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Trade shows have long been a cornerstone of business networking and showcasing innovation. Over the years, these events have undergone a remarkable evolution, reflecting changes in technology, communication, and societal norms. In this journey through time, we explore the past, present, and future of trade shows and how they continue to shape the business landscape. Continue reading “The Evolution of Trade Shows: Past, Present, and Future”
Tag: tradeshows
Trade Show Restart in Full Effect
It has no doubt been a challenging time and your trade show schedule definitely took a hit. As the restart of trade shows finally inches it’s way back into our marketing routine, attracting crowds of attendees and exhibitors, we can’t help but see the light at the end of the tunnel.
For example, The Utility Expo held in September 2021 turned out to be the largest in the show’s history, attracting 900+ exhibitors and 16K+ attendees, all spread out over the large Kentucky Expo Center (32 acres to be exact). Continue reading “Trade Show Restart in Full Effect”
Don’t Cancel Your Marketing Goals Because Of A Cancelled Trade Show
Due to the recent pandemic, many companies have been forced to rethink or reinvent their marketing strategies moving forward. Scheduled trade shows have been cancelled or postponed to 2021, but don’t push your 2020 marketing goals to the wayside just yet. By pivoting your marketing goals now, this will allow you to stay on track rather than letting your efforts fall stagnant. Continue reading “Don’t Cancel Your Marketing Goals Because Of A Cancelled Trade Show”
Top Trade Shows Still Happening in 2020
Although it may seem like much of the country has cancelled or postponed 2020 trade shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still face-to-face events and conferences on schedule for the very near future. In a recent article on TSNN.com, Chris Collinson and Patrick Higgins of Connect, an Atlanta-based producer of live events, describes measures that will be implemented at their 2020 conferences, that can be adapted to any event.
“The entire industry is hurting, and we are looking for a win-win solution that will help grow our events while helping our partners when they need it most,” Collinson said.
They are implementing new safety measures launching the Safe + Clean Connect plan to help prevent the transmission of coronavirus as well as promote healthy best practices that planners can adopt at their events. These measures include temperature checks, mandatory masks for attendees and staff, hand sanitizer stations and larger aisles to effectively socially distance. Continue reading “Top Trade Shows Still Happening in 2020”
Here’s Why You’re Not Getting Enough Trade Show Booth Traffic
After months of planning, trade show day is finally here! You’re excited to meet and greet with attendees and hopefully capture a few more leads to boost sales. Yet here you are, standing in an empty trade show booth while attendees simply walk by without even a slight glance.
If you’ve ever been in that situation, chances are you wanted a magic wand to transport you somewhere else – somewhere far, far away. The expense of exhibiting at a trade show is enough to make you frustrated, adding in the lack of booth traffic is down right depressing.
Here are the 4 most common reasons why your booth traffic lacking and our best ways to turn that trickle of booth traffic into a flood.
Continue reading “Here’s Why You’re Not Getting Enough Trade Show Booth Traffic”
Trade Shows: Expectation vs. Reality
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve been to a trade show or consider them to be an important piece of your marketing puzzle.
Trade shows have been around for a long time – The Great Exhibition, held on May 1, 1851, to be exact. There is no doubt the main reason for a trade show is to provide value to both the attendees and the exhibitors involved. But have times changed? Has technology ruined the face-to-face value that trade shows provide to exhibitors and attendees?
Historically speaking, trade shows have always been a great way to enhance your marketing efforts and promote your brand, but have you ever found yourself asking the question:
Are trade shows even worth it these days?
7 Spot On Trade Show Marketing Myths
Myths are everywhere.
From mythical creatures like unicorns or mermaids, lightning never strikes in the same place twice, dogs’ mouths are cleaner than our mouths – but that’s not they type of myths were talking about. Today we’re debunking a few of the most common trade show marketing myths, with a few compelling stats to back them up. Brace yourself, because it’s about to get real.
What is a Trade Show?
A trade show is an event created with the intent to bring together members of a particular industry to share, demonstrate and discuss their latest products and services. Major trade shows usually take place in large convention centers in populated cities and typically last several days. Local business to business trade shows are smaller and might be held at a local arena or hotel to allow area businesses to establish connections with local prospects.
