As a trade show exhibitor, you’re likely on the hunt for new trade show marketing ideas. You’re in luck! We’re sharing some of the most popular trade show trends, along with the best trade show giveaways, that will pull attendees in—and send them on their way with a smile.
Here are four ideas to try at your next trade show:
Live and VR demonstrations
If seeing is believing, watching your product or service solve a critical customer problem is sure to pique their interest. Host live demonstrations throughout the day to attract passersby.
If your business doesn’t lend itself to live demonstrations, virtual reality offers the next-best thing. Show them:
- Tours of your facility
- Demonstrations of your products or services
- Hands-on training
Give each person who watches a demonstration—either live or by VR—a pair of VR glasses.
Customer comfort
While trade show booths are a great way to capture attention and demonstrate how your products or services address their needs, they can also be a bit crowded and rowdy, making it sometimes difficult to engage in conversation. After wandering the show floor for several hours, customers will appreciate a place where they can chat with you while resting their feet. Offering a bit of comfort can help you build a better connection.
Set up a portion of your booth with comfy chairs. Offer a water bottle or a mug of coffee (they keep the mug!) to those who stop by for conversation. Use this opportunity to turn a booth visitor into your next client.
Charging stations
Eight-eight percent of Canadian households have mobile devices (PDF). That means it’s likely most people on the show floor are taking pictures, adding appointments to their calendars, and using their phones to research companies. At some point, they’re going to need a charge. Offering charging stations is a great way to keep a potential clients at your booth for a few extra minutes.
The need for power also makes charging cables with a phone stand and power banks two of the best trade show giveaways when you want to amp up interest in your booth.
Nostalgia
Memories—and the nostalgic feelings that accompany them—are powerful. Bring some of that power to your trade show booth by tapping into visitors’ emotions. With everyone’s favourite childhood characters and toys reappearing on the big screen and in local stores, capturing some of that feel-good attention can transfer to your brand.
Use nostalgia by:
- Celebrating your organization’s anniversary by decorating your booth in the style of the year the company was founded.
- Choosing an eye-catching retro colour scheme for your booth.
- Including nostalgic games and giveaways that remind people of the past.
Share a fun puzzle, like the Rubik’s Cube®. Or set up a Jenga®-like tower game to draw people into your booth and remind them of their youth—both of which will help you make connections.
Trends help make new friends
These trending trade show marketing ideas can help you capture the attention you need to build your business. And whether you’re offering customers a place to sit or a blast from their past, these trends will help customers remember you for a long time to come.