A trade show is a place where a company's profile can rise or fall. It all depends on how trade show exhibits and booths are decorated and organized. An ordinary trade show exhibit is a waste exercise and may prove to be a disaster. It is because these are the places where at a time even 300-400 companies can showcase their products and services. If companies want the maximum mileage from these, they must put 100% efforts to impress the customers in every way possible.
Before considering the exhibits at a trade show, companies think about the size, type and design of booths. Some companies have their own portable booths that they take from show to show while others opt for a trade show booth rental. Portable booths are simple to set up and can be done up attractively and come in three types:
Modular displays
Self-supporting display booth
Kiosk
The first is a basic booth and consist of interrelated modular displays that can be kept on a table. This is the most flexible type and can be arranged to create different effects.
The advantage of the modular units is that they can be added or removed based on the size of the trade show booth space that will vary from venue to venue. Since it can be easily transported, set up and removed, it is easy to take from one city to another. It can also be used on top of a table and hence more visible to the public. It is the least expensive of portable booths and new businesses with not much of an expo budget can opt for this initially. It is not as impressive as other types of booth displays and must be used only if price is a constraint.
The self-supporting display booth is more attractive. It is usually a pre-fabricated pop-up model and takes slightly more time to set-up and remove. Companies who don't want to transport these around can rent these booths from local event managers. These booths are ideal where there is lot of booth space to set-up and still have enough space for other displays, presentations, contests and so on.
Kiosk-style booths are the most expensive of all but will give the best visual impact too. Most of the well established companies feel that the extra cost is worth it as they can have more aggressive marketing and exclusive designs. After all, a trade show is to give the best impression and hence many companies opt for the kiosk-style booth despite the fact that it is more difficult to put up and remove unlike the other two types. If company directors plan to buy their own portable booths, it is better to go with an established manufacturer to get a reliable product which comes with its own carry case.
Once you have decided on the type of booth, think of the trade show exhibits. To attract the customers, companies can:
Arrange Live demonstrations
Have interesting Giveaways
Conduct Contests
Provide Edibles
Live demonstrations attract the customers to a trade show exhibit to a great extent. This let the customers see how the product is used in real life. If the product is too large to give a live demonstration at a venue, you can use computer to give a presentation.
Attracting people to exhibit rentals through giveaways is one of the oldest and traditional ways. Having a promotional product at hand ensures greater publicity. It is because people will be happier if the get the product rather than freebies. You can even have different giveaways all promoting your company and product and give them according to the age group of the booth visitors. A popular trade show contest is the prize wheel that can be prepared to a company's requirements.
Visitors enjoy turning the wheel and winning a prize and the noise and crowd that it generates will add popularity to your booth. Giving snacks to visitors is also a popular way to attract them. Simple and fun food like cookies, candies or a drink is always popular at these venues especially if kids tag along. Above all, make sure that the personnel manning the booth are sociable, welcoming and interesting people who can engage the attention of the visitors.
Article by Mark Delacruz of PopAndExhibits, who is a specialist in exhibit displays. For more information on trade show display and trade show display rental, visit his site today.