A Distributor’s View Of Expo
Trade Show Ideas Designed To Get Attention
by Phil Peden, HALO Branded Solutions
We’re back from The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas, and with one million square feet of exhibitor space there was quite a bit to see and do. This year we picked up new promotional products, educational insights, observations of what happens at a show of this scale and how it relates to your customers, and tips for your company’s next show exhibit.
With a show of this size, there were many amazing, well-designed exhibits that got our attention and had extremely helpful, friendly staff. If we tried to list them all, this would be a never-ending article. So, the examples we have chosen are those that were doing something completely different from their neighbors, and the ideas could be scaled to fit any size show.
You have only a few seconds to engage show attendees before they pass you by and talk to your competition. Standing out in the crowd is key, and interesting graphics, text, lighting and textures can make a huge difference in getting those potential customers to stop and take a closer look. Here are a few examples of those exhibitors that made us take a second look.
1. Go up. We noticed this Prime Line display across the showroom floor.
2. Incorporate a cohesive design theme, like this exhibitor, Artifi Labs, right down to the ice cream sandwiches they were giving away.
3. Showcase color with your entire product display as in the Numo booth.
4. Unique lighting complemented the welcoming feel of the Origaudio booth.
5. Unique textures enhanced the brand image at the Visions/AwardCraft booth.
6. Attention-getting text on this Signs2Trade lobby sign required a second look.
7. Go down. These floor graphics invited you to follow them to Prime Line.
Invite Attendees To Stop
Now that you have their attention, it’s time to convince attendees to actually stop and interact with your staff. Games, mascots, photo-ops and interactive product spaces are good ways to give attendees just enough of a push to have a look around.
8. Live tweeting in the DistributorCentral booth got the crowd involved in the display.
9. No walls and multiple product interaction spaces of the Tomax booth provided easy navigation and a more comfortable setting.
10. The open retail space of the River’s End Trading Company booth encouraged us to browse products.
11. A living mannequin at the River’s End Trading Company booth showed off the product and got our attention.
12. This cut-out at the VP Brand booth got us to stop and snap a picture.
13. Oversized products in the Dacasso Limited booth made for fun photos.
14. An over-the-top display featuring the authentic 1966 Batmobile encouraged us to enter RMK Worldwide’s booth.
Engage With The Audience
Once attendees stop in your booth, it is time for your event staff to take action. A well-organized, easy-to-spot and educated staff can turn casual booth visitors into long-time customers. Be sure your space is adequately staffed. Getting attendees’ attention and causing them to stop doesn’t help if they don’t learn about your products or services.
15. Prime Line’s exhibit had plenty of easy-to-spot, coordinated right-down-to-the-shoes staff.
Philip Peden is a marketing specialist at HALO Branded Solutions by day and a self-proclaimed art nerd by night. He’s armed with 10 years of promotional experience, a mountain of marketing knowledge and award-winning design skills. You can find Peden and his fellow HALO contributors writing about promotional marketing, branding and strategies at www.halo.com/blog.