The main purpose of a trade show is to bring members
together of a similar trade or industry.
Some trade shows, which could also be referred to as a fair, trade exhibition, or expo, limit attendees and exhibitors to only those of the industry. For example, the Consumer Electronics Show, tries to limit attendees to professionals in the electronics and technology fields. However, America’s Largest RV Show restricts attendance to industry members for the first few of days but then opens its doors to the public for the remaining time.
What Happens at Trade Shows
Trade shows provide an exhibit space for your company to showcase your products or services. Once at the show, you’ll receive a schedule of the days happening, such as workshops or presentations featuring speakers knowledgeable in your industry. There are opportunities to interact with the media during networking events to promote your business online or on TV. Private or VIP exhibitor events are also held (for an additional fee) and awards presentations on the last day crowning “Best of Show”.
Exhibiting at trade shows provide a different setting to meet potential new customers, reinforce existing relationships with dealers and distributors. It’s essentially the ultimate in networking events.
Attending a trade show allows you to become familiar with the latest and greatest in your industry. It also gives you the opportunity to snag some good deals with special “show pricing” or educate yourself on the newest trends coming up.
Costs to Participate in a Trade Show
The cost to exhibit at or simply attend a trade show vary greatly, typical expenses include.
For Exhibitors
- Booth space rental fee
- Design and production of a professional trade show display
- Shipping costs
- Costs to unload booth and move onto show flow, called drayage
- Travel and accommodations for booth staff
- Marketing materials, handouts, giveaways, samples, promotional items
For Attendees
Attendees still have expenses, but they are a fraction of what it costs to exhibit. Attendee expenses would include an attendance fee to get in the show, along with any travel and accommodations for staff in attendance. This is a fraction of the cost to set up a booth at the show so often times smaller companies choose to simply attend the show and network.
Popular Trade Show Venues
America’s 5 Largest Convention Centers to Host Your Next Event
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- McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.
- Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL.
- Sands Expo and Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV.
- Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY.
- New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA
Find Trade Shows Now!
TOP 14 Notable Trade Shows happening this month:
Washington Auto Show
www.washingtonautoshow.com
APR 05 – APR 14, 2019
Washington, DC
Attendees: 950,000
Exhibitors: 125
National Association of Broadcasters – NAB Show
www.nabshow.com
APR 06 – APR 11, 2019
Las Vegas, NV
Attendees: 89,313
Exhibitors: 1,581
Craft Brewers & BrewExpo America®
www.craftbrewersconference.com
APR 08 – APR 11, 2019
Denver, CO
Attendees: 13,000
Exhibitors: 800
Fire Department Instructors Conference – FDIC
www.fdic.com/index.html
APR 08 – APR 13, 2019
Indianapolis, IN
Attendees: 28,061
Exhibitors: 821
Aviation Week MRO Americas
mroamericas.aviationweek.com/en/home.html
APR 09 – APR 11, 2019
Atlanta, GA
Attendees: 10,000
Exhibitors: 800
ISC West – Security Solutions
www.iscwest.com
APR 10 – APR12, 2019
Las Vegas, NV
Attendees: 36,771
Exhbitors: 1,009
Specialty Coffee Conference & Exhibition
www.coffeeexpo.org
APR 11 – APR 14, 2019
Boston, MA
Attendees: 8,025
Exhibitors: 425
American College of Physicians – Internal Medicine – ACP
www.annualmeeting.acponline.org
APR 11 – APR 13, 2019
Philadelphia, PA
Attendees: 10,000
Exhibitors: 325
National Science Teachers Association – Annual – NSTA
www.s6.goeshow.com/nsta/national/2019/index.cfm
APR 11 – APR 14, 2019
St. Louis, MO
Attendees: 14,000
Exhbitors: 500
Army Aviation Association of America – AAAA
www.quad-a.org/19Summit
APR 14 – APR 16, 2019
Nashville, TN
Attendees: 8,000
Exhibitors: 300
New York International Auto Show
www.autoshowny.com
APR 19 – APR 28, 2019
New York, NY
Attendees: 1,000,000
Exhibitors: 185
National Catholic Educational Association – NCEA
www.ncea.org/NCEA2019
APR 23 – APR 25, 2019
Chicago, IL
Attendees: 4,965
Exhibitors: 443
International Sign Expo – ISA
www.signexpo.org
APR 24 – APR 26, 2019
Las Vegas, NV
Attendees: 20,140
Exhibitors: 589
National Rifle Association – NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits
www.nraam.org
APR 26 – APR 28, 2019
Indianapolis, IN
Attendees: 87,154
Exhibitors: 838
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Our company is a family owned and operated company and as such, we have deep-seated family values and we focus on quality and on offering our clients a top choice of eye-catching and appealing tradeshow exhibits and displays. If you are interested in purchasing a portable pop up trade show display for your next trade show or event, contact us here!
