Wow Customers with New Menus

Posted on: 29 February 2016

Your small business has decided to take part in a local trade show for the first time. You'll be competing for the attention of consumers with dozens of other vendors. The goal is capturing and keeping the consumer's attention at your booth so they won't become distracted by the booths around you. Here are some tips for getting the most from your trade show activities.

Designing Your Booth

If this is your first effort in having a booth at a trade show, consider companies that do trade show exhibit rental instead of investing in a lot of items that you're unsure will work for you. Use the following tips to attract and keep consume attention and try various formats. When you've found a design that works for you consistently, you can buy your own materials to set up your booth.

Attracting Consumer Attention

• Put up brightly colored banners that can be seen by people as they walk into the convention center. Get the consumer's attention immediately and create curiosity.
• Use signs that include some movement, such as flashing LEDs or scrolling video screens. Movement catches the peripheral vision and will draw attention as people walk through the aisles.
• Set up signs that can be seen as people turn down your aisle. The goal is to get people to walk directly to your booth instead of stopping at the other dozen booths before you.
• Include your company name, logo and slogans on all signs. Get your brand out on front of people so they will begin to associate you with the products you're offering.
• Use signs and banners that say what products you have to offer and why they are of benefit to the consumer. Don't make the consumer try to guess what it is you're selling and how it may help them solve a problem in their life.
• Consider doing entertaining demonstrations at the booth. As a crowd gathers, other people will stop to see what everyone else is looking at.

Keeping the Consumer's Attention

When you get a consumer to stop at your booth, you need to keep them there long enough to determine if they are a prospect or can provide leads to other consumers. Even if the consumer doesn't purchase anything, make sure that you've left them with a good impression so they will pass your information on to others.

• Reduce any clutter in the booth that might be distracting. Place empty boxes under the table and remove anything that doesn't relate to your products and services.
• Staff working the booth should always be standing and engaging with a consumer or demonstrating your products. Staff should take breaks and make personal calls away from the booth.
• Have videos, slideshows and interactive displays available at the booth to keep consumers occupied until one of the staff can get to them.
• Keep any giveaways out of reach of the people that just breeze by and grab something off of the table. Hand the giveaways out to consumers and offer to talk with them about your company and products.