draw audience exhibit presentation

The theater in your trade show exhibit isn't doing you any good—unless you're filling it with attendees.

Many exhibitors assume "If we build it they will come." This isn't true, however, there are some very simple tactics you can use that will quickly transform the traffic in your booth presentation area from sparse to standing room only.

Case in point: The exhibitor pictured above hired 3D Exhibits to audit its exhibit at a major show. One of the areas we observed that had opportunities for improvement was the theater. The exhibitor had worked hard to create expert content—but not taken any steps to draw booth traffic.

By implementing some of the tactics we recommended in the exhibit audit for its next show, this 3D Exhibits client was able to grow theater attendance from a couple of dozen visitors over the course of the show—to a couple dozen visitors at every performance.

Here's how they did it:

Six Tactics to Draw Trade Show Attendees to Your In-Exhibit Presentation

 

  1. Get the word out ahead of time. Leverage pre-show mailings or email blasts to share the details of what attendees will learn by attending. You'll be surprised how many of your target audience will add you to their show "must see" list.
  1. Invite people in. It sounds crazy simple, but many marketers fail to take this very basic action. We suggest a minimum of one person designated solely to the task of stopping attendees in the aisle and inviting them to see the presentation. If you don't have someone on your team who is outgoing enough to do this aggressively, its worth the investment to hire a professional crowd gatherer.
  1. Offer an incentive. People are more likely to invest their time if they're getting something in return. This could be the chance to be included in a prize drawing or receive a gift at the conclusion of the presentation. Gift cards are always a good way to go (think $10.00 at Starbucks or the Apple Store) since they are easy to store in your booth.
  1. Provide a seat. Include some sort of seating in your theater. People who are seated are far more likely to stay for the entire presentation than those who choose to stand. Also, after a long walk on the show floor, a place to sit and rest provides attendees with an additional incentive to join you.
  1. Draw attention with banter. The exhibitor pictured used its own people to deliver its scientific content—but it also employed a professional presenter to open and close the presentation with key messages. Having the outgoing MC start his banter five-minutes BEFORE the presentation started drew attention, created positive energy and helped the crowd gatherer to fill the theater.
  1. Keep it short. Trade show attendees are trying to accomplish a lot in a short timeframe. Show that you appreciate that they've chosen to some of their valuable time with you by keeping your content concise, relevant—and brief. Six to eight minutes is ideal. Plus people are more likely to sit down in the first place if they know you are only asking for a small time commitment.

What are your favorite tactics to fill your exhibit presentation area?