You hear it all the time: "Successful trade show displays and marketing forge emotional connections with the target audience." But what does that really mean?
In the book Grow, author Jim Stengel defines five fields of human values. Stengel's research shows that some of the best performing companies in the world are those who connect with their customers via at least one of these values.
Based on Stengel's findings, companies who appeal to at least one of these values via their trade show exhibit experience will forge that desired emotional connection and make a memorable impression on their audience.
A list of the values Stengel identified follows—along with ideas on how to activate them through a trade show exhibit experience.
Five Fields of Human Values Applied to Trade Show Exhibits
1. Elicit Joy—Steal your attendees' hearts by delivering something in your exhibit that activates a feeling or experience of happiness or wonder.
Example: Graphics and case studies that depict a customer who has made a real difference in the business or life of one of his customers.
2. Enable Connection—Orchestrate ways to connect your visitors with others in a meaningful way. This can be their peers, your team members or industry experts.
Example: Make industry experts available for Q&A in your exhibit or create peer-to-peer or ask-the-product-developer meet-ups that give attendees access to resources they wouldn't normally have.
3. Inspire Exploration—Help your attendees explore new experiences and options.
Example: Make visitors feel they are on the cutting edge. This could be accomplished via hands-on demos of new tools and techniques that will enable them to perform their job better—or through interaction with content via technologies they haven't seen before.
4. Evoke Pride. Give people increased confidence, strength, security and vitality.
Example: Demonstrate how your product will improve positive outcomes, make your customer into a hero—and score points with management in the process.
5. Impact Society—Help attendees positively affect society.
Example: Communicate your company's values by sharing how you've made a difference to a specific cause or objective. For instance, if you've reduced company waste or energy use by 20%—demonstrate how. If your company supports a charity, demonstrate the difference your support has made to specific individuals' lives. Invite the attendee to join in…
What are the best examples you've seen of companies activating human values through their trade show experiences?
