Brilliant Branding: 5 Tips for a Successful Trade Show
For many, trade shows are an excellent way to get in front of potential customers and give them an opportunity to get to know your business and what you have to offer. Whether it’s the trade show of the century or a local expo, using promotional items is always a good marketing strategy. The question is, how do you use those promotional items to your advantage? Here 5 tips that will help make your next trade show memorable:
- Don’t put a date on your promotional product. You’ve chosen the perfect item to give away at your event, and you are ready to print. Do yourself a favor – don’t include the date or name of the event. The simple reason is this: you are paying good money for those promotional items, but don’t know exactly how many you’ll give away. If you put a date on it, you’ll be stuck with items that you won’t be able to use in the future. Keep it simple and just put your logo, tagline and/or contact information on it.
- Know your audience. Make sure that you understand who the attendees at the event will be (make sure they are your ideal customer). That way, you can choose an item that they will appreciate – you don’t want to give away disposable water bottles at a “save the environment” conference.
- Include a call to action. One area that many businesses fail to do is to include a call to action on their promotional items. People actually need to be told what to do, so if your swag has space to put some sort of call to action – “call for free consultation” or “follow us on Facebook” – take advantage of it!
- Let people know they can actually take your giveaway. Your giveaway is just that – a gift you are giving to attendees. Make it obvious that they can take your item – don’t try to hide it or try to make them talk to you to get it. You may miss opportunities to engage down the road because you denied someone access to a giveaway.
- Talk to those who take your product. When someone does take your swag, try to engage them in a friendly conversation. Not everyone will want to talk to you right then (they have your information anyway, right?), but it’s important to make sure that you answer any questions they may have, give them a brochure or take them through what you offer. In many cases, this is the first contact you will have with them, so make it memorable and pleasant.
Keeping these 5 tips in mind will put you on the road to success for your next trade show. Ready to start using promotional items as a core part of your marketing strategy? Wearable Imaging is here to help. Give us a call at 949.888.7837 or email us at sales@wearableimaging.com to set up your complimentary strategy session with our President Robin Richter.