5 Great Ways to Interact with Exhibition Visitors
When you involve your brand or business in an exhibition of any kind, the very worst result of all is that of being wholly ignored by your audience. Sadly, with only so much time to devote to each stand of interest to them, it’s inevitable that some will revel in their successes and others will flounder…it’s just a case of making sure you avoid the former camp at all costs!
Here at PopUp Stands UK, we’ve been supplying hardware to exhibition, expo and trade-show attendees for long enough to pick up a good few insights into what works and what doesn’t. Some of the tips and tricks out there are more obvious than others and there is indeed an element of common sense in the equation, but chances are that if you’re still having trouble scoring any meaningful interactions with your intended audience, the following five ideas could certainly help:
1 – Vibrant Display Boards
First and foremost, it’s the display and popup stands you use to broadcast your message that will determine who comes your way and who doesn’t. As such, you need to make sure that you not only shine above all others, but convey a message that’s impossible for the punters to resist. For example, some of the most important rules to follow include keeping text to a minimum, using short and punchy bullet points to get your message across, interspersing all text with other kinds of media to break it up and generally making sure that the way you present and organise your display is both eye-catching and neat. Quality hardware helps, but in terms of content it’s all up to you!
2 – Host a Prize Draw
What’s so great about a prize draw is the way in which the price of just one or two very minor gifts is all it takes to guarantee a massive spike in interest among those you’re reaching out to. Make it as easy as possible for them to enter, either by leaving a business card or just their basic contact details. Whichever way you do it, you’ll not only have the opportunity to interact with everyone that comes your way, but will also find yourself building up an incredible database of contacts you can then follow up after the event. And as it’s the follow-ups after the expo itself that usually prove to be the most valuable interactions of all, a prize draw can be pure gold.
3 – Interactive Display Stands
Another fantastic way of drawing more attention to your stand and indeed keeping it there is to add a touch of interactivity to your actual popup stand. It may sound like a tricky act to pull off, but is actually as easy as investing in a quality system that’s built to support either a television screen or perhaps an iPad. In the case of the latter, the really great thing is that not only does the mixture of media help vastly increase your stand’s visual appeal, but it gives your audience the chance to interact with your brand, business and message.
4 – Exclusive Expo Discount
There’s nothing like a sense of urgency to encourage your prospects to go the whole hog and either make a purchase or sign up for something – precisely why limited time offers are so powerful. In the example of an expo or trade show, one of the most common and indeed effective approaches when it comes to ‘sealing the deal’ is to offer some kind of discount or special offer that’s only valid there and then. It could be a 20% discount if they buy during the event, maybe a 10% discount if they come over and take a coupon code or really anything else at all. If you make them think they’ll miss out by procrastinating, chances are they’ll be less inclined to.
5 – Offer Refreshments
Last but not least, some would say that going as far as to buy an audience’s interest is cheating, but boy does it bring in the results! Chances are that sooner or later at any given expo, there will be vast swathes of people in the hall that are simply gagging for a cup of coffee and a biscuit or two. As such, if you’re the one that provides these simple treats and tempting tidbits, you’re almost guaranteed to generate a wave of interest. And of course, the fact that bringing freebies to the event shows how wonderfully generous you are won’t harm your reputation in the eyes of the punters, either!