Sean University: Tricks of the Trade Show

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When you hear the word â??tradeâ?? with the word â??showâ?? it can mean several totally different things, depending on who says it. For example, if you see two clowns talking, and one says to the other, â??Trade shows?â?? it simply means that the clown is trying to get out of the show he was scheduled to do. Of course, on a deeper level, this can mean all sorts of things: he might be depressed; he might have performance anxiety; he might be suffering an allergic reaction to his face paint but feels too embarrassed to tell anyone, because after all, if that got out, it could compromise everything heâ??s worked for, everything heâ??s ever dreamed of! He canâ??t go back to his old life! BECAUSE HE HAS NO OLD LIFE TO GO BACK TO!

But, thatâ??s beside the point, because weâ??re not here to talk about clowns saying, â??Trade shows?â?? Weâ??re here to talk about business men saying â??trade shows,â?? as in one business man saying to another, â??Iâ??m taking my business to a few trade shows!â??

A trade show is a great way to get your company some exposure press-wise, and a great way to help your business avoid exposure sun-wise, because most trade shows take place in giant window-less boxes called convention centers.

But, you canâ??t just wander out onto a trade show floor and say, â??Look at me!â?? No, your business needs a booth, and beyond that it needs a strategy to get people to come to that booth. Luckily, thatâ??s exactly what we here at the Sean Adams University of Business Development Management Leadership can offer: strategies. Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind for your next trade show:

• Comfortable seats at your booth will entice people in to sit down at your booth. Comfortable seats that are really sticky will ensure they stay for your whole demonstration.

• Consider changing your companyâ??s name to something thatâ??ll grab peopleâ??s attention, something that will really draw in show-goers and make them ask you about your products. Maybe something like, â??Snack Bar.â??

• Remember: flashy, well-lit signage might catch the eye, but flashy, on-fire signage makes the news. Not to mention, losing everything in a booth fire will score your business some serious sympathy points!

• Prepare tote bags full of promotional material for passers-by. To unload them quickly, wonder aloud where you put your own identical tote bag with all those gold coins in it.

 

• Two words: herding dogs!

• But most importantly, make sure your booth is more appealing than your competitionâ??s. Do fun stuff at your booth, like hire a comic hypnotist to put on a show. Then have him hypnotize everyone to feel itchy and uncomfortable at all the other companiesâ?? booths.

This should have you well on your way to a successful trade show, but as always, I canâ??t cover everything. Let me know if you have any further questions in the comments, and Iâ??ll do my best to answer them!



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