The process of planning and preparation will undoubtedly change for events after coronavirus quarantine measures. Disease prevention measures will be implemented not only for the trade show attendees, but also for booth and facility staffs. Public health concerns will be top of mind for anyone attending large gatherings. Enacting socially responsible operations will set companies apart from each other in the minds of potential customers. While event organizers will develop actions for every exhibitor and attendee to take, exhibiting companies should take as many additional actions as possible to ease any fears. Here are five health and safety strategies your trade show marketing team can implement to prepare for conferences and trade shows in a post-COVID-19 environment.

Send Branded Face Masks to Attendees Prior to the Event

Face mask have taken on a dual purpose as both a recommended safety precaution and fashion statement. Sales of personalized masks have exploded on-line and trade show suppliers have started offering branded masks due to the high demand. While handing out masks at the event is a logical step, companies can go one step further in building relationships with current and potential customers by providing masks before a trade show.

A common tactic of trade show marketers is to perform outreach to event attendees and remain in contact with them leading up to the event. A great way to make a lasting impression is to send packages of branded face masks for use during the trade show. Attendees will make plans to get masks before the trade show; the free convenience will go a long way with potential and current clients.

Place Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Branded Stands in Booth Area

It goes without saying that we can expect hand sanitizer dispensers to be everywhere in public places and events after Covid-19 risks has lessened. Companies will be putting in place health regulations and policies that should extend to all events and activities outside office buildings and headquarters. While in-office sanitation stations can be branded or unbranded, any health safety supplies outside of the office should include some type of promotional branding.

A smart cost-saving strategy for businesses would be to buy branded hand sanitizer dispenser stands in bulk and distribute them throughout office floors and to events as needed. Trade show marketing teams would not need to worry about procuring them ahead of time, as the exhibiting company would already have plenty in stock and ready to go. Taking sanitation precautions will be an absolutely vital practice to ease public health concerns while doing business and keeping extra hand sanitizer dispenser stands on hand will make that task easier.

Practice Social Distancing Measures

Despite attending large events, people will still be practicing social distancing methods out of concern for their health. Companies should do their best to make the practice as easy as possible for their current and potential clients. Taking stock of attendee concerns prior to a trade show in terms of their schedules and health concerns will help teams plan their sales strategy. A tip is to offer an abundance of meeting opportunities outside of the official event activities This will keep the amount of people at your booth to a minimum.

This strategy is especially helpful when engaging with current customers; fostering goodwill by prioritizing their safety will help sales team maintain great business relationships. For new clients, trade show staff can work to schedule meetings with their booth attendees outside of the crowded exhibit floor. Teams could also plan to be in the trade show host city for an extended amount of time to allow for more meeting opportunities. The hotel industry is one of the most health safety cautious industries in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and companies can express concern for the safety of their employees while traveling by recommending prevention methods and curfews.

Utilize QR Codes

Posting QR codes for scanning at trade shows is not a new method of information sharing. The small, square printed graphics are meant to be decoded by smartphones to reveal promotional codes, contact information, and websites. However, they provide a great contactless way to pass on the contact information for a sales team member instead of passing out business cards. Companies can save both printing costs and prevent the spread of germs by bypassing the provision of business cards to their employees for events after coronavirus. QR codes can be printed on any trade show display and in any location, which offer a quick and health-conscious way for attendees to gather a company information on products, services, and team members.

Clean Event Displays and Counters Regularly

Actions speak louder than words, and one of the best ways for trade show exhibitors to take actions against the spread of coronavirus or any other illness is to ensure their booth remains sanitized. Companies should provide their staff with plenty of cleaning supplies, including disinfectant sprays and wipes. Instructions should be provided to trade show staffs to regularly clean the entire display area at designated time increments, such as every 30 minutes. This will not only demonstrate social responsibility and a value for public health but will also ease the minds of exhibit attendees.

Planning events after coronavirus will require companies to look at their entire sales strategy and work to implement public health safety measures in all activities. Both employees and attendees will benefit from sanitation efforts and the peace of mind those efforts provide. Companies need to take these tactics seriously because Covid-19 prevention and public health are everyone’s business.

