from a small local show with a couple of hundred participants to a national or international function with over a hundred thousand people in attendance. Each show may have its own function as well. There are industry trade shows, which allow for suppliers and retailers to interact in person, or a consumer trade show in which retailers and manufacturers have the opportunity to connect with the end consumer in a personal way.

Each type of show will have its own requirements to be a successful exhibitor. To have a successful trade show booth here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Be prepared. Have a marketing strategy for before, during and after the event. Think of your trade show display and the show as just one piece in a three-part promotional process. Being successful with trade show displays isn't just about setting up a table and some brochures, but demands a plan for how you will be marketing your company at all times.

2. You will need a trade show booth, even if you are not selling products. Booths come in all styles, sizes, and prices. Some things to consider are the size space in which you will be exhibiting, the configuration that you want your booth to have (a straight booth versus a corner or L-shaped booth), and the design and material of the booth itself.

3. You will also want to consider graphical elements like banners as well as brochures, price sheets, and support material for potential contacts and customers. If you are using your own lighting or need to run electronics, check ahead to make sure you will have access to outlets.

4. Spend some time researching strategies and ideas for drawing positive attention to your booth. The reality is that most people will only give your trade show display a few seconds of their attention. What are you going to do to bring them in?

5. Bring promotional items to give away. In industry speak this is called SWAG (stuff we all get), and it could mean the difference between a person walking past your booth or staying and asking questions. These items don't have to be expensive, but they should definitely be used to support your company image.

6. Make sure your trade show booth will be adequately staffed the whole show. Having a closed booth is a no-no. Being an exhibitor can be exhausting so make sure your staff are well trained, and have time to rest so that they can look good, be professional, and generate those sales.

Just about any sized company can benefit from participating in trade shows with trade show displays. It is a fun and effective way to interact with customers and colleagues and may provide some new perspective on your industry. Remember, being a show exhibitor costs money, will take up time, and requires planning to make the most of it. If you are unsure about being an exhibitor at a trade show, start small with a local show and move up from there. Above all, the use of trade show displays at a good show can be a fun and effective way to reach new market segments you may never have realized you had.