Putting Your Best (Exhibitor) Foot Forward: 5 Ways to Stand Out at a Trade Show

You may think that simply attending a trade show is enough to make sure that your business makes a positive impression and lands some big sales. But it’s not that simple.

All of your competitors will also be putting their best feet forward. With so many people in the same room, it’s hard to prevent your booth from running together with all the other booths.

The solution? Make a plan to make sure that your booth, your product, and your elevator pitch is distinctive from the rest on the show floor. While your specific strategy will depend on your team and your product, here are a few ideas on how to make sure your business stands out.

Make a concerted effort on social media

While it may seem counterintuitive to sit behind a phone screen while there are so many live people to talk to, this is an aspect of marketing yourself at a trade show that so many people forget. Most events have a specialized hashtag for attendees to use to connect with each other. Assign a member of your team to interact with people using that hashtag and to constantly push your message out during the course of the day.

Create assets, like graphs, interactives, and blog posts before the event, so they’re ready to be promoted on the day of the event itself. According to trade show veteran Kari DePhillips, even checking Reddit is worthwhile during a conference. At conferences, other people will be checking their phone plenty of times throughout the day.

A strong (but not overbearing) social media presence can be a make or break factor.

Ask insightful questions after presentations

You can make an impression during each talk that you attend, including those where you’re not a presenter. Even during a great presentation, the speaker won’t cover every topic that he or she could have. So, to stand out, ask the presenter an insightful question after every presentation that you attend. If you have a question, other people may have the same questions too, but are too timid to ask.

And when you ask your question, be sure to state your name and your company name so that everyone knows who the "smart person" asking the question is!

Dress to impress

Obviously, you should come dressed nicely in whatever outfit makes you feel confident. But you can do a little more than that.

Everyone will show up in standard business attire featuring mostly neutral tones and inoffensive shades of blue and green. To stand out, add a little bit of flair to your outfit. Maybe come dressed in your company’s colors, or wear bright, evocative colors. You could even wear matching outfits with your employees. It could come out as cheesy, but if executed correctly, it will make you stand out in a small way that helps potential clients remember you.

Use props to demonstrate your product

Most of the displays at the trade show will feature placards, informational brochures, and other standard marketing items. To make your product or service stand out, demonstrate your product’s most impressive features during the trade show.

If it’s not possible to demonstrate your product or service directly, you can still indirectly highlight your product’s high points by setting up a display or demonstration that tangentially relates to it. Any demonstration is better than a boring booth.

Make a scene

In live performances, it’s all about spectacle. That simple fact is what made P.T. Barnum so effective. He knew that you needed to do the unexpected to elicit the delight of attendees. At a trade show, it’s all about getting noticed. So, do what you need to do to get noticed. Maybe do a quick performance on the trade show floor. Get someone in a funny costume to run around the venue. Be loud. Embrace the theatrical.

This strategy does involve some risk, but as any seasoned businessperson knows, risk is required to achieve an award. While you have to be careful not to be obnoxious or offend any guests, you still have to make a calculated decision on how to be unexpected during the event.

Conclusion

It may seem tough to break through and reach your desired audience during a trade show, but just remember to come prepared with a plan, and be prepared to not play it too safe.