Don’t Let COVID-19 Stall Your Event Marketing Goals in 2020

While the world anxiously awaits the opening up of the economy after the threat of COVID-19 lowers, it is likely those waiting for large attendee events will have to wait even longer. Experts predict a steady approach to getting people back to work, but concerts, sporting events, trade shows, along with any large gathering, will be the last to fall into place. Many companies large and small rely on trade shows year-round to pursue potential clients, engage existing customers, roll-out new products, and reinforce their brand messaging. The global workforce has shifted operations to adjust to the “new normal” and marketers have an opportunity to use the same exhibit displays in what will soon become their most valuable selling arena — their own offices. Below are some great ways marketing teams can translate the advertising power of a trade show strategy to an in-office strategy.

Custom Exhibit House Displays 

Exhibit house design firms that produce the large, impressive custom display booths that draw crowds at trade shows have the same capability to bring that wow factor to any location. Creativity is unlimited with experienced exhibit houses known for working with Fortune 500 brands to create completely original booth layouts can certainly transfer those skills from portable structures to permanent installations. From counters to shelving to 10ft display walls, custom interior fabrications are a perfect solution for businesses in any industry.

LED Light Box Display Installation

Backlit displays have steadily become the standard at trade shows as manufacturers continue to make better and cheaper options. The use of backlighting can draw attention to targeted areas and highlight brand messages. The LED lights used in the displays last years, making them great options for interior installations meant for long-term use. The premium dye-sublimation fabric graphics can be created for any size frames and are easily interchangeable, making switching up graphics for new products, sales initiatives, or visitor-specific messaging an easy task. A professionally installed light box sign in a corporate lobby can fill up empty wall space with modern, attractive promotional decor.

Digital Display Screen Incorporation

Along with static branding printed on graphics and display elements, monitors can easily be added to any section of the installations to add dynamic media like videos, live streams, and presentations. Digital assets are important components of a marketing strategy and incorporating them into exhibit displays is a common practice. The use of monitors and tablets translates well in an office environment, especially when placed in waiting areas. Touchscreen monitors and tablets with interactive elements that guide visitors through educational or promotional content can be set into wall displays or sturdy kiosks. Companies with excellent social media presence can cast a stream of their online engagement and encourage visitors to interact with their profiles long after they have left the office building.

Unique Trade Show Experience In-House

With permanent office installations businesses can mimic highly customized and unique trade show experiences they use in their exhibit marketing strategy. Entrances can be configured to lead visitors through a museum-like experience with history, content, and product demonstrations on their way to the reception desk. A setup like this will make striking first impression and assist a sales team by giving potential clients plenty of background information on services and products before a meeting begins. Dynamic and interactive exhibit experiences can transport trade show attendees from a crowded event to a dedicated area where they can focus their attention solely on the company’s message. Extraordinary designs, such as a landscaping company integrating a live garden into 20ft x 50ft exhibit displays or an appliance company constructing a fully decorated kitchen in their convention hall space, can always be adapted to fit into corporate offices and dazzle guests.

The continued uncertainty caused by COVID-19 should be viewed by marketing teams as an opportunity to challenge themselves and switch up their strategies. When businesses resume to regular operations it is likely that large events will still be on hold until 2021. However, missing trade shows does not mean companies should put their sales and marketing efforts on hold. The right custom exhibit house design agency can provide guidance on how a permanent office display installation can fill the void of in-person exhibitions and keep business moving in new, unexpected ways.

The marketing value of exhibiting at trade shows relies heavily exhibit booth attendance. Event marketing teams can still rely on design trends like brand illumination using backlit displays, effective promotional items, and proper pre-show email marketing campaigns to increase exhibition hall traffic. However, implementing these 4 new strategies before your next show could pay off by dramatically increasing foot traffic to your company’s exhibitor booth!

