Brands make huge investments when it comes to trade show appearances. In both time and budget, exhibitors and the brands they’re working for naturally want to make a return on that investment. Trade show mistakes can put your ROI at risk, but they’re easy to avoid with a little trade show savvy.
In some industries, trade show appearances are important for business growth, for networking with clients and potential partners, and for overall brand visibility. With a strategic approach that avoids the following common mistakes, brands can experience success on all three fronts.
1. Poor Pre-Show Planning
One of the most common mistakes made is poor pre-show planning, and this is most often a mistake made by newer brands or those attending their first trade show events in Las Vegas or anywhere in the world.
For example, a brand may go into a trade show without clear goals in mind. They believe they can set up a stellar exhibit, turn on the charm, and simply get results. But if you don’t have a goal, how will you measure the results of your efforts? Part of a brand’s pre-planning process should be setting clear goals and outlining what they can do to reach them.
Another common pre-planning mistake is failing to do research on attendees and demographics ahead of time. Your booth needs to attract the right audience and make an impact, and this cannot be done without first identifying your ideal customer. Demographics research should be one of your brand’s first pre-planning steps.
Lastly, brands may wait too long to book booth space or other necessary services. First pick is always the best pick, and trade show bookings should be made as soon as there is interest in attending a particular trade show event.
2. Ineffective Booth Design And Setup
Now that you know your ideal customer, your trade show booth design should draw them in and first impressions are key. Visual appeal using engaging elements like florals and live plants, creating an inviting and friendly atmosphere, and leveraging every possible branding opportunity ensures your booth design is representative of the type of success your brand wishes to have.
Trade show mistakes in booth design include excess clutter in your exhibit, an exhibit that’s difficult to move around in, or an exhibit with confusing branding that doesn’t allow your brand voice to really shine.
3. Weak Engagement Strategy
It’s not enough to simply “show up” at a trade show, brands have to engage to really make a lasting impression. Having untrained or disengaged staff is one of the trade show mistakes that can create a lasting negative impact. Not having key messaging or an ‘elevator pitch’ may make your brand “forgettable”.
Temp staffing with trained and experienced trade show professionals is a simple way to keep engagement strong and your brand personality communicated effectively.
4. Failing To Leverage Marketing And Promotion
Getting attendees excited to visit your trade show booth starts before the event doors open. Brands should leverage marketing and promotion to their advantage, drumming up excitement and making their attendance known. E-mail and social media marketing are highly effective tools in promoting a trade show appearance and getting word of your appearance out to the right audiences.
Leveraging marketing and promotion doesn’t stop once the trade show begins. Giveaways, digital sign-ups, and easy to use QR codes to share contact information help to capture leads, and all of these leads should be followed up with after the show to ensure these connections are retained.
5. Overlooking Event Services And Support
Event services and support can really benefit the experience attendees have at your exhibit, as well as extending the impact of your presence beyond the show. For instance, hiring an event photographer gives you professional-level marketing material you can use throughout the year. Making use of temporary staffing can ensure your engagement remains captivating and effective.
6. Budgeting Mistakes
Budgeting should be given considerable care when planning out a trade show appearance. Afterall, you’ll only have a return on investment if your investment is made wisely.
One of the biggest trade show mistakes made is spending big on unnecessary elements (like going too big on your booth size or failing to use budget savvy travel strategies) while skipping on those which have greater impact. Additionally, brands may also fail to factor in costs like shipping, drayage, or last-minute rentals before allocating budget elsewhere, leaving them in a stressful situation in the days leading up to the show.
Once the trade show is over, budgeting mistakes that may have been made can be simple to find by calculating the ROI on the trade show investments made.
7. Lack Of Post-Show Strategy
Post-show strategy is just as important as pre-show planning. Any leads made at the trade show should be followed-up with in a timely manner, ideally within the week following the trade show appearance. Some brands may also fail to analyze their trade show performance and use what they learn to improve further appearances in the future.
For marketing, failure to repurpose event content is leaving a wealth of opportunity on the table. With professional photography and videography services, you can use your trade show appearance to communicate your brand personality, voice, and excitement in emails, on social media, and in print throughout the year.
Avoiding Common Trade Show Mistakes Pays Off
Careful planning, warm engagement, savvy booth design, and effective follow-up is any brand’s key to a more successful trade show experience. Planning ahead ensures you’re prepared, wise investment maximizes your ROI, and making use of professional services ensures a better experience for attendees as well as a way to use your experience effectively in the future.
For trade shows in the Las Vegas, Nevada area, contact Expo Ease for the expert trade show support you need. Fill out the form below to get started.
