If you are familiar with attending trade shows, you know just how tough the competition can be. Hundreds of companies are shoved into the same space and each is trying to attract the attention of the attendees. A successful trade show can mean a great deal of new business, product recognition and press for your companies. A poor showing at a tradeshow is, at best, a waste of money.
Preparing for your first trade show can seem overwhelming at times. You can get busy preparing your products and your supporting documentation, and may completely forget just how important a well designed banner is to your success. If you have never used a banner to promote your products or if you are looking for a way to maximize your trade show success, here are some tips on how to accomplish your goals.
1. Find your angle. If your competition is selling a similar product, it is important to do as much research as you can to figure out how they will be promoting it. You will then be able to find your own angle, to avoid overlapping.
As an example, let's say that your company produces personal MP3 players. You plan on attending a tech trade show to promote your new MP3 player, only to find out your biggest competitor will be there as well. They too have a brand new MP3 player to sell. How can you make sure that your product will stand out from theirs? Unfortunately, it is not always easy when you are dealing with brand new products to find out how your competitor will be promoting this item. However, you can get an idea from reading any advance press reports, magazine articles or product literature.
You then find out that your competitor will be promoting their MP3 player on the basis that it stores even more music than their other models. Instead of using the same tactic to attract your customers, you could then focus on why your portable MP3 player is the easiest to take with you, is it lighter, smaller or slimmer? Find an attribute that your competition will not be using and exploit it.
This will ensure that your product won't be lost in the shuffle at a trade show.
2. Pack a powerful presentation punch. When you go the extra mile to include banners, promotional signs, literature and more, you are giving your potential customers more of a chance to learn about your product. Try to include a large banner that will easily draw the eyes of people walking past your booth.
Use bright colors and catchy phrases to highlight the strengths of your product. Using our example above, display a comparable item and show how much more improved your product is. Comparisons help consumers see the real difference first hand and can assist you in closing the sale.
Trade shows do not have to be a daunting experience. With a little extra time and preparation, you can make your trade show visit a success.