Provide Free Transportation With UberEvents

 

UberEvents allows event organizers and exhibitors to purchase prepaid rides for show attendees. Incentivize your clients and interested prospects that are making an effort to visit your trade show booth space by helping them save on transportation. UberEvents makes it easy to create reserved rides for event guests by generating a free ride code. Exhibitors can set-up one code for all selected guests, or individual ride codes that are specific to individual exhibition attendees. The codes can be programmed to only allow free transportation to and from the event or trade show. Providing your visiting clients and attendee prospects with free scheduled transportation, is a unique and modern event marketing strategy available to exhibiting companies. Prepaid scheduled transportation will help increase exhibit booth attendance, as well as improve your client’s overall show experience and brand loyalty.

Utilize Virtual Reality Technology

 

Virtual reality is constantly improving, and the technology is new enough to draw a crowd of curious trade show guests. However, it offers more than just entertainment value. VR can save a company thousands of dollars on prototype production, instead programming their VR headsets to allow consumers to experience new products virtually. Virtual reality gives event marketers an opportunity never before available; the ability to take booth attendees out of the convention hall and transport them into another location. The possibilities are, quite literally, endless. Trade show guests can examine the handiwork of homebuilders, see a medical device at work inside a human body, or travel to exotic vacation destinations, all within a company’s trade show space.

Create a Unique Experience

 

With so many innovative trade show products on the market, 2018 is the year to think outside the box for exhibit booth design. Trade show furniture of the past was either heavy and expensive, or cheaply built and uncomfortable. But now, exhibitors have the option of foam furniture with printable zip covers that are easy to transport and set-up! Design a comfortable lounge area that show visitors will want to hang out in, with couches and phone-charging coffee tables. A set-up like that is more inviting than the standard display backdrop and counter combo. Add unexpected small details, like plants or table lamps, to make your trade show booth memorable. Give your show guests a good reason to stay, and your exhibit booth attendance will naturally increase. In addition, exhibitors that take the time to create an inviting trade show display that features and “escape” layout, will motivate their guests to learn and retain more information about that exhibitor’s products and services.

Social Media Engagement Campaigns

 

Leading up to your trade show, begin interacting with your company’s social media followers on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Many marketing teams make the mistake of only posting self-serving content. They should also be responding to and communicating with real consumers. Introduce a unique hashtag specific to your event for attendees. They can easily follow updates and conversations about what to expect from your exhibition booth from the hashtag. If used the right way, social media can be an inexpensive way to stir up interest for your next event. The more approachable a company’s brand online, the more approachable their booth staff! You can also encourage attendees to post about the event before, during, and after the trade show by introducing a social media contest or giveaway.

It’s important for trade show marketing teams to continually revamp their tactics, keeping existing and potential clients both interested, and invested, in their brand. What new concepts will you be integrating into your exhibit booth layout plans this year?

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Exhibitions are an excellent way to promote a company’s brand and services. A display’s graphic design will be the first branded item trade show guests see while walking the convention hall floor. When planning for a trade show, marketing teams must place a priority on instantly drawing attention on the show floor and building interest around their brands. A well-designed booth should be simplistic and clean, but also unique and creative. Talented graphic designers understand that less is good. Trade show signage walls resemble free-standing billboard stands. Like traditional billboard marketing campaigns, brand marketers should create booth design layouts that tell a story without words.

Fundamentals of Effective Trade Show Booth Design

 

Show off your brand

Your booth must boldly display your company name and brand. Customers cannot walk away from your booth not knowing who you are and what goods and services you provide.

Grab a hold of your audience

Know your audience and develop a campaign to grab their attention with eye-catching pictures and video to engage them.

Lead visitors to your exhibit

Don’t rely solely on face-to-face interaction for educating visitors, since not all visitors will have an opportunity to speak with sales staff. The products need to be prominently featured and visitors should be able to find answers to their questions easily.

Define your goals

Firthermore, the design of a trade show booth should make it clear why a company has chosen to advertise to a specific audience. Whether it is to launch a new product or cultivate new clients, visitors appreciate a transparent and pleasant experience with show staff.

Branded Trade Show Giveaways

Most of all, promotional products that are popular with the expo audience can help increase repeat orders from your customers up to 16%. While most people think of promotional trade show giveaway items as pens, water bottles, and key chains, they can be a wide variety of unique items. A few suggestions from the Indy Displays team are virtual reality glasses, sunglasses, luggage totes, antibacterial travel packs, LED keychain lights, bottle openers, smartphone cases and well-fitting quality shirts. Customers that receive creative useful giveaway products as personal gifts are much more likely to refer others to your company, compared to those who don’t have a tangible reminder.

