Making your booth at WOW!

For more information on how to have a successful Expo, please come to our Vendor Booth Camp just before our vendor meeting. There trade-show expert DJ Heckes, from Exhib-it, will be giving you all sorts of pointers as to how to size up the potential in a client and how to approach people to the setup of your booth and marketing the show after it's over. Be sure to come so you can make the most of your booth at the Wedding Expo. 

 

A booth at a wedding show doesn’t scatter a message across TV or radio to countless thousands who aren’t interested in what you’re offering. What it does is get you in front of hundreds of potential customers, ones who are needing your services right now.

 

This targeted audience means you now must do your best to stand apart from the other vendors, find ways to capture a bride’s attention a little while longer so she’ll shop with you. Here are some ideas you can try, as taken from Best Way - Trade Show Booth Ideas on eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/way_5279968_trade-show-booth-ideas.html#ixzz0wzwZzc6w)

 

Games and Prizes

Most trade shows don't allow you to use a public address system to call attention to your company's booth. So you must use other ways to get people interested in what you have to offer. As one way of drawing a crowd, have a large carnival wheel that people can spin to win prizes. The prizes should either be products from your company, or promotional items with your company logo on them. It may help to have one grand prize on the wheel that people want to continue trying for.

 

Or host another popular trade-show game. Get a sealed booth that a person stands in while air from the floor blows pieces of paper around the inside the booth. The paper can be money or promotional coupons for purchasing your product. Or have prizes printed on some pieces of paper and other pieces with nothing on them. Give each contestant 10 seconds in the booth to grab as much as he can, then award his prizes when he's done.

 

Games like these work for two reasons: they're games of chance that are fun to play, and they offer some sort of prize. They will also draw attention to your trade show booth.

 

Booth Layout

Make your booth as interactive as possible. Create demonstrations that allow customers to get involved, so that they can get a feel for how your product works. Provide ample space in your booth for customers to view displays, and for your booth personnel to speak with customers. If you have enough room, create a small conference area where booth personnel and customers can sit to talk about details. Have paper and pens readily available for booth personnel and customers to make notes.

 

Make sure your displays are lit properly so that your product stands out. You can augment hall lighting with more lighting in your booth. Have conveniences for customers available such as a water cooler and ample trash bins. Also have an adequate supply of company and product information available at multiple points in your booth.

 

Celebrities

Hosting celebrities in your booth will increase attendance. Use local and national celebrities if you can afford them. Choose celebrities that aren't controversial and that people will want to approach. Have the celebrity available for only a limited amount of time. However, display an advertisement in your booth about the celebrity's appearance throughout the trade show. This way you can benefit from the celebrity's appearance even when she's not there.

 

Submitted by DJ Heckes from Exhib-it, trade show marketing experts who are passionate about creating, designing and managing the trade show needs of businesses.   505-828-0574 or

exhib-it.com