How to create excitement at your next event appearance

An appearance at a local trade’s show or other public events can in the right circumstances and execution can really boost your companies profile to your local market.  There’s a real opportunity to not only engage with existing and potential customers, showcasing your products and services in a productive environment but also to network with the companies and influencers in your industry. Such is the nature of these kinds of events that they will not only draw in people who are directly interested or involved in your industry but will also be visited by a variety of different people from different demographics and with different business interests.

So why would you pass up such a golden opportunity, try to get yourself out there to as many public or industry events that you can? This is particularly important for newer businesses that are looking to establish themselves firmly within the minds of their customers at large or in other circumstances, with individuals from specific circumstances. But you need to plan out your strategy properly before you attend in order to make the most out of these opportunities, so let’s take a look at a few points that can help you really drive your message home.

Promo Products

Who doesn’t love getting something for free? Whether it’s a sample of a new kind of soft drink or a new t-shirt printed with an interesting design, everybody loves to get something without having to do anything and studies have shown that on average people are more willing to take a free product of any kind over even cash incentives. And this is the perfect chance for your company to show how much they invest in their image by giving out a few free corporate promotional products to really get the word out about your stand and, by extension, your company.

It’s important that you not only bring enough of the products that you are choosing to use (like mugs, keyrings and bags, all branded with your company’s name and logo of course)but try to use some imagination to spice it up in terms of variety in promotional aids. Businesses are trying all kinds of things to bring attention to their business and their products and you should too. Using these products can be a real and tangible way of generating a massive buzz from attendants as they see others getting something for free, they too will want a piece of the action. So make sure your budget can extend to this kind of generosity.

Your Stall or Stand

When you are planning what to feature in your stall itself, you should be mainly focused on the visual aspects and how your stall looks from the outside and how it draws in the right kind of attention from passersby, so as well as the other suggestions mentioned try to make your stand as lively, eye-catching and as professional looking as possible.  A great way to do this is to pair your company’s colours together in different spots on the stall and offsetting them with a lighter, or darker shade, whichever suits your colour scheme better.

Another way to generate excitement from more specific audiences is to have your staff giving out printed materials and holding conversations with attendees at these kinds of shows and a hot new idea that people are utilizing is to include interactive elements to your showcase. This can include not only your staff obviously who should be on hand to answer questions about the company and who you are as well as giving some background about themselves and making small talk but also things like iPads and tablets displaying either your products or additional promotional materials. You could also try running a raffle or other kind of game to keep people engaged and lingering, absorbing the information that is coming from your stall. This is something that when utilized correctly can be good draw cards to have up your sleeve as it gives customers a chance to make a far more in-depth and personal memory of you, your company and of course the time they met you guys at an event but also in a more relaxed setting which will ultimately help them to look on you as less of a corporate entity and more as real human beings.