Trade Show Booth First Impressions

 

• Brand imagery affects consumer opinion. Therefore, it is one thing that should never be left to chance in planning. Most of all, make your display booth graphic murals stand out.
• The display booth layout and visual branding will reflect upon your business and exhibitor staff. Therefore, an exhibit staff with a sloppy appearance and dated exhibition stand design will make your company look less desirable to prospective leads.
• According to the famous 3-second rule, your booth design needs to engage and attract passers-by traffic in under 3 seconds. Otherwise, they’ll quickly turn their attention to another company highlighting their brand properly and staffing the booth space with knowledgeable marketers.
• Make sure the design theme and booth structure properly represents industry, brand, and company mission.
• Know your target consumer demographics and develop a promotional campaign that caters to them and creates organic interaction.

 

Importance of Booth Space

 

The convention floor location of a trade show display is important, no matter what size the event venue. In addition, your company must refrain from employing an incompetent event team. It’s important to book early and secure an available premium space. Because spaces with high foot traffic go quickly, timing is of the essence, regardless of  common excuses made for last minute decision making.

Consider LED modular edge-lit light box display solutions to turn your booth design into an eco-friendly backlit trade show wall that requires far less electrical power. Custom modular displays are also reusable / resizable hardware systems, as a result offering companies versatility and unique ways to save on high shipping and drayage fees. Exhibitors looking to purchase a completely eco-friendly “green” exhibit solution, have the option to select recycled fabric and trade show LED lights that produce optimal HD quality printed images and colors illuminated by next generation light technology with up to 50,000 hours of shelf life!

 

 

The advantages of occupying an island booth open space are worth the additional investment. Island exhibit floor spaces are located in the middle of the convention hall floor, making island booth rental locations the busiest areas on the exhibit floor for guest attendee foot traffic. As a result, island exhibit structures provide visibility and booth access from all 4 isle facing sides. Unlike standard inline exhibit spaces, open island center floor rental spaces typically do not have height trade show display stand height restrictions. Therefore, this allows exhibitors the opportunity to utilize additional graphic branding space  unavailable to their inline exhibiting competitors.

 

Booth Etiquette Tips

 

Dynamic exhibition stand design is essential for attracting visitors and trade show staff members are the ultimate company representatives. As a result, exhibitor staffs should always demonstrate the following professional characteristics:

1. Respect for the company and its mission
2. Genuine product interest
3. Extensive knowledge of company, services and products
4. Effective marketing campaign execution
5. Professional appearance (very important)
6. Hospitality and customer service
7. Gracious attitude and empathy

 

Exhibition Booth Interactive Technology Strategies

 

Incorporating interactive trade show booth technology into exhibition design has become a growing trend in recent years. The past ten years have given way to such rapid advancements, hence trade show marketing teams must adapt to a technology-obsessed consumer market. Consequently, here are 5 excellent ways to engage potential clients using modern tech strategies:

• Gamification: The excitement of games and contests create memorable group experiences. The entertainment can be competitive, like industry related trivia or video games. However, they can also be passive, such as a traditional prize wheel.
• Interactive Storytellers: 3-D storytelling applications on free-standing monitor kiosks or handheld tablets allow companies to create customized buyer journeys and branding assets.
• Virtual Reality: Augmented reality delivers endless education possibilities, as companies can deliver experiences to visitors that they would otherwise never have the chance to experience in a trade show setting.
• Apps: Smartphone applications take advantage of the fact that every single trade show attendee has the technology in their pocket. In addition, apps can be used to track visitor behavior, gather contact information, or compile social media attention.
• 3-D Printing: Custom concepts can become a reality quickly and inexpensively with 3-D printing machinery.

