In today’s digital age, it’s easy to get sidetracked from traditional trade show collateral and keep our exhibits at a minimal.  In fact, today’s technology and the use of exciting gadgets and the internet is often thought of as a substitute for tangible items that we’ve grown accustomed to receiving over the years.  So how do we put on a trade show exhibit that accomplishes our goals of using technology and plain, old-fashioned collateral?

Trade Shows Are Still Highly Effective

Despite the ease of cyberspace to connect with potential customers, face-to-face interactions are still the most effective ways of transacting sales for most businesses.  Why?  We’re social beings.  While it’s possible to develop relationships behind a computer screen, the real chemistry between people happens in person.  According to Skyline, 88 percent of trade show attendees believe conventions and trade shows are an important part of product sourcing and buying.  Some 91 percent said trade shows are the places where consumers can compare products and meet suppliers.  So whether your business is B2B or B2C, trade shows are a valuable source for making those important sales.

Traditional Trade Show Collateral

Most trade shows and conventions are heavily packed with resources and activities, coupled with a scheduled time line that makes it difficult for your potential customers to spend an exorbitant amount of time chatting about the ins and outs of your product features and benefits.  It’s certainly your goal to keep them there as long as possible, but as much as you’d like to keep them captivated, they’ve got a lot of exhibits to check out.  Attendees want to walk away with something; something tangible that they can peruse later on and if you don’t provide them with strategic collateral they can read at a later time, you’re product will not likely stay top of mind.

Your Trade Show Exhibit Should Be Simple

Despite your urge to tell potential customers everything you think they should know about your product, most simply want the shortened version of how your product differentiates from your competitors, how your product will make their lives better and how it will solve their problems.  Using the right collateral to attract attendees to your booth is key, but you also want your collateral to tie into your overall message and brand. Create collateral that supports your message, such as printing flyers and brochures on recycled paper, providing attendees with promotional items that correlate with your brand and pre-package the collateral in environmentally-friendly bags.  (As attendees walk around with your bags, they will serve as advertisements and bring more people to your exhibit to check out what you’re got.)

Connect the Online World With the Offline World

Some 85 percent of people will do some sort of online research about your product and/or business.  It’s the trust factor.  Thus, it’s important that you not only connect to consumers offline, but direct them to your information online.  If you’ve built your website correctly, there will be valuable information available to your potential customer that will shorten the buying decision.  Providing links to your social media and even adding QR Codes or Microsoft Tags to your printed pieces will help you to strategically target the information you want your customers to read.  You not only want to connect to potential customers during the trade show, but you want to remain connected to them long after it’s over.

 
To find out more about how you can create the most effective trade show printed pieces that will yield returns for your efforts, contact Greenway Print Solutions today.   We have over 30 years experience in the printing industry and can help you create pieces that work.