5 Shortcuts for Setting Up Your Small Business Booth for Trade Show Success

7007038_sAre you looking for a different way to market your business?

You have the standard social media accounts, direct-mailings, and advertisements.

But you’re looking for a new way to get your name out there – more personally.

A trade show is right up your alley.

A trade show is an event with a collection of businesses in the same industry. During the event businesses showcase their products and services to potential clients and network with other business owners.

There are hundreds of trade shows to attend within every niche and even small business trade shows for small to mid-sized companies.

When you’ve found the right show for your business the work is just beginning. You’ll want to set yourself up to gain the most exposure possible from the experience.

Here are 5 shortcuts to setting up a highly successful trade show booth.

1. Establish Your Objectives

Your goal for attending a trade show is making new business contacts and picking up sales leads. How do you plan on doing that?

Make sure you have deliberate tasks to achieve your goals. Like having a business card jar and those who drop a card get entered into a prize raffle. Or set a number of people you want to speak with during the event. And bring enough business cards to give away. Be very specific in how you want to reach your goal of fostering new business clients in order to avoid a missed opportunity.

2. Create a Theme

Come up with a rock-solid theme for your event. Something that gives a distinct message about your business. Consistently place this theme on all the marketing collateral to present a cohesive image of your business.

For starters, use the theme on your invitations and website announcing your trade show booth. Then make sure all of your the banner stands, brochures, pamphlets, and giveaways match your chosen theme. Being consistent with your theme allows your business to be much more memorable.

3. Get Noticed

A trade show is a competition of first impressions and being seen. And you want to make sure you have the right signs to look professional and peak the curiosity of the attendants.

Signage like banner stands are an excellent way to stand apart from the crowd while marketing your business. Ensure that your banner stand signage matches your chosen theme and you’re all set!

4. Avoid Meaningless Giveaways

Have you ever passed by a business kiosk with a banner stand just giving away free things without any marketing collateral on the business? Did you remember what that business was for or about? Absolutely not, you just wanted something for free.

This is what you want to avoid. Make sure that all of your giveaways are purposeful, reflect something about your business, and match your theme. And if possible, printing your logo and contact information on your giveaways is an excellent way to be remembered.

5. Find A Personality

Sure, you make think this shortcut is a given. However, you would be surprised how many antisocial people you’ll find sitting behind trade show booths. Make sure that you have at least one outgoing person manning your booth.

Have a friend or relative that can talk non-stop? Who breaks any awkward silence with a strange fact? And can make conversation with anyone? Invite that person to work the booth. Brief them on the ins and outs of your business including the goals of your both and tag team with them while networking.

Now Go Sign Up!

You have the shortcuts to running a successful tradeshow booth. The only thing left to do is find the right tradeshow for your business. Don’t just sign up for any show. You want to make sure the show you attend will be teaming with people who already know and love what you do.

Need help finding a tradeshow? Try sites like Trade Show Advisor to search shows in your niche.