 

Resources;

• http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/trade-show-booth-design-fundamentals.html
• http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/trade-show-exhibit-design.html
• https://www.thebalance.com/the-basic-trade-show-booth-etiquette-rules-for-staff-1223791
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/promotional-productsgetting-best-roi-heather-rykowski/

 

 

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It’s that time of year when exhibit marketing teams are starting to plan and budget for 2018.  Whether this means a complete overhaul of display inventory or updating elements, event teams should consider eye-catching innovative products that will grab attendees’ attention. Below are some of the best ways that companies can update their trade show booth in 2018!

Digital Signage

Digital signage offers companies the ability to create an interactive experience at trade shows. Not only will brand messaging come to life, but digital signage allows customization, such as touch screen displays, video capabilities and the ability to utilize QR codes. These capabilities provide an opportunity for marketing teams to seamlessly integrate data collection into a trade show booth design. The information gathered from attendees helps to better qualify warm leads for post-show follow-up. Companies can include videos showcasing how new products or prototypes work, making it easier for the audience to conceptualize innovations. Digital signage can also be utilized for in-office sales presentations between trade shows.

Backlit Displays and Accessories

Backlit displays and LED light accessories are proving to be a continuing exhibit design trend. LED illuminated portable displays provide a bright and inviting experience for attendees, compared to dark, drab non-backlit displays. Backlit accessories, such as light box counters and center towers, pair perfectly with backlit trade show displays for a cohesive exhibit style. With the correct usage of light, a company can illuminate certain aspects of their sign structure that will attract their target audiences. Not only does backlighting take display graphics to the next level, it also makes the brand’s imagery brighter and more recognizable. An excellent way of utilizing backlit displays is to highlight high resolution creative campaign images on a large scale. Large LED backlit sign walls create brand visibility from afar, attracting attention from every angle on the exhibition floor.

 

Charging Stations

Charging stations are strategic trade show accessories that will attract traffic, while also keeping potential clients at a booth space for an extended period of time. They offer the audience a service that is in high demand at trade shows. While attendees wait for their phones to charge, the sales staff has the opportunity to engage in meaningful selling conversations. A short attention span is common at trade shows. Therefore, charging stations are paramount to retaining the interest of booth visitors. This provides a mutually beneficial relationship for both the company and the audience. Advertising event charging capability for iPhone users would perform well for a company that specializes in iPhone compatible technology and apps.

Furniture and Flooring

A great way to create a real-life experience for the audience is to implement lounge furniture and attractive expo flooring into a trade show booth.  If space allows, this can turn selling a product into creating relationships with customers that impact buying decisions. Creating a fun and welcoming environment for attendees also allows them to escape the madness of a trade show. Spaces can be created to align with the company’s brand and mood.  For example, a start-up technology company could create a mood of inspiration and innovation by including modern furniture in a clean and open space.  In contrast, a company specializing in outdoor technology equipment would provide a space that is warm and inviting by including wooden furniture and darker colors.

 

Interactive Technology

Interactive technology can be extremely helpful in a trade show setting.  Not only can it keep the audience occupied if the staff is busy, but it also helps facilitate traffic flow to avoid a chance of awkwardness. Virtual reality is one great way of utilizing cutting-edge technology.  Virtual reality, whether presented as games or product demos, can virtually demonstrate a company’s product and allow the audience to walk away with a memorable experience. Plus, they add a fun element to an exhibit booth that will delight the audience. By including a virtual reality headset or game, a company can increase their booth traffic and become a more memorable.

 

Social Media

While some of these trade show display ideas are trending in the industry, they will not be fleeting. In recent years, social media integration has been trending. But, it’s important to focus on the human aspect that trade shows and events offer. Social media fosters engagement with consumers when face-to-face communication isn’t possible, but exhibitions are the time to prioritize offline engagement. A good way to utilize social media is to create posts that drive the audience to your booth. For example, including location, photos, and even the possibility of awards for visiting your trade show space. These posts will entice the audience at the venue to come to the booth and check out the company.

Trade shows are about creating an experience for the audience and getting exposure for the company.  The audience should walk out of the trade show with a new vision and excitement for the companies they experienced. Whether the eye-catching element be a trendy SEG light box wall design, modern event booth furniture, or integrating trade show drone technology, these booth boosters for 2018 will attract the audience to the booth and create a successful trade show experience.

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