An exhibition stand is able to give your business the opportunity to create a strong first impression. It is one of the best marketing strategies that has the power to get your brand out there and promote your products or services. As we all know, expo stands require time, money, and resources. And of course, the day itself can be tiring (sometimes exhausting). But, if done correctly it is worth it because it can be very productive and profitable.  

In this article we are going to mention many ways on how to develop an engaging, interactive trade show exhibit. Stay tuned if you want to attract new clients and if you need help with networking efforts. The following tips will help you to increase traffic to your exhibition booth. 

Prepare for the event

First, it is worth noting that you have to prepare yourself for the event. Try to send out invites in advance, promote through your social channels and, where possible, book in appointments to guarantee a chat with your most important prospects. 

There are a lot of opportunities to reach your target group through social media. We recommend you to schedule posts that correspond with activities at your exhibition stand. This way you'll show the market that you're investing in business development, drive more attendees to your stand and keep people interested even after they leave. That's why you will have to work on spreading the word, as well as using a little bit of self promotion. For sure, your clients will be grateful to know about any opportunities to meet face to face. Keep on reading for more ideas. 

Consider Your Exhibition Stand Budget

Try to budget out how much you are willing to spend on interactive activities.

This way it becomes easier for you to select activities that match your budget. We recommend you organize your event while accounting for unforeseen costs and additional expenses to help set a hard limit on the number of trade show booth ideas you can consider. What's more, you'll be able to remove analysis paralysis, which often consumes the time of novice exhibitors.

In addition, if you find this process hard then there is a solution for this too.

Did you know that you can plan and safeguard your finances with contingencies?

It makes it easier to account for overhead expenses. Don't forget that your budget is a road map and the map is not the territory. Try to be open to reconsidering your options in case you come across something more suitable for your stand design. 

Set Your Goals

Your goals on what you want to achieve, as well as the message you want to send is very important. When taking care of your stand's aesthetic appeal, you also have to convey your company's values. Try to make sure you are clearly expressing your capabilities. 

This should be at the forefront of your design scheme. All of your colleagues working in the exhibition stand must fully understand the goals of interacting with attendees. 

Consider Different Materials for Your Exhibition Stand

To reinforce your image and create an attractive dazzling exhibition stand design, it is very important to choose the right material. Start experimenting with different materials and see which one reflects your brand better. 

Keep in mind that you have to enhance the message you want to convey. 

For example, plastic and metal can create a contemporary modern feel. On the other hand, rich wood tones might give you a more traditional feel. Also, try to use fabrics as dividers within your stand. It's the perfect choice for separating meeting areas.

As we all know, usually people have a short attention span. When they have multiple other stands to visit during an exhibition you must work harder to attract their attention. Therefore, we must note that using images and graphics is important. They are a more effective way to communicate a complex message/idea quickly. 

Remember to always use life-sized, high-quality images and keep signage simple and well-crafted. 

Graphics should never be done poorly. It can deliver a message and represent your brand in a professional way. So consider hiring a professional to make sure your graphics make a lasting impression and are visible from a distance.

Invest to Make Your Exhibition Stand Interactive

Next, we recommend you try to consider the kind of people who'll be attending the exhibition. This is very important as you'll have to design your exhibition stand based on their needs and wants. It helps you to figure out who your target audience is. As soon as you know who your ideal customer is, you'll be able to make the right choices that are going to ensure you attract the right prospects. 

Here's where you can start working to incorporate interactive activities at your stand as an effective way to draw attention during the exhibition.

This will make your stand more engaging and will allow audiences to really immerse themselves in your brand. Here are some ways for engaging visitors: add sound and visuals, offer refreshments, upload live event updates like online live promotions, as well as use event technology such as VR headsets, video content, and AR. 

Did you know that when visitors are engaged, they are more likely to stay longer at your stand? They will probably ask more questions and give you a chance to interact with them more.

Train Your Staff

Your interactive will go as planned if you have a well-trained team. It is very important to train your staff beforehand and explain them what needs to be done. What's more, a friendly nature and politeness in tone will help to break the ice and get your audience excited about the activities.

Don't forget to always involve and collaborate with your team and brainstorm trade show booth ideas with them. Remember that by doing so they are more likely to be motivated to ensure that your trade show booth is a success.

Help Your Audience Have Fun

If you want success for your trade show marketing ideas then you have to make sure your audience is having fun! So, keep on working to pull more crowds by creating a fun, playful environment. 

Pick your games carefully so that the people participating are having a good time. Did you know that happy crowds tend to attract a lot of attention and bring more people to your trade show stand? 

Also, a happy audience tends to not only view your brand in positive light but also ends up being ambassadors for spreading awareness for your brand.

Crowd Pleasers

Prizes and giveaways are real crowd-pleasers.

We think it is important to insist on giveaways. Use this as a motive for the audience to visit your expo stand while participating in the games organized by you. What's more, giveaways have not lost their charm even after being used repeatedly. Marketers for example, keep finding new ways to incorporate prizes and giveaways with their trade show marketing ideas.

Music is powerful and it begins to reach where words fail.

It helps a lot if you make the right choice. We are mentioning some examples: have a music player designed to look like a jukebox if you like. Otherwise, you can use motion sensors in your booth floor to have certain tunes play when visitors walk in. Sometimes quiet music can make your expo stand more attractive to visitors too.  Furthermore, snacks like popcorns or wafers help a lot too and are also easy to set up. 

You can use a movable food cart for this to be able to move it around your trade show stand.  Offering snacks is a great way to start a conversation with visitors. Most importantly, it brings positive associations with your brand as well. 

Have You Ever Thought On Playing Games During an Exhibition?

Games will help to break the ice.

Consider the counting game for example. The concept of this game is that the participant has to guess the number of objects in a transparent container. Offer prizes if the visitors get the number right. Counting games are a more low-key way to kick-start a conversation with visitors. Your staff gets to talk with customers and figure out how they can help them. 

Gaming consoles might help a lot too.

Use them if you want to give your attendees a reason to have fun as well as a reason to come back. Consoles let visitors engage in social gaming, relax at your stand and recharge their batteries with some social and competitive gaming. We recommend you to choose a fun game that is family friendly and fun for both genders. Try using video games that engage multiple players as they are a hit. This will generate a greater buzz at the floor and allow you to engage more attendees in less time.       

To Sum It Up

Follow these tips to make your stand look great. Interactive activities can be highly beneficial to your business if you work hard to conduct them appropriately. These tips will help you a lot with that. As mentioned before, the success of your exhibition is down to how you and your team manage the exhibition stand.

Remember the important thing is to engage exhibition visitors by talking to as many people face-to-face as possible.

Don't forget to identify which are leads and qualify which people could become customers. Lastly, try to record details and work a little harder to find out their needs and note them ready for follow-up.