Few industries were disrupted as severely by COVID-19 as trade shows and events. However, the U.S. trade show and event industry has made a remarkable comeback in a relatively short period of time. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), key trade show industry metrics such as net square feet (NSF) and exhibitor participation were only slightly below pre-pandemic levels at the end of 2024.
The recovery of trades show and events means there are a lot of exhibitors who must “dust off” their marketing assets to account for the latest trends in trade shows. This goes far beyond commissioning new trade show booth displays and SEG displays, ordering fresh trade show banners, or developing innovative tabletop display ideas. The blog that follows offers nine tips to help you determine what you will need, how to plan for, and how to get ready to market your brand at trade shows.
Trade shows are all about personal interactions with customers and stakeholders. For these conversations to be productive, you must make effective use of the exhibitor space allotted to you.
Here are three trade show display tips to consider when determining what you need to make a positive brand impression, as well as some suggestions for how to think about your trade show booths and supporting visual merchandising tools.
The whole point of attending a trade show is to invite current and prospective customers to interact with your brand in a more tangible, interpersonal way. Make sure you start with custom trade show displays that enable trade show attendees to identify your brand from across a crowded room and to have a quality interaction with you once they’ve entered your booth.
Here are some questions to consider when determining what you need for your company’s trade show booth displays.
Once you know the general trade show display design and size you require, think about the user ergonomics — both for the team who is working in the booth and the customers who will visit the booth.
The best trade show booths incorporate more than just trade show display walls customized with brand imagery and slogans. Work with your trade show display design partner to incorporate other graphics and fixtures.
Once you’ve landed on a trade show display design and know how it will function at a show, it’s time to start planning for the shows themselves. Here are three tips to ensure your trade show plan delivers the return on investment you’re looking for.
Few, if any, organizations have unlimited trade show marketing budgets. The travel and hotel costs for the trade show team alone represent a significant marketing expense.
It’s imperative that you think strategically when identifying your trade show opportunities for the coming year. Consider these factors carefully to deliver a positive return on investment.
Trade shows are a throwback to the days before websites, smart phones and social media. There is still no substitute for 1:1 human interaction and trade shows are your opportunity make a personal connection.
That’s why it’s so important to choose the members of your trade show team wisely. Skills that are invaluable in an office setting don’t always translate well to the trade show floor.
As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Prospective customers quickly lose confidence in a trade show exhibitor if they lack the information necessary to “sell” the product or service.
Don’t wait until the week before a trade show to see if you have the marketing materials you’ll need.
You’ve invested in the custom trade show displays, SEG displays, trade show banners and such that are needed to make a positive brand impression in a trade show environment. You’ve identified the trade shows that make the most sense for your brand. And, you’ve planned accordingly for staff members to “work” the booth.
As the next trade show draws near, there are still things you can do to prevent unwelcome surprises. Here are three final tips to ensure everything goes as planned and your brand shines through at the event.
Don’t procrastinate. As soon as you’ve finalized your trade show calendar for the coming year, communicate with your trade show team (or vendor partner) to schedule the shipment of your trade show booths and related materials to each destination. Retain shipping dates, addresses and confirmation numbers for later reference.
Similarly, if you’ve chosen to use portable trade show displays, make sure every member of the team knows who is responsible for checking the display materials as luggage and verify they have the physical ability to handle the shipping cases. Don’t run the risk of having a trade show team with no booth.
In advance of the trade show, re-communicate the shipment details and event logistics to all trade show team members. Be sure to include detailed booth assembly instructions (again) if your team members will be responsible for setup and teardown.
The single best thing you can do to ensure your trade show display graphics will be ready for the next show is to inspect them immediately after they’ve returned from the prior show. Check for damage that must be repaired and address it immediately. Trade show booths get hard use. Everything from coffee stains and torn fabric to lost fasteners and burned-out lightbulbs are quite common — and easily rectified.
Taylor is known throughout the industry for its custom signage solutions, including trade show booths and displays of every conceivable type.
Get ready for the resurgence of trade show and event marketing. Contact your Taylor representative to learn more about our custom trade show displays and related services.