trade show tips guides strategies2018 promises to be a good year for business, especially in the international arena due to the opening of new international markets. Participating in a trade show is a huge investment but with high returns. Trade shows are a great place to generate business leads, find new distributors and promoters, attract customers and learn about competitors in your industry. To get the most out of your trade show experience, you need to keep certain things in mind when developing a strategy. Here we talk about some of the top strategies you can follow to organize a successful trade show.

1. Virtual Reality

Staying with the theme of engaging visitors through diverse experiences, the use of virtual reality is the hottest trend for trade show exhibits. The hardware is becoming more and more affordable whereas the software can be easily customized according to your brand and products. It is a low-cost way to make your brand look modern and trendy while allowing you to showcase your products in the most desirable way.

2. Customized Exhibits

Customized trade show displays are the biggest trends nowadays. Visitors are no longer attracted by run-of-the-mill stalls that simply display stacks of products and promotional flyers. Companies are nowadays investing in designing highly personalized trade show exhibits using elements from the corporate brand. It should not simply be attractive but should also reflect the overall image of your brand. The personality of your brand should come out in the design of the exhibit and the activities that you offer to visitors.

The use of themes in the design of your trade show exhibit is a very popular trend nowadays. Your trade show exhibit should be centred on a single theme which should be reflected in the overall design, interactions and behaviour of the staff. The theme should also be based on the kind of audience you intend to target. The exhibit theme will differ according to whether your target audience comprises of children, men, women, hobbyists or professionals.

3. Interactive Technology

Visitors do not want to walk up to your stall and listen to your marketing spiel. They expect a richer and more engaging experience with the brands they are interested in. You should use interactive technology to make your trade show displays more inviting for visitors. In addition to being entertaining, interactive technology also serves an educational purpose since you can use it to inform customers about your company, mission, brand and products.

4. Competitions

This might not seem like a novel trend but it remains one of the most effective ways to create brand engagement. There are different types of competitions that you can organize to increase footfall at your booth. It can be a simple lucky draw as well as competitive games and contests to test a skill. You can make the experience more directly related to your brand by designing a competitive activity that involves the use of your product.

5. Textured Materials

We are not exactly sure where this trend came from, but a lot of trade show displays are using diverse textured materials to create a unique look. It is all part of offering visitors a unique experience and some motive to walk up to the stall and have a conversation. At some levels, varied textures and materials impart a more natural look to the brand as opposed to the very efficient, business-like image of conventional trade stalls.

The choice of trade show strategies should not be random to be chosen at will. Each strategy has specific objectives and should be chosen so that it aligns with your overall business strategy and objectives.