Trade Shows 101

If you’ve ever worked a trade show, you know the challenges can be endless. From reserving floor/booth space, to organizing help, scheduling meetings, ordering promotional items, and advertising location. These all can take a toll on a business and its team. One of the best ways to begin a trade show event is to look at it as an architect or a building contractor would when designing or building a home--- from the ground up.

I’ve worked trade shows before and I notice that there is always one or two booths where attendees tend to gather near the end of a show day. They don’t necessarily go there because they are interested in the vendor’s products or services. No, they go there to give their pups a rest. I’m talking about their sore, tired feet. These folks are standing in that particular booth space because that business is using comfortable flooring. The attendees are enjoying a cushy comfort. They recognize that a good floor helps to cut down on fatigue for those tending the booth.

Since we are beginning at the floor, the smart players will include their company logo on the flooring because they know that not every attendee is looking up and around. In fact, studies show that as the body gets tired, we tend to look down more often. Why not take advantage of a captured audience and have your flooring imprinted with your logo or other company information. We still do trade shows for exposure, advertising, and getting noticed, right? Take advantage of all of your booth materials and place your name and logo so all eyes can find you. Remember, begin at the floor, and then build upward. If your event takes you outside, place your name and logo on the canopy of your booth. Always be thinking about every marketing angle when it comes to trade shows.