Trade show booth displays are a tricky business. First, they require great products. Second, they need to be manned by people who excel in customer service. Last, but certainly not least, they must be merchandised well. Here are four ways to hack your trade show booth to captivate buyers and generate more sales.
1. User-generated content
User-generated content is exactly what it sounds like — content created by your consumer. User-generated content can consist of things like reviews, videos of your fans using your products, and social media posts about your brand.
When a buyer sees user-generated content in a trade show booth they immediately have an impression that the product is beloved. Seeing pictures, videos or other visual content created by customers shows the buyer that the product sells — and creates enthusiastic, loyal fans. Buyers always have anxiety when purchasing a product. Will my customers like it? Will it increase sales? Seeing evidence of a large, creative and active loyal customer base in a booth can ease a buyer’s mind. Taking that worry away allows them to fall in love with the product immediately. At The Portable Bar Company, we do this by displaying our customer portfolios on iPads as well as a widescreen TV. The iPads are a nice touch because it allows each potential customer to scroll through our entire portfolio.
2. Brand every aspect of your booth
If a buyer can’t tell what your name is and what you sell in one glance, you’re in trouble. At trade shows, buyers don’t have time to decipher or investigate who you are or what you’re selling. Your signage should be large, clear and consistent throughout the booth. Use the same font and color scheme throughout the booth. Continuity reinforces your brand story. We make sure all our products have The Portable bar Company signage at every show.
3. Show what’s new and show what sells
Trade show booths that have been around for years can get lost in the crowd. Buyers want to know two things: what’s new and what sells best. Your booth should have a clear, bright and visible display of these items. Buyers should be able to see your new products and top sellers from outside of the booth. They may not know that there are new products to see. If the signage doesn’t indicate it from outside the booth, a vendor could lose a potential sale. At our latest show the CMAA we displayed our new Rustic Standard Portable Bar and it was a huge hit!
4. Make your booth speak for itself
Trade shows get busy, and salespeople can get tied up with other buyers. Your trade show booth display must tell your story and provide details about your products without the presence of a salesperson. Again, signage is your best friend here. Make sure you have talkers displaying the pricing and features of your products in case you aren’t available to answer questions.
Make your booth stand out. Don’t use the traditional curtain or pop up display, come up with something creative to attract attention then test the strength of your trade show booth display by asking buyers to answer simple questions about your products. That product knowledge should be easy to find in your display so that you have a chance at keeping the buyer on the hook if your salesperson is tied up. At The Portable Bar Company, we use a pallet wall behind a portable Flash Bar with antique tobacco pine laminate creating a truly rustic look. It sets up in minutes and we get compliments on it at every trade show!
