Naturally, one of the key metrics of your performance at an exhibition or trade show is the number of visitors your exhibition stand attracts. After all, every visitor is a potential customer for your product or service and the more of them you can encourage to spend time at your stand the better your chances of securing new sales. But how can you stand out from the crowd when you’re surrounded by your competitors at an exhibition?
Here, specialist exhibition stand contractor Aspect Exhibitions shares 10 effective ways to attract more visitors to your exhibition stand.
1. Ensure your exhibition stand’s design is eye-catching and unique
A high-impact and attractive exhibition stand doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and opting for a unique, custom-designed stand that gives the best possible impression of your business is an investment that should reward you with increased visitors at show after show.
2. Add an exhibition stand attraction
There are all kinds of entertaining and compelling attractions that you can integrate with your exhibition stand in order to grab the attention of visitors and bring them over. With options including table football, Scalextrics, reaction testing games, video games, Formula One driving or golf simulators, model car racing and a host of other fun ideas, creating a buzz with the right exhibition stand attraction is a sure-fire way to attract more visitors.
3. Choose your exhibition stand’s location with care
Areas with high visitor footfall are a must, of course, but the first stand near the entrance and the last stand on the way out of an exhibition hall usually lose out. Negotiate the best possible site for your stand – within your budget – at the earliest possible opportunity to get a head start on your competitors.
4. Give away freebies that people will want to visit your stand for
Forget branded ball-point pens, pads of Post-It notes, stress toys and other stuff that visitors are likely to ignore or take and then forget about. If you want to get loads more visitors to your exhibition stand (and if you’re allowed) try giving away free coffee, or free snacks, cookies or branded chocolate. Another idea is to set up your own free Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing stand visitors to access it in exchange for their business contact details.
5. Provide incentives in the run-up to the exhibition
Clearly it’s sensible to let both existing and potential customers know well in advance that you’ll be attending a particular trade show or exhibition, using email, social networks, advertisements in trade magazines or your own website. These communications can also provide incentives to visit your exhibition stand, in the form of exclusive invitations to product demonstrations, printable discount vouchers which can only be redeemed at your stand etc.
6. Ensure exhibition stand staff are friendly and proactive
Proactively engaging with potential customers rather than waiting in the hope that they’ll wander over to your exhibition stand of their own accord can work wonders. Simply smiling and asking attendees how they’re enjoying the exhibition can spark a conversation that can be continued at your stand. The key is to be welcoming, professional and sincere.
7. Don’t overdress or underdress your exhibition stand
Studies show that the majority of exhibition or trade show visitors have purchasing power and are there to evaluate the products and services on offer. Making your exhibition stand too ‘busy’ or cluttered with products, documentation, displays, signage, giveaways etc. can have a negative effect if it’s too difficult for potential customers to easily find what they’re looking for. By the same token, an exhibition stand that appears bare, minimalist and uninteresting is unlikely to attract or hold the attention of visitors.
8. Use social media to your advantage
If your business has a Twitter feed you can use this to tweet your followers even whilst you’re exhibiting to tell them news, opinions and experiences of the show as they happen, and to let them know the location of your stand and of any special promotions you might be running for the benefit of exhibition visitors.
9. Make visiting your exhibition stand a hands-on or interactive experience
Getting potential customers personally involved with your business by providing hands-on product demonstrations and trials or deploying interactive touch-screen technology such as tablet PCs loaded with interesting and entertaining content about your company will provide a greater incentive to visit your exhibition stand than simply explaining your products or handing out printed specifications and sales literature.
10. Adopt, adapt and improve your competitors’ strategies
Not only are exhibitions and trade shows a potentially invaluable source of new customers they also allow businesses to keep an eye on what the competition is up to. If a competitor’s exhibition stand is gaining far greater attention and visitor numbers than your own, you have the perfect opportunity to discover their secret and adapt it (but don’t flagrantly copy it) to your own advantage.
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