How to make a lasting impression with your exhibition stand

Exhibitions and trade shows are two of the most popular traditional marketing strategies that are still very effective for brands. It helps companies showcase their latest products to their target audience and to network with other companies, clients, and potential partners from the same industry. Trade shows are a major part of the event marketing strategy and they are used by brands to increase brand awareness and increase their sales.

Why is event marketing still important?

In today’s digital world, consumers are bombarded with thousands of online ads, emails, videos, and many other virtual promotion tools which has already made them extremely frustrated by disruptive marketing techniques. According to VPN Mentor, the top 3 reasons reported for ad-blocking were that there are too many ads, the ads are annoying and irrelevant, or that they are simply too intrusive.

According to data from the Event Marketing 2019: Benchmarks and Trends report, a percentage of 82% of entrepreneurs consider that in-person events are extremely important for their company’s success. This data can be really impressive in today’s digitalized world where it seems that all marketers have shifted their focus from traditional marketing to virtual marketing tools.

However, according to the same report, 41% of marketers report to considering event marketing the single and most effective marketing strategy over online marketing. Moreover, another 62% of senior marketers claim that they are planning to invest more money in in-person events in the future, both in the budget and the number of events.

So, as you can see, exhibitions are the traditional marketing strategy that is not only not dead already, but it is also expected to become even more important for brands. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the live events industry is expected to grow even if we live in today’s digital world. It all comes down to the need for brands and consumers to have a channel where they can connect face-to-face, away from their device’s screens.

How to have exhibition success?

Now that you know that event marketing is still king, at least among the traditional marketing strategies, maybe it is time to invest more in your appearance at the next trade show. It can help you increase or create brand awareness and attract more potential customers than any online strategy would do.

However, the exhibition preparation process can be intimidating, especially because you know that you will be sitting next to some of your competitors. Yet, especially because you know you will be sitting next to them, you should use all your competitive advantages to make sure you stand out from the crowd.

Choose the exhibition

First things first, you need to decide where you want to make your appearance. The event industry is a pretty large one so it is very likely that you will find a number of exhibitions taking place worldwide pretty much at the same time. So, choosing the right one is simply necessary and paramount.

There are a few things you must consider when choosing an exhibition including its popularity, what type of audience takes part in it, how many visitors the exhibition has in the last few years, and whether or not the media will be present at the show.

Check out the participants

So, you have decided which exhibition you are going to attend. You have found out how many visitors are expected to come. Now it is time to find out who are they coming for. simply put, you need to find out who from your competitors you are going to see at the exhibition in order to know how to prepare. While some of the visitors will come to the exhibition for your business, some of them will be there for your competitors. And there is no better time to steal your competitors’ customers than in a place where they can see why your business is better.

Book your exhibition space

Where exactly your exhibition stand will be placed plays a huge role in the impression you make at the event. If you are going to be the last stand in the row, you may have fewer visitors than you expect. Also, the first stand is also slightly neglected by visitors because they are impatient to see what others have to show too. So, make sure you book your exhibition space as early as possible to make sure you get a good spot with a lot of visibility.

Choose the design of your stand

Once you know exactly where you are going to be placed at the exhibition and how much space you have, it is the time to choose your exhibition stand. The design of your exhibition stand is very important for making a lasting impression. It should be suitable for your business culture and products but should also be modern and engaging to attract as many visitors as possible. Now, you must spend some time on choosing the type of content, graphic, and design that will make you stand out from the rest and that will reflect your business entirely.

Invest in marketing

So, you are ready to have a spectacular appearance at the exhibition. But does that matter if there is no one there to visit your stand? Obviously, no! Once you are sure that you will be part of the exhibition and have some great ideas to attract as many visitors as possible, start to promote the event.

The exhibition event will probably be promoted by the organizers. However, you need to make sure that people find out that you will be part of it. And, not just any people but those who are part of your targeted audience. Combine offline and marketing strategies to promote your exhibition stand prior to the show to engage your audience to come and meet you face-to-face.

Choose the best team

So, it is almost time to take part in the event. But who is it going to represent your brand at the exhibition? Will you go there yourself or will you choose a team to represent your business? Either way, keep in mind that whoever represents your brand will interact with potential clients and partners. So, you should send a reliable team of highly-skilled and prepared employees who can promote your business as the best one on the market.

Exhibitions offer you great commercial opportunities including attracting and engaging with potential customers and partners and increasing your brand awareness. However, you need to be aware that you will be facing your competitors at the event. So, you need to invest twice as much effort and budget in preparing a stand that will leave a lasting impression.

Cynthia Madison is a young blogger and economics and marketing graduate. She writes about home, lifestyle and family topics and is a senior contributor to popular niche publications.