You’ve set the date. You’ve booked your booth. You just need to figure out how you’re going to attract attendees. This might look like a daunting task but it’s much simpler, and a lot more fun, than you might think. If you lean into the challenge your creativity will awaken a booth full of possibilities!
To encourage your creativity, we’ve put together a list of five trade show booth ideas. Any one of these is bound to draw a crowd, engage attendees, and leave them with a strong impression of your brand.
Get ahead of the game.
Attracting attendees to your booth starts before the doors open. Use social media platforms to build hype around your booth and when the event starts, the heavy lifting of attracting an audience will already be done. It’s time to tap into your inner Gen-Z!
Drop hints about what will be featured at your booth or any show-exclusive offers, and you’ll peak your audience’s curiosity. Increase their interest by sharing the process of designing and constructing your booth with videos and photo carousels. Make them feel a part of the team in order to create a more personal connection to your brand. Who doesn’t love a good “behind the scenes” experience?
Increase engagement by hosting polls and questionnaires on Instagram stories and on other platforms. This gets your attendees involved while showing you exactly what they want to see, so you can subtly tailor your booth to your audience’s interests. That’s some grade-A spycraft! Top it off with a booth-reveal video the day before the launch to drum up last-minute hype. You’ll be the first exhibitor they go to!
Get the best of both worlds.
We all want to be the cool kid on the block. You know, the one with the newest, coolest toys? You can be that cool kid by using VR and AR in your trade show booth. Not only will you trigger a sense of novelty among attendees, but you’ll leave a more memorable impression on them by providing a fun and unique experience. You can display your products on a table, but why be normal? Let your attendees interact with your products in the environment they were made for using virtual reality.
Attendees will get a clearer impression of your products and a cool story to tell during after-show cocktails. You can also use AR (augmented reality) to display virtual products in your “real world” booth. This widens the possibilities for what kinds of experiences you can create. Don’t limit your creativity
to the size of your booth.
You’ll be the coolest exhibitor in the trade show!
Hit it, DJ!
If you can’t be seen, be HEARD. Use live music to attract attendees who might not see your booth immediately but will be drawn to it by the great tunes you’re serving up. Science has shown that our brains respond differently to live music. Tap into this power to create an energized experience for attendees.
Not only will this attract attendees, it will create a lively space they’ll want to stay in. While they enjoy the music, you can show them the amazing products and services you have to offer!
Once the event is over, they’ll remember you as the booth with the best music. Hiring local talent is even better! You’ll make an impact on the community while saving money on transport costs. You can demonstrate how your brand cares for whatever community it happens to be in, broadening your reputation. Live music is a vibrant way to expand your reach and create an unforgettable booth!
Winner take all.
We all love to win, whether it’s free stuff or bragging rights. Use this knowledge to your benefit by designing a competition that attracts attendees, creates a memorable experience, and keeps your brand in their mind long after they’ve left. You can host an in-show competition like a candy jar counting contest—we all remember these from our school days. Whoever gets the closest to the number of candy in the jar wins. You don’t have to give them the world, but fun branded merch that they can use regularly is a great way to reward them while keeping your company in their minds. You can also build a small carnival game, like a strength test, which not only attracts people with the possibility of winning, but gives them a way to compete with their friends.
Take your competition beyond the trade show by hosting a photo-based competition using social media. Whoever takes the best photo, or gets the highest engagement using your product or booth display, will win the branded prize. This is also a fun and easy way to get free advertising. It’s a win-win!
Host a competition using any of these ideas, or design your own. Either way, you’ll attract attendees and give them a memorable experience. Even better, you’ll be the exhibitor that stays in their minds throughout the rest of the show, since they’ll want to know if they’ve won.
Let me take a selfie.
Sometimes, the most obvious ideas are the best. We’re all looking for ways to take cooler photos for our social media feeds. Create an impressive backdrop display and give your attendees the chance to capture that perfect shot. Or, set up a selfie photo-booth. Either way, you’ll consistently draw in attendees throughout the show.
Design a special backdrop that goes with the theme of the show or your business, with interactive props that your attendees can use. This makes the picture-taking experience that much more fun. The cooler your backdrop, the higher the chances are that your attendees will post their selfies to social media, giving you even more free advertising. Trade shows are all about forging connections and creating lasting memories.
Make those memories last even longer by giving attendees the chance to capture the moment!
Curtain call.
There’s nothing like a trade show! The people, the exhibitors, the products. While it can be an overwhelming time, hosting your own booth gives you the chance to flex your creativity. By hacking novelty, building buzz, and designing lively experiences that engage your attendees, you’ll create a strong and lasting impression.
Remember, it isn’t just about attracting attendees, but making sure they have an unforgettable time, too. Now, one with the show!
