Trade shows continue to be a great way to promote your message, gather customer feedback, and introduce new products and brands. Getting a prime spot in a high-traffic trade show guarantees more eyes on your brand and genuine consumer interest.
Here’s the thing. People go to trade shows to be shocked and awed while getting the latest on new products and services. However, a lot of the success depends on the design of the trade show displays, the behavior and the engagement skills of the staff members. There are also numerous mistakes along the way that can derail you from achieving your trade show goals. Here are 10 of the most common.
- Trying to Achieve Too Many Things from a Single Show
Your trade show participation needs to have a purpose. Having too many goals though can keep you from achieving any. Make sure to set a few goals or even a single goal. Things like a target number of customer contact info are pretty common goals. Your booth can also be a sales point and you can also set a target revenue as your primary goal.
- Not Inspecting the Booth Space Carefully Before the Big Day
Check out the physical condition of the booth space before you setup your display. Look at the lighting and the position of other competing booths near your location. If the lighting is not sufficient, you can speak to the organizers to correct the issue. Consider the proximity to the entrance and plan how your trade show display is going to attract the crowd.
- Hiring Stall Executives with Poor Body Language
The last thing you want in your booth is a scary looking dude looking uninterested in the affairs with crossed arms and a frown. People with bad body language or who look uninviting may repel prospects away from your booth. Hire people who are enthusiastic and approachable.
- Settling for a Mediocre Trade Show Booth Design
This year Samsung created an entire flowing wall made from LED TVs at the CES. Trade show displays need to be professional and spectacular. There is no way around it. Hire a trade show display company to custom build your exhibit. Trade shows are a platform where competitors try to outdo each other by creating amazing displays. They incorporate clever and innovative designs to draw in the crowd. This means if you settle for a dated design, there is a high chance people are going to walk past your booth towards the more interesting displays.
- Not Allowing Users to Interact with the Product
Trade shows are not just about sales pitches and product descriptions. Actively encourage customers to interact with the product you are trying to promote. Create fun games that incorporate the usage of the product and highlight its benefits.
- Not Incentivizing the Salespeople for Small Successes
Your crew needs to remain motivated and there are not enough pep talks in the world that can keep them pumped up throughout the duration of the show. Make sure there are cash bonuses and prizes for your sales team on the floor to keep them charged up.
- Prioritizing Sales Over Engagement
Direct pushy sales don’t work and will repel people away from your booth. Instead of trying to sell, try and invite people for a conversation. Don’t try and sell anything before you engage, interact, and build relationships.
- Stop Baiting and Switching
A lot of people try and lure customers in by creating a comfortable lounge area with free phone charging stations. The moment the customers are in their zones they try and bombard them with sales pitches and promotional materials. This is a classic example of bait and switch. Customers expected a space where they would sit back and relax but instead were subjected to aggressive sales pitches. These kinds of tactics are often ineffective and can even scare interested customers away.
Instead of trying to deceive, be honest about what your booth is all about. That way you would have a higher conversion rate.
- Waiting Too Long to Follow Up
Make sure to call up the list of interested customers within a few days after the show. That way you can catch customers who still have memories of the show fresh on their minds. You also lower the chances of losing customers to your competitors by calling earlier.
- Don’t Allow Executives to Phub Customers
If you didn’t know already, phubbing is the act of being on the phone and ignoring people. This 21st century habit is highly disrespectful, especially when done in a professional environment. Brief your team about not using their phones on the floor.
