media update’s Nakedi Phala identifies five ways in which brands can attract audiences at trade shows.

Trade shows should be treated as a do-or-die situation. Since the event is for a limited period of time, you need to go all out to attract, capture and entertain the audience. 

Here are five steps you can use to attract a vast audience to your booth:  

1. Secure the best booth location

The first step is to secure the best booth location. Use signs, as they lead attendees to your station. 

Your signs should be attractive; use infographics rather than formal signs. The infographics will offer the audience a glimpse of what you have in store, much like an advert.

Bring a team of employees that have people skills. Your employees can assist attendees with locating your station and will be able to brief them about your brand. Make sure your staff is well-groomed, clean, tidy and dressed in the brand’s regalia. 

2. Ensure that your booth is visually appealing 

At trade shows, there are other businesses, products and brands in the same league as your own. The most important thing is to stand out among your competitors.

Your booth should be eye-catching. Make use of colours that are attractive, but won’t divert your audience’s eye from your theme colours.

The set-up of the booth needs to be displayed in a manner that persuades the audience to visit your booth. For example, you could brand your floors with your logo and messages that relay what your brand and products are all about. 

3. Teach your audience 

Teaching will give you an opportunity to showcase your knowledge and services and this will provide value for those attending the event.

Teaching is a form of influence; it can work as a form of persuasion, pushing the audience closer to your brand. Teaching shows that your brand is knowledgeable of the industry and your service, which helps customers to feel comfortable and safe with your brand.

Be sure to use demos, as they are a good way to prove that the product does what is promised. Demo videos or games are helpful; they save you time and money you could have spent on sale representatives.

4. Have a special announcement

Having a special announcement about your brand or service will build curiosity among audiences at the show.

Create a message that will form a bridge between what the audience knows and what you would like them to know. Incorporate important information about your product, which will ignite curiosity and will encourage audiences to hang around. 

In the special announcement, you can include information about future plans or applicable improvements on your product or services. Also, include information on how it will change or improve the audiences' life.

Additionally, your announcement could be about a competition being held at your booth. Give away prizes to winners and runner ups. Remember, everyone's a winner at your booth. 

5. Don’t forget to offer food 

Food works as bait and it will persuade attendees to hang around and explore your station. 

And let’s be honest — what’s a booth without a little snack? Have some finger foods, biscuits and beverages. The food should be well-preserved in order to avoid the risk of having it go off.

Package the goodies inside reusable containers that can be used for other purposes. Make sure the containers are branded with your logo for a long-lasting impression.

Has your brand ever successfully attracted an audience at a trade show? Let us know in the comments section below. 

Want to stay up to date with the latest news? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Having a booth at a trade show is a great way to raise brand awareness and can boost your social interaction. Keen to learn more? Check out these Three ways to use events as PR opportunities.