How do you prepare for an exhibit?
There’s no arguing the benefits of a trade show exhibit. The payoff is great, but so is the amount of time that needs to go into preparing for it. Before attending a tradeshow, you must set your exhibiting goals, do research on your competitors, get the news out there, and provide some kind of promotional product.
Do you have an exhibition coming up that you need to prepare for? We’ve got you covered! Here are our 6 tips to consider during planning.
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Establish your goals
Before you even book a space, think about what your goals are for the exhibition and decide whether the effect will outweigh the cost. The way you design any type of tradeshow display solutions or handouts will depend on your final goal. Marketing to gain customers is very different than attending to build connections. Setting a goal will help you know exactly what you need to achieve in the months leading up to the event.
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Consider how much time, money, and inventory you’ll need
Since you’ve set your goal you should have a better idea of what exactly you will need for the exhibit. Do you need a new pop-up display? Brochures or flyers? Maybe some promotional products like pens, apparel, or magnets? Each of the above takes time and money. To cut back on costs figure out how much you’ll actually need of each item.
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Allow adequate time for design and development
Before jumping into design, take the time to do some research on your competitors. What are they doing well? What can they do better? Then incorporate your answers into your own design. Keep in mind that design and development is a process. You need to plan time for revisions and if your tradeshow is out of town, plan for shipping as well.
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Let people know you’ll be there (and get them excited)
There’s a number of different ways you can let people know you’ll have an exhibit booth. If you prefer the digital route, try sending out an email campaign, creating a pop-up on your website, or leverage social media. If you are like printed advertisements, try passing out flyers to the businesses or customers you work with.
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Give your trade show booth some TLC
Your booth will be one of several, if not hundreds, depending on the size of the exhibition. To really stand out, your exhibit space needs to make a great first impression. Bring some branded signage like a banner, a tradeshow display solutions such as a backdrop, and printed handouts like a brochure or flyer. Just be sure that you consider best practice factors when creating your brochure.
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Bring effective promotional products
Promotional products are a great way to build customer rapport and generate (almost) free advertising. To effectively use promotional products, decide who your audience will be and create a product that they’ll appreciate. For example, if you are going to a print shop expo, try bringing notebooks or tumblers that contain your logo. What creative doesn’t love a good pad of paper or coffee?
Making Your Exhibit Check-List
As long as you plan ahead, advertise your presence, and put extra effort into the design of display solutions and printed/promotional materials, you’ll have a successful exhibition! When the time comes to set up your booth, keep these final ideas in mind:
- Give yourself enough time to set up
- Plan for any cable or power needs
- Make a list of everything you need to bring (and check it twice!)
- Get all staff on board and delegate jobs
- Check that list one more time before leaving
Do you have an exhibition coming up that you will need printing or promotional products? iSpace Office Printing and Promotional Products can help! Give us a call at (317) 694-7197 or just go ahead and get a quote!