1. Make Your First Impression Count

It’s true what they say about first impressions…you’ve got to make them count! Did you know that it takes only one tenth of a second to form an opinion of a trade show booth? It’s also been found that 94% of a first impression opinion is design-related. This is why it is crucial to invest in a creative, eye-catching design in order to reel people in. Humans are adept at looking at things holistically. Regardless of the quality of your product, if you don’t present it in an attractive way, people won’t be willing (or as willing) to give you a chance. Fortunately, our team of expert designers can help you create a custom design that turns heads on the floor!

2. Leverage Social Proof

This tactic plays off human psychology and is a great little trick to consider. Crowds generate interest in almost any setting, including trade shows. If you see two stands beside each other and one has a large crowd or long line and the other has no buzz or activity, which would you want to visit? Probably the one with the long line. Social proof generates trust, so the more people you have milling around your booth, the more likely people will want to visit. You don’t want to risk your booth looking like a wasteland. To give yourself a leg up, consider having some of your employees interact with your exhibit and booth reps to drum up initial interest. This is a great way to jumpstart your trade show experience and breathe life into your booth!

3. Link Merchandise with a Contest

Merchandise is fantastic – but you don’t want to just give it out willy-nilly. Make sure the attendees have a reason to display these trinkets in full view. Give out things like stickers, light-up bracelets, or buttons and tell the attendees if they come back at the end of the show, wearing the item, they have a chance to win a prize. Ideally, this prize would be related to what your company offers. Also, try to go for something unique that is convenient, interesting, or stylish. No one will wear a neon visor with your company name emblazoned on it, but a sturdy, branded tote bag can be extremely useful to attendees. You’ll get the benefit of having your brand touted around the trade show and when people see your booth, they’ll already be familiar with it. Your 10×30 trade show exhibit cost is not too high, so make sure you invest in smart merchandise.

4. Set Up Meetings Pre-Show

A great way to seal the deal with prospective business partners is to invite them to a meeting at your booth pre-show. A lot of companies are doing this and are ending up with great, long-lasting connections. Your goal here isn’t to sell them on your company, but more to just “get to know one another.” Have some wine or snacks out and let them know how interested you are in their company. Trade shows aren’t just about you getting discovered by others, but for you to also reach out to companies you are interested in. It should go both ways. Your pre-show meetings will feel exclusive – and the fact that you reached out and invited the company reps you are specifically interested in will be very flattering to your guests. Use a contact list from any previous trade show and invite a company rep to sit down and discuss their business with you – you could even swap trade show tales!

5. Go Interactive

The biggest crowds form around the booths that offer games and activities. People don’t just want to look around and read signs, they want to get in on the action and actually experience your product or service. How will you turn your brand into an interactive experience? Consider Content Marketing World, a company that created their own version of Hollywood Squares and had attendees participate as contestants. The game show attracted a huge crowd and drummed up a lot of interest for the company. Invest in some touch screens, give the attendees a reason to come over to your booth. You won’t need to worry about your 10×30 trade show exhibit cost if you know you’ll be making that money back through your trade show successes.

6. Create Unique Learning Opportunities

You want to give the attendees an opportunity to engage both their minds and body. Charity Water, for instance, set up a 50-yard track around their booth and challenged attendees to carry two 40lb jugs of water to the finish line. In addition to attracting a lot of attention, this activity gave attendees the experience of what people in third-world countries go through to get clean drinking water – thus presented their brand’s identity in a creative and interesting way. It’s a unique learning experience that engaged both the body and mind of those who participated, rendering the experience unforgettable. Get a marketing team together and figure out a way to turn your product or service into an educational experience that will stick in their minds for a long time.

7. Buy Tickets for Your Top Clients

A great way to earn more business is to invite the people who are already giving you lots of it! Buy a ticket to the trade show for your top clients and watch how quickly their positive words about you travel into the ears of prospective clients. In some cases, some trade shows may give exhibitors a limited number of free passes that they can give to their biggest clients, with whom they want to meet, at no additional cost. They’ll be grateful you brought them along and will automatically act as allies to your business.

8. Put the Prospects First

Train your booth staff to be interested in the business of prospects before jumping into a sales pitch. Drill in the attitude of being “interested” in where they’re coming from before you force your information onto them. Pick people to work your booth who are great conversationalists and have a knack for connecting with people emotionally. This strategy will turn your 10×30 trade show exhibit into a fun environment filled with positive energy.

Conclusion

All of these tactics are great ideas to really help your 10×30 booth shine, however nothing beats the experience and expertise of a professional trade show partner. At Evo Exhibits, we believe in engaging our clients every step of the way, from pre-show Discovery to post-show Connections. Contact us today to make your next trade show experience unforgettable!