Don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook to see more of our portable displays and banner stand options!
Fun, Fresh Ideas to Step Up Your Trade Show Game
Trade shows might be for business, but they don’t have to be all business. It’s time to up your trade show game to make your investment worth your time, increase return and finally get people to engage in your brand.
Most people describe a trade show like this: people wandering up and down aisles glancing at booths with no rhyme or reason as to exactly why they are even there. Some of them were told by their boss to go make an appearance at the trade show, while others went there on their own free will. No matter the reason they are there, you need to remind them why they went. There are tons of ideas out there to help you embrace new business and bring new excitement to your brand. Don’t get comfortable and continue doing the same old thing. It’s time to shake things up and take your trade show experience to the next level with these fun, fresh ideas.
Up Your Marketing Game
The right marketing before a trade show event has the ability to get people talking, sharing, and engaging. You can go all in or stick with a budget. And with the addition of social media, organizations large and small are finally embracing before the show marketing.
Create some hype before you arrive on the trade show floor by utilizing a partial reveal just to get people talking. For instance, include a statement in your marketing that mentions something huge will be revealed at the show but only to those who visit your booth. What’s the big surprise? Well thats is up to you. It could be:
- A big company announcement
- A new sponsor or collaboration reveal
- A prize for a contest winner
The whole point is to cause curiosity and draw attention to your booth at the show. The best thing that can happen to you at a trade show is a crowd!
Marketing Made Fun
Here’s where the fun comes in. It’s all about involving your attendees and making them want to participate in marketing your business. Here’s the trick though – it has to be easy! If it’s complicated, most people won’t engage. Try to stick to simple ideas that no one can say no to.
Humor: Create a “hidden” camera scenario where something unexpected happens and you record your attendees’ reactions to things. You could even stream their reactions in real time if you have the right type of audience.
Scrolling Message Board: Utilizing a large screen within your booth space or in the middle of the trade show floor, encourage attendees to post on social media about your company at the show, using a certain hashtag or emoji to get on the message board. You’ll be surprised how this will motivate people to do some silly things to get on that message board. All the while, they are promoting your brand or company with a simple post on Facebook or Twitter!
Interactive Walls: It could be as simple as creating one out of post-it notes, a whiteboard or chalkboard surface. Propose a question and ask people to respond or invite them to post their business card to show that they were there. When they show is over, you could post a photo to boast how successful your show was and ask if they can locate their contribution.
Mini Contests: Throughout the day, host quick contests to draw in with attendees walking by your booth. Make themes based on well known games, like would you rather or Simon says. Your prizes should be worth their time so you’ll not only draw in willing participants, but you’ll also create buzz and give people a reason to stop by your booth.
Photo Booth: Trust us, photo booths aren’t just for weddings! As each attendee walks onto your exhibit floor, give them a mask or a prop with your booth number written on the back telling them to visit your photo booth. They will be so intrigued, that they’ll have to stop by your booth for a photo. A little bit of fun not only entertains it serves as a great conversation starter as well.
Offer A Mid-Show Snack: Just as the mid-day slump rolls around, so will you offering up a mid-day goodie! Stroll the exhibit hall with an an ice cream cart or a popcorn cart. Just make sure your snack offering is portable and branded with your logo. That way you can serve a refreshing snack throughout the exhibition floor, with the intention of enticing people to visit your booth.
