What happens when you end up with a less than ideal space in the trade show exhibit hall—maybe even one that is all the way in the back of the hall? We've provided some tactics below to drive traffic to your space and help you make the most out of any location.
1. Utilize pre-show outreach. Excite people before the show even opens. By sending a pre-show email blast to the show list and/or your own list of attending prospects and clients, you can promote your booth number, message, and any special activities you will have going on in the space. Often attendees outline their plan of attack before arriving at the show, so by putting what you have to offer in front of them beforehand, you increase your chance of ending up on their must-see list.
Textron Golf utilized a pre-show email to promote its Coffee & Donuts and Happy Hour events at Golf Industry Show (GIS) 2019. It included its booth number to ensure that attendees knew where to find Textron on the show floor. (Marketing & exhibit design and fabrication by 3D Exhibits)
2. Get creative with the space over your exhibit. If you've made it this far into this post, chances are that your exhibit space is in a spot that is not visible from the entrance of the show hall. If this is the case, get smart with the part of your exhibit that does have a chance of being seen from the entrance: your overhead space. Utilizing interesting shapes and patterns for your hanging sign, as well as lights and movement, can draw attention to your location and entice attendees to come check it out.
Garden of Life turned their recognizable logo into a rotating hanging sign. (Design and fabrication by 3D Exhibits)
IBM Watson Health utilized a giant hanging LED video cube to project imagery and messaging, while large canopies lit from above used movement and light to draw attention. (Design and fabrication by 3D Exhibits)
Merck Animal Health's overhead structure stood out thanks to its unique textured appearance—which is actually printed. (Design and fabrication by 3D Exhibits)
3. Purchase a floor graphic sponsorship. If you are truly worried about attendees not visiting your space due to the "out of sight, out of mind" theory, it might be worth it to sponsor some sort of self-promotional floor graphics. By investing a bit of money into an available sponsorship, you can—literally—guide attendees straight to your exhibit through cleverly designed and placed messaging. We've even seen some exhibitors place these graphics in front of competitors' exhibits to form a path of arrows pointing in the direction of the company's own booth.
4. Create a buzz. Incorporate a buzz-worthy activity into your exhibit. If attendees leave your space excited by what they just experienced, word will spread, and your exhibit will become a destination spot. Imagine attendees walking right past your competitors to come visit your space, no matter where it is.
With the right tactics, it's possible to drive traffic to your space—no matter where it is in the hall. And don't feel disheartened because of your proximity to the restrooms in the back of the hall. Hey, everyone must go at some point!
Do you have any other tips for getting noticed in the chaos of a trade show hall?
