99 Problems, But a Booth Ain’t 1: How to Increase Conversions at Your Next Trade Show Sales Booth

With more than 10,000 trade shows taking place annually in the U.S alone, 52% of business leaders believe that trade shows generate more ROI than any other marketing medium. In terms of attendees, an impressive 81% reportedly have buying power. That means four out of every five are potential customers.

So, if you’re not taking advantage of trade shows, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new customers.

In today’s digital, post-pandemic world, creating meaningful connections with clients is more important than ever. Booths not only provide an opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential customers but also offer the chance to build relationships and create a lasting impression. 

When done right, trade shows can be a great way to generate leads, increase sales, and grow your business.

Sales Booth Tips to Boost Your Conversions

Let’s take a look at some of the best practices that will help turn your booth into an effective conversion machine:

1. Pre-Show Content Counts

Your exhibit begins prior to the actual trade show. You need to work on creating buzz days before you put up your booth. The primary goal is to focus on your content to effectively convey the event details to suppliers, potential customers, and the media.

You can do this by building a landing page, developing an event hashtag, and reaching out to relevant bloggers and journalists. Starting your marketing early on helps generate interest and excitement for your event, ultimately leading to more foot traffic at your booth.

Pro Tip: Make sure to include a call to action (CTA) on your pre-show content. This could be something as simple as asking people to stop by your booth or providing a discount to those who do. A CTA will help increase the likelihood of potential customers taking action and visiting your booth.

2. Maximize Media Coverage

If you are part of a huge trade show, it’s highly possible that news outlets, TV stations, and bloggers will cover the event. Take advantage by reaching out to them in advance and inviting them to your booth.

Provide all the information they might need beforehand, and ask them to watch a short presentation on the day of their coverage. Make sure to focus on the key points you want to communicate. It could be your product’s features, a new service you’re offering, or the company’s current special promotional campaign.

By getting media coverage for your event, you’ll be able to reach a wider audience and generate more interest in your booth.

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure how to secure media coverage, consider hiring a professional PR agency to help you out. Leave the media-handling in their able hands, and you can be guaranteed your event will get the attention it deserves.

3. Mount an Engaging Display

Your trade show booth should be designed to stand out from the rest and capture the attention of potential customers.

Here are a few things you can do to get your display noticed and captivating:

• Use bright colors and bold graphics
• Include a video or slideshow
• Offer freebies  or giveaways
• Host a contest or mini-games

Audience participation increases foot traffic and draws in potential customers. It also showcases your creativity, thus arousing their interest more.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have experience designing a display booth, hire a professional trade show exhibit designer. And if you already have a clear idea of what you want, you can connect with a company that offers custom booth exhibits so they can translate your concept into an impressive booth display.

4. Proper Product Positioning

When potential customers visit your booth, you want to ensure they can easily find and see your products. To achieve this, you must enhance your product positioning.

Here are some ideas on how to position your products properly:

• Use shelves, racks, or bins
• Hang items from the ceiling
• Display several pieces on the floor

When your products are more visible, you make it easy for potential customers to find what they’re looking for.

Pro Tip: If you’re not confident about the most effective way to position your products, consult with a trade show display professional. They have the experience and expertise in creating layouts that maximize visibility.

5. Consider Repurposing Vintage Items

Generic booth setups are boring. Repurposing old items is an ingenious way to make your display distinct and attract attention. If, for example, your items are related to vehicles, find an old car and transform it into your trade booth.

An antique four-wheel will be an instant hit! It can also serve as a great icebreaker and conversational piece. When choosing items to repurpose, try to keep them close to what your brand is all about.

Pro Tip: If you need to repaint old items, consider using your brand colors so people can easily identify you in the trade show. By repurposing old items, you add a unique touch to your booth and make it more memorable.

Let’s Make Your Next Trade Show a Success!

Follow the tips on this blog post, and you will experience increased foot traffic to your booth. Expect to generate more leads as well.

Need help with your trade show display? The Metro Exhibits team is standing by to help with full trade show display services including exhibit design, booth fabrication, shipping and logistics, installation and dismantle (I&D) and storage. 

The Metro Exhibits trade show product line offers custom trade show booths, custom rental exhibits, and portable displays, with options for every need and budget.

Connect with Metro Exhibits today to learn more about their services or get started on your custom exhibit design. Let Metro help you make your next trade show a success!