Trade shows are one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Every category of manufactured goods have trade shows, also most professional organizations from medicine, pharmaceuticals and engineering employ this venue to publicize new products and services. This is a venue where it pays to get everything right.
Book hour shows well in advance and work close with the event organizer. Make sure your booth will be ready and reliable shipping has been arranged. Have travel arrangements booked along with accommodations for your people. Plan a press release and high tech marketing aids, typically videos on large flat screens with surround-sound will get extra attendance.
Offer some attractions such as meeting the CEO, having a drawing for a door prize, or if budget allows offering a hospitality suite where you can get some one-on-one personal face to face time for a select group of important targeted customers.
Everyone attending will expect some promotional gifts; this is worth some extra attention. Find an item that won’t end up in the trash. Find something that will stay with a customer and keep your logo in front of them. Baseball caps with your logo have proven longevity after the show. Umbrellas are also a lasting giveaway. In the novelty area, light liquid activated shot and drinking glasses are an attention grabber. As soon as liquid is poured into the glass a blinking fading multicolor display appears.
Everyone uses computers so let your booth give away USB flash drives or at a lower price point, give out some screen dusters; these will probably be kept and used. There are custom imprinted mouse pads and USB flexi-lights that can light up your keyboard when you are flying at night. They are powered through the USB port and contain several LED lights that can illuminate a laptop keyboard. Whatever gifts you choose, remember to plan early, organize and promote, promote, promote.