In Conclusion
One of the best ways to switch things up at your next trade show is to create an unexpected experience. The goal is to condition your audience to expect the unexpected. Surprises are some of the most memorable aspects of life so take advantage of this even at a trade show.
Trade shows can either be really fun and memorable or really boring and not worth your time. The decision is yours. But one thing we’ve learned from our previous trade show experience is this – we should all embrace the trade show with a smile and a laugh.
Trade Show Checklist – 26 Must Haves!
The day has finally come. You’ve been prepping for your trade show for what seems like an eternity. You arrive at the venue, start unpacking and BOOM. You realize you forgot something! Showing up unprepared has got to be the worst feeling especially when it comes to something you thought you were prepared for. Lucky for you we’ve enlisted the help of our fellow exhibitors to compile this handy trade show checklist.
DOWNLOAD NOW: Printable Trade Show Checklist
And trust us, we know it’s easy to forget the small things on your way out the door since your biggest concern should be your trade show display. Keep our simple trade show checklist handy for future use. It will be a lifesaver and you’ll make friends with everyone around you since you’ll be the prepared exhibitor!
Booth Items:
- Signage – If your trade show signage is separate from your display, don’t leave part of your company behind.
- Promotional Items – Brochures, postcards, flyers, handouts, samples etc.
Business Cards – Bring plenty to hand out to as many qualified leads as you can. More is better. - Business Card Holders – Simply because it looks much neater than a stack of cards thrown on the table.
- Giveaways – Make sure you choose something that makes sense or is relatable to your company, and just don’t give it away to anyone walking by – make sure they are worthy.
- Containers to hold your giveaways – Basket, candy dish, pen cup, etc.
- Bowl for collected business cards – Just an easy way to keep everyone’s information in one place to take back to the office for follow ups.
- Name Tags – Don’t rely on the event to give you a lanyard name tag. Everyone wants to know your name as well as what company you are with.
- Table Linens – Let’s be honest, those trade show venue tables can look pretty rough. And it’s a bonus if your table cover has your logo on it!
- Presentation/Video/Media – You worked hard on that video or powerpoint presentation, so don’t forget it.
Office Supplies:
- Pens/Pencils/Sharpies – Yes, you might be at a trade show where there’s an unlimited supply of pens from other exhibitors, but just bring your own.
- Scissors – It’s almost inevitable that something will need to be cut during set up or tear down.
- Notepads & Post Its – Good for taking notes or if someone else forgot their business card you can jot down their information for a follow-up.
- Rubber Bands/Paper Clips – Don’t lose all those business cards you just collected. Plus you can bend paper clips and use them for the most unconventional purposes.
- Stapler – The stapler can come in handy to tack all sorts of unsuspecting things together.
- Tape…all the tape! – Scotch, Duct, Masking, Packing, Double Sided – any kind of tape you can think of, you’ll need it.
Technology:
- Laptop/Monitor/TV/iPad – The bigger the better!
- Chargers – With constant use, devices are sure to run out of juice so make sure you pack all necessary chargers. And this includes your phone charger!
- Cords to Connect Computer to TV/Monitor – Nothing worse than the moment you realize you’re missing your HDMI cord because it’s at home in your living room.
- Extension Cords/Power Strip– Outlets are shared between exhibit booths and it always seems you need just one more outlet. Plus, in the event you want to place your TV or monitor in a location not so close to an outlet, you’ll at least have a backup plan.
Other Supplies:
- Safety Pins – Two words…wardrobe malfunction.
- Snacks – No one wants to feel “hangry” or “parched” during a trade show. Quick snacks will do the trick to take the edge off.
- Gum/Breath Mints – We would suggest skipping the onions or garlic for lunch and always good for after your coffee break.
- Hand Sanitizer – Think of the hundreds of hands you’ll shake. Enough said.
- Zip Ties – For all you OCD peeps out there, these help keep computer wires looking nice and tidy.
- Back up Shoes (if you’re wearing heels) – Comfortable shoes are so worth it, especially when the show is over and you have the dreaded job of packing up your trade show display.
- First-Aid Kit – Well, you don’t bleed all over your prospects.
