Kim Patton of Pinnacle Promotions has an excellent article posted at ArticleSnatch.com about driving traffic to your tradeshow booth:
The key to a successful tradeshow presentation is careful planning and strategic preparation. In order to present your marketing or sales message while building your business relationships and prospect lists, you first have to draw in visitors to your tradeshow booth. A tradeshow or convention environment is often fast-paced and crowded with event attendees. In this competitive environment you must distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other event participants vying for the attention of the same prospects. By developing an interactive environment and offering fun promo products and premium prizes, you can increase the traffic to your booth. The overwhelming success of your tradeshow presentation revolves around your ability to gain the attention of show attendees. By carefully preparing for your upcoming event, you can maximize your usage of promo products to drive positive results.
Analyze the expected demographic of the upcoming tradeshow
To successfully market to your intended demographic, you must first know whom your target market is and what it is they are looking to get out of a potential business relationship with your company. Dive deeply into the attendance list of vendors as well as attendees if possible. This will give you insight into who you will be competing against for attention as well as what types of visitors will potentially be stopping by your booth. When you are prepared for the prospects you will be dealing with, you can better prepare your approach and effectively choose promo products. Take the time to analyze and prepare your presentation. You will be able to effectively answer questions from potential clients as well as the questions that will likely come from your competitors at other booths.
Choose appropriate promo products to distribute at your booth
Choosing appropriate promo products for your booth is a two-step process. First you must look at the research you did into the event attendance. Who are you targeting? Are these executive-level decision makers, or lower-level information gatherers? What promo products would appeal most to this group? By evaluating the attendees of the event, you will be able to deliver custom promo products that fit them best. From inexpensive promotional pens and lanyards to tote bags and padfolios, the wide range of options for promo products allows you to be flexible depending on your budget and audience demographic.
Utilize inexpensive promo products as giveaways at your tradeshow booth
Distributing inexpensive promo products is a great way to drive traffic to your booth. With so much competition for attention present on tradeshow and convention floors, offering a free giveaway for stopping by your booth is an excellent way to bring in attendees that otherwise may have passed you by. Once visitors arrive at your booth, you have the opportunity to present your marketing message to them in person. Not only do low-cost promo products help you reach more potential leads, but your imprinted product will also serve as a reminder to attendees of your brand and service offerings.
Hold a raffle or drawing for premium promo products at your booth
Holding a raffle or prize drawing at your booth is another great way to bring visitors to your booth at a tradeshow. Announce to all expected attendants prior to the event that you will be holding a contest at your booth during the show. Tell them they must visit to enter their business card into the hat to win premium promo products. Not only will everyone stop by your booth to enter the contest, but you will also leave with the contact information of hundreds of leads. And when premium giveaways are used in conjunction with inexpensive giveaways, one or two lucky winners leave with a high-level gift while everyone else leaves with a small tangible reminder of your brand and business.
Add contacts into your client database for follow-up after the tradeshow
One of the best benefits of distributing promo products or holding a drawing at your booth is gathering the contact information of the visitors to your booth. Not only do you have the opportunity to personally meet with the show attendees as they visit your booth, but by encouraging them to leave their business card with you, you are able to make contact with them after the show to discuss your organization and services further. Tradeshows and conventions are great avenues to network with potential clients and distribute information about your company. Make the most out of your investment by drawing in visitors with promo products and successfully build your client database.
Your business no doubt has its own trademark icons and colors, so it’s a good idea to use these when planning and designing your business’ own unique trade show booth or kiosk displays.
At the trade show I attended on Saturday, there was a large table in the foyer, and it was covered with stacks of business cards. Attendees were poring over the topics, selecting cards of interest, and following the information on those cards to the appropriate kiosk or booth wherein was set up the business or service needed by that customer.