Times may change, but the power of trade shows hasn’t. In 2017 trade shows and events in the United States generated over $13 billion in revenue.
Trade shows can make your company a lot of money, but only if you handle them the right way. The best way to make connections and bring in potential new business during shows is to have a great trade show booth.
An interactive booth can engage visitors and provide the perfect environment to network. The right interactive booth ideas could end up attracting your next big client.
If you’re going to be heading to a trade show soon, we have some essential booth advice for you.
Our Top 5 Interactive Booth Ideas
There’s nothing worse than putting time and money into a booth and not having a single person show up.
If you want your booth to stand out, you’re going to have to do better than to just have pamphlets on the table. You need to plan things that can attract people’s attention.
When you’re brainstorming ideas for your next booth, be sure to keep these things in mind.
Use a Contest
We understand that you may not have a couple grand to give away or a new car. But there’s something about winning a prize, any prize, that can attract people to your booth.
If you’re going to organize a contest, make sure it’s easy to participate. Make the rules simple to understand, and don’t make entry difficult. Better yet, incorporate game elements into your giveaway and make the entire process fun.
For bonus points, try to make the prize tie into the theme of the trade show or your company.
Are you an auto manufacturer? Give away a few free oil changes, or more services like free detailing or a new coat of paint.
Are you at a local conference? A gift card to one of the best local restaurants can be enough to bring people to the group.
Consider a Photo Booth
Do you want to do something unique at your next trade show and give people an interesting keepsake once they leave your booth? Consider turning a portion of your space into a photo booth!
Some people choose to make the photo booth a fun extra. They have a lot of props people can pose with, and they give people a chance to do something fun and blow off a little steam during a long convention.
Don’t think that you have to have a wacky photo booth to have fun during a trade show. A more “professional” spin on a photo booth can bring in a lot of people.
Nearly every professional can use a headshot. Get a nice backdrop and offer to give someone a new LinkedIn photo. Going down the LinkedIn route gives attendees real professional value, and also gives you an excuse to follow up with them.
Let People Relax
Think about how much walking you do during the average trade show. Most attendees will be on their feet most of the day, and it can be difficult to find a place to relax.
If you have ample space, consider devoting a portion of your booth space to a rest area.
Find some comfortable chairs, give people a place to charge their phones or devices, and watch the people flock to the area.
This is a different kind of tradeshow strategy, but it can do a lot for networking.
Imagine the sheer amount of people that will be happy to come to your booth and relax for a bit. You’ll have more than enough time to strike up a conversation or two.
Your booth could even become known as a good place for people to network with other attendees.
Utilize Demonstrations
Do you want a way to promote your products and also attract a big crowd to your booth? Consider putting on a well-planned product demonstration.
A hands-on demo can explain important features about your product and can give visitors a clear idea about the value your company and products have to offer.
Don’t just invite people to “try something out”. Have a well thought out plan about all of the ways someone can interact with the product.
Be sure to play up the 5 senses. If you have a fragrant product, encourage people to smell it. Have some wonderful tasting options if you sell food, and let people touch and feel what you’re selling.
If you have access to an attendee email list, announce that a demo will be happening during the show. Also, be sure to make an announcement on your company’s social media to promote everything.
It’s also a good idea to have someone very confident and charismatic to handle the product demo. You’re going to want someone that’s comfortable with people and able to create a fun and inviting environment.
Have a Great Display
A printed banner or some kind of display as an important part of any booth. But if you want to really make your booth engaging, it’s time to move onto computer and video displays.
Bring in large monitors so you can display important information about your company.
One monitor can loop a Powerpoint presentation that gives people background on your company, services, and products. You could also choose to have a laptop that always displays your website so people can explore it at the booth.
To add an interactive element to displays, consider using a touch screen or an iPad. You can have people fill out contact forms, take quizzes, or even play a fun game.
Next Steps
We’ve given you only a handful of our interactive booth ideas. There’s so much more you could be doing at tradeshows and conventions to bring in business and interact with people.
We love to help people create meaningful and impactful trade show experiences. Contact us today so we can talk about what we can do for your next show.
In the meantime, browse some of our tradeshow tips so you can get ideas about what you’d love to do for your next event.
- Crafting the Perfect Exhibition Plan: Tips, Tricks, and Trends - November 9, 2023
- 7 Tips for Setting Up Tabletop Trade Show Displays - October 12, 2023
- An Example Product Presentation: Use This to Model Your Exhibit - September 25, 2023
