Trade Show Displays – Ideas and Tips

For you small business owners, especially those just getting started, preparing for a trade show can be intimidating and many times very scary and frustrating. Which show to exhibit at? What do you take for a display? How do you present yourselves?

Well, there’s a ton of great information available on the internet – I know! …when we decided last year to exhibit our new sign company at the 2012 Northern Colorado Bixpo Business Expo, I Googled everything under the sun related to prepping for a trade show!

We ended up having a great time and met a bunch of new leads. Many of the leads turned quickly into prospects and several ended up as customers that we’ve worked with multiple times in the 3 months since the show! With the success we had we knew the trade show displays market segment was one we had to jump into.

Getting back to all that stuff I researched online… here’s some of the tips most helpful to us:

• Find the right show (duh!). We are a sign company, so a business-to-business trade show was what we were after. But maybe a Home and Garden show is a better fit for a construction company, a handyman, landscaper, plumber, even a dog groomer… The Home and Garden crowd is going to filled with your potential customers, all walking around and making mental notes of cool things they want for their house and yard. Don’t forget, the companies that have smart, attractive displays are making a lasting impression on everyone – both exhibitors AND gawkers!

• You MUST find out the specifics of the trade show you are registered for or considering exhibiting in. Look online, and definitely contact the organizers of the event and get details on the type of visitors that the show attracts, and the layout of the area you will have to display your business. Be sure to find out the size of the trade show display table you will have (if any), whether there is wall space for your company sign, if there are electrical outlets available, and anything else that may or may not be included (i.e. a table cloth, etc.).
• If the trade show will be on for an extended length of time, be sure to have assistance in manning your trade show booth so you can take a break. If you don’t have the option of having someone take over for a bit, be sure to put up a note that tells people how long you will be gone or when you will be back.
• Find a huge flat-screen TV/display (you can rent them!) and show off your work. Trust me here, bigger is better – get a 52” or larger. Also, have a portfolio of your best projects available as part of your trade show display. Have several binders of your work – pictures inside protective covers work great. Then lay out the binder where visitors can flip through the pages.

• As for trade show booth display ideas, check out our online catalog for a boat-load of great equipment. We’d love to help you put together a display that will set you apart from the crowd, be super-easy to set up and take down, and last for many shows. One really cool trick, especially if you’re on a budget is to have us design a graphic for you that flows across the displays of 3-4 retractable/popup banner stands. Something about it grabs the eye, which is exactly the purpose!
• The most important thing is to be friendly and inviting. Say “Hi” to those that turn and look toward you or your trade show booth. Strike up a conversation, be interested in their business or project – don’t just be a sales person! And… have fun!