Successful Trade Show Booths

by Richard Avdoian

Join businesses at the st. louis business expo on april 8 and showcase your top products and services.

Expo/trade shows provide businesses and corporations with one of the best venues to spread brand recognition, develop professional relationships and gather positive leads from their target audience(s). The primary objective is not to simply get people’s attention but to create desire, establish a relationship and get pertinent information in their hands so they can think about it later and hopefully take action.

Surprisingly, companies and businesses are failing to see that these basic tips are the key to developing a successful booth:
1. Keep your company logo and tag line centered at the top of your display.
2. Post two to four key bullet points (addressing needs and outcomes) in the middle panel of the display.
3. Keep the text simple, bold, concise and large. You want prospects to be able to read it from outside the booth.
4. Keep it open – avoid placing the table in front of the booth, creating a barrier. Consider placing the table either to the back of the space or on one side of the booth. This creates a warm, open, inviting space.
5. Choose bold, colorful, engaging graphics/photos that complement your brand and key bullet points.
6. For the color scheme, select colors that either represent your company’s logo or complement the logo, brand and image. Be cautious not to invest in trendy colors, as they change frequently.  
7. Do it right or not at all – be prepared to invest the funds to create a quality professional display that represents the image the company wants to project.
8. Be provocative – write content that entices, challenges and addresses what is in it for the prospective client.
9. Audiovisuals can be attention-grabbing to entice the attendees, creating a desire and an opportunity to highlight your company’s products or services. You could also show demonstrations and testimonials.

 Effectively Working an Expo/Trade Show:

• Be prepared and present. Be well-rested and energized; arrive early to properly set up; and take the time to eat meals.
• Be inviting and approachable. Make eye contact and smile as people are approaching, and be aware of your facial expressions and body language.
• Be actively engaged and focused. Get them to expose their concerns, wants and needs. Ideally adopt an 80/20 rule, spending 80 percent of your time listening and really hearing. Be relevant, soft-sell, build a relationship. Avoid looking over the person’s shoulder for a more promising prospect.
• Offer affirmation and compliments. Be open and inquisitive. Ask for their opinion re: the industry, trends, etc. Honor their expertise, experience. Rephrase what has been shared – to assure the potential client you are engaged. Wrap up: “Enjoy visiting the other booths. It was a pleasure meeting you. Feel free to stop by again if you have additional questions.”
• Follow up. Have a plan established before the event. Have a timeline – initial and follow-up. Send cards, letters, etc. – hand-write. When gathering business cards, have a plan. Separate key prospects from the mass. Jot down a few key personal notes and voiced needs or concerns.  
Taking the time to think, plan and create an enticing interactive trade show booth and training your employees to attract and engage prospective leads are the keys to effectively working a trade show. If you incorporate these tips in your planning, you will create a strong, memorable booth and are more likely to attract interested prospects.

Richard Avdoian is president/CEO of the Midwest Business Institute Inc., a business consulting and training firm.  For information about training and seminars, contact Richard at 618-972-8588 or Richard@RichardAvdoian.com.