Most event planners have a good idea what they want to put into their trade show booth. But they’re always looking for tips on how to draw trade booth foot traffic. The following 10 ideas can help generate the crowds you’re looking for at your booth.
Make a Great First Impression
We all know the axiom that you only have a few seconds to make a great first impression as a person. It’s probably even less with a trade show booth. While you want your booth to have the substance needed to draw the attention of people in your industry, don’t forget the sizzle. Make sure to have an attractive design, eye-catching color and some promotions that will catch the attention of passersby.
Create a Crowd
A crowd draws a crowd. Have employees and volunteers gather around your booth, giving you a built-in crowd that will draw more people who want to check out what is happening. Also, have employees in the crowd who are ready to speak knowledgeable with trade show attendees.
Trade Show Games and Expo Booth Fun
Promotional Giveaways
Give away swag branded with your company logo. The type of swag depends on your budget, but make sure it’s done well and not just the typical giveaway that ends up in the trash.
Play Games
Trade shows are about business, but they are also about having fun. Offer up some games and prizes. There are plenty of carnival-style games that work perfectly well with trade show booths.
Can You Rent an Arcade Machine?
Provide Munchies
There’s not a well-placed popcorn machine on the planet that doesn’t draw a crowd. An old-fashioned machine and branded bags filled with freshly made popcorn is a great way to increase foot traffic.
Custom Printed Frosted Cookies
Make It Interactive
This is more difficult with some types of products and services. However, if there is a way to allow booth visitors to interact with your product or service, they will stay longer and create that much-desired crowd at your booth.
Buy Tickets For Clients
It’s more efficient to keep current customers than to go through the expense of attracting new ones. To keep current clients happy, consider buying your best clients the tickets they need for the trade show. You’ll not only create more foot traffic at your booth, but also keep a loyal customer.
Put in the Work
Companies that don’t take trade shows seriously are often wasting time. You want to make sure you bring your best salespeople and set up a competition among them to see who can attract the most new clients.
Provide Icebreakers
All the games, promotional items and food really serve the purpose of providing effective icebreakers. It gives everyone something to focus on and talk about without having to speak directly to each other. It also helps to have all the staff trained on icebreaker questions for trade shows. Remember that ice breaker questions are open-ended questions. At a trade show, some ideas include:
- What brings you to the show?
- So, what have you heard (or do you know) about our products?
- What did you think about the keynote (or some other notable) speaker?
- What company are you with?
- I see from your name tag that you’re with (company or organization name), what do you do there?
- Can I get you (popcorn, branded item, etc.?). While this is a “yes or no” close-ended question, giving someone a free gift is typically a conversation starter.
While more awkward to ask than close-ended questions, open-ended questions can lead to better engagement.
Know When to Disengage
Another way to make your trade show booth more successful is to focus on visitors who may actually become customers. You usually know within a minute or two if someone is not a potential customer. If so, disengage and move on.
Drawing trade booth foot traffic is not difficult if you plan ahead in great detail and bring your most talented employees with you. That combination will help you create a booth that is successful and achieves your business goals.
