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6 Ideas for Your First Trade Show

Posted on by Dan Broudy

Are you ready to dive into the world of trade shows? If you’ve never been a part of one but have heard how great they can be for your business, there is no time like now to get out there and start sharing your brand with the masses. The benefits of trade shows can be huge. The entire event will be a phenomenal marketing adventure but they’re also a lot of work and take some serious planning.

rushIMPRINT works with a lot of companies that are old pros in the trade show scene and we deal with an equal number of companies that are dipping their toes in this pond for the first time. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot and are more than happy to share our trade show tips with you.

1. Start Early

Plan on preparing for the event three to six months in advance. If you are just reading this now and your first trade show is just around the corner, don’t worry, there are ways to pull it all together. rushIMPRINT will be happy to help you get your promotional gear ordered and delivered in time. But for future reference, you’ll have a much easier time finding contractors, supplies, and hitting required deadlines if you begin preparing early.

2. Read Contracts and Create a Calendar

Many trade shows have official contractors they use, and you might be required to use their services too. There are also deadlines, fees, and other important information in all of that contractual small print. Knowing what you can and can’t do is critical, so is understanding the timeline. As soon as you get the contract, create a calendar so you can stay on top of key dates. Throughout every stage of the trade show, return to your calendar often to make sure nothing is forgotten or left behind.

3. Trade Show Goals and Plan

Successful trade shows happen when there are established goals and a plan for achieving them. If this is your first trade show ever, then just getting it all together and making an appearance might be your goal. It’s a lot of work but why not push your boundaries a little bit, go for the gold.

Creating a plan of attack and a roadmap for hitting your trade show goals will also give you a blueprint for future events. Expect to learn a lot from each show you attend and to modify your plan accordingly. Being flexible and being able to prepare for and adapt to things not going as planned will make your experience much more enjoyable.

4. Marketing: Before, During, and After

A successful trade show needs marketing before the show to let people know you’re going to be there and during the show, so they engage with your booth. The most successful companies also follow up their trade show with some sort of post-event marketing. All aspects of your trade show marketing need to be spot on and designed to deliver on your trade show goals.

One big tip you can use is to ask for the attendee list. Most trade shows have an attendee list that will give you the information on who has signed up to attend and who will also have a booth at the event. This is your key audience, and you should reach out to them and let them know you’d love to get the chance to meet them at the show. Be careful not to spam them with content initially, simply introduce yourself and be friendly – open the door to future customers.

5. Prepare Your Team

While a handful of people will be representing your company at the trade show, there also needs to be people in the office who are “on call” to help assist if there are any problems. This lets the people at the show focus on making connections and representing the company. Other team members can put out fires, order new supplies, and begin collecting names of attendees and reaching out to those who were most interested.

The trade show representatives will likely need quite a bit of training and maybe even some practice. They’ll need to be able to answer all sorts of questions, give demonstrations, stand for long periods of time, be constantly friendly, and make a good impression. It can be very exhausting, so planning for many breaks and even treats for the team can help them keep smiling.

6. The Swag

We’re in the business of promotional marketing so this is where we’re experts. There are a few tips we’ve learned along the way and we’re more than happy to share them because they can make your trade show more successful.

Have you seen those people just standing behind a counter at a trade show and on the desk is their logo pen or another opening giveaway? This isn’t very inviting and certainly doesn’t encourage attendees to take a pen. Having a representative or two standing in front of the booth handing out pens makes it easier for them to interact and it doesn’t feel awkward. Hopefully, it will prompt a conversation but at the very least, guests now have a pen that will remind them of your company name every time they use it.

After that, step up your game. For those people who stop to engage with your booth and who might really be interested, offer them a higher-value promotional marketing giveaway. This does two things. It makes them feel special because they’re getting something other people aren’t, which can strengthen their affinity to your brand. The second thing this can do, if you’re savvy with your branded merchandise selection, is advertise your brand and your booth. Consider the event and what sort of giveaway would be used right then and there so other attendees see it and want it. Some possibilities include:

These are a few of our more common ideas but we’ve also seen companies create complete, customized Thank You Gift Boxes filled with treats for their most promising contacts or people who sign deals at the show.

Remember, all trade shows involve a lot of preparation and the earlier you get started, the better. When it comes to ordering your trade show signage, your promotional gifts, and other marketing materials, connect with our helpful representatives by calling us toll free at 1 (866) 277-7874 or joining a live chat on our website. Our team is ready to help fill your order and walk you through the customization process.