I recently attended a seminar on Trade Show Marketing Strategies. Since some of our clients attend various trade shows pertaining to their industries, I was excited at the opportunity to learn new ideas and helpful information that I could pass on to our clients.

First, it is important to select trade shows and venues that make sense for your company. Oster and Associates has the tools and resources to thoroughly research which trade shows your company should be attending. There are 2 different types of trade shows: Horizontal (shows with a broad base of sellers and both broad and narrowly focused buyers) and Vertical (shows with narrow base of buyers and sellers). Most B to B companies should focus on vertical shows that fit within their industry.

Next, you want to make sure you have a good location. In order to have the most impact, your booth should be in these locations:

• Pyramid
• Birds of a feather
• Right side (statistically, attendees gear to the right as they enter a show)
• Corner locations (twice the impact!)
• Outside perimeter locations

You want to avoid these locations:

• Front and center
• Left side (attendees are fatigued at this point)
• Near the necessities
• Near columns, stairs or utilities

Of course, you’ll want to have a booth that is eye catching and makes a great visual impact. With trade show booth graphics, it’s important to remember that “less is more” and brand consistency is key. You want to make sure your space is designed well to ensure an inviting atmosphere. Here are a few tips to remember:

• Make sure the carpet you choose matches the space carpet to avoid a “visual barrier”
• Focus on the audience and the attendee experience
• Booth should be objective driven
• Exhibit design should be simple-the simpler, the better!

Finally, don’t forget to tell your clients and potential customers about the show and encourage them to stop by your booth. Creative and clever pre-show promotion can be key. Target your list, create enticing content and develop an offer.

There were so many more valuable tips I learned at the 3 hour long seminar. It was all so interesting and I am excited about sharing these tips with our clients. If your company has a trade show coming up and would like to learn more about trade show marketing or need assistance with your booth, contact me at kerrie@osterads.com!