Amazing Hacks for Successful Display Booths

Trade shows and expos are excellent ways to promote your business, gain more sales, and generate leads. Since each event is geared specifically towards a particular industry, theme or product, they’re guaranteed to have a high concentration of your ideal customer. At the least, plenty of people should be very interested in what you have to offer.

If you work in a particular industry that regularly has trade shows, then you can bet your competitors will be taking full advantage of the opportunity to be seen and heard at each event. It’s vital that you also attend these events, so you don’t miss out.

The downside to trade shows and expos is that they are often very expensive. A booth situated in a prime spot can set you back a fair amount. Booth designs can run into the thousands or even hundreds of thousands.

On top of that, you have all the marketing, branding and freebies required to draw people over. So, while being part of a big trade show offers you an excellent opportunity to get yourself seen, it can be very costly initially too.

That’s not to say that you can’t exhibit at a trade show on a budget. With careful and thoughtful planning, it is possible to make your booth stand out, even if you don’t have a lot of cash.

Read on to find out our amazing hacks for having a successful booth on the cheap.

Study up on the floor plan

If you’re on a budget, you probably won’t be able to go for the prime spots in the event hall. But don’t walk away from the idea without exploring all your options. With just a little persistence, you will find that there are usually booths that cost far less than others, but they can receive just as much foot traffic.

Before you book your spot, study the floor plan and work out where people are likely to head to and congregate. For example, people always need the restroom, so booths situated near these facilities will always see a lot of traffic. Similarly, areas near food stands, refreshments or attractions will also be busy places. Consider where you would go if you were attending not exhibiting?

Avoid locations that are tucked away in a corner with no facilities nearby, or anywhere that looks to be far from entryways or exits.

Hide ugly but functional furniture

You’ve probably got a few tables or pieces of furniture that are the ideal size and shape to use in your booth. It’s also likely that this furniture doesn’t match your brand colors and doesn’t look particularly neat and tidy.

Investing in some decent covers, such as tablecloths, will allow even the shabbiest furniture to look clean and modern. If your furniture can be painted, then you can also freshen it up with a few coats of paint to make each piece look like new. More importantly, you can achieve matching furniture, which helps bring balance and professionalism to your display.

Here’s a bonus hack: if you decide to use tablecloths, know that these can be more expensive than people think. Flat bedsheets look just as good, however, and they cost a fraction of the price.

One large screen is better than several tiny ones

Trade shows on a budget mean that the amount of technology you can invest in is limited.

Often you will see several people in a booth carrying out demonstrations on tiny iPads or tablets as well as having large digital displays. To keep costs down, why not combine the two and carry out demonstrations on a large screen? That way, a number of people can watch at once, and the large screen does the job of attracting people.

Make your branding flexible

Having your logo printed onto everything really adds up. Items like branded tablecloths or furniture can make a dent in your budget, so it makes sense to have your logo printed onto display plaques or good quality cardboard. These give you the freedom to place your branding wherever you like.

Using branded table runners is another inexpensive way to get your logo onto your tabletops while keeping the look professional.

Invest in good quality business cards

Business cards are a fairly low-cost item overall. It’s worth investing in high-quality cards. Potential customers will look at your cards after the trade show and, hopefully, remember you and your business. Yours will not be the only card they go home with. Aim to make yours look more appealing than the rest.

Giving someone a great looking tactile card will provide you with that professional edge. And a high-quality card signals that you’re a high-quality business.

Have well-dressed staff

A dress code for staff really helps pull the theme of your booth together. Your booth staff needs to look approachable. Resist going too formal and keep clothing comfortable. Something like plain black pants with a branded top or colored T-shirt is a classic look. Having shirts printed is increasingly affordable and makes a great impression.

Be clever with your freebies

Everyone loves freebies. They’re excellent for attracting attention. The danger here is that the cost of these freebies can run high, especially if you want to give away something good.

One effective tactic is to have some cheap freebies, such as branded pens, but also a few items of high quality that can be won for participating in a competition.

Not only is this a fantastic way to generate leads and contacts, but it also makes you look generous while remaining on budget. An alternative is to give away something that people really want, namely food and drink.

Visitors are always craving refreshments. Something like branded bottles of water or snack bars are relatively low cost but in high demand.

Having a successful trade show booth needn’t cost the earth. A bit of thoughtful planning and a creative turn here and there will help you achieve all important professional look!

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