Get Your Team Thinking Creatively for Future Trade Shows

Trade shows, whether virtual or in person, offer a wealth of opportunities for cost-effective sales and lead creation. To take advantage of these opportunities, your company must stand out from the crowd. If your team members are having trouble coming up with new trade show ideas for your next event, we have some advice on how to spark creativity in your team.

Change the scenery.

Encourage your staff to go to the library or a nearby coffee shop to work, visit a museum, or take a long stroll. A new location offers a sense of novelty and unpredictability, which aids focus and the ability to see things in new ways.

You can also mix up your “internal environment,” meaning it doesn’t have to be your physical surroundings that change to increase the team’s creativity. Read a book, play a strategy game, or talk about something you’re passionate about. To help team members jolt their brain into thinking creatively in their new setting, present a Memory Game, Plastic Paddle Ball Game or an Adult Coloring Book.

Offer creative encouragement.

There is such a thing as “analysis paralysis.” You lose your ability to act when you spend too much time thinking about a problem and learning more about it. Encourage your employees to quit thinking about how they’re going to creatively exhibit at the next promotional event. Instead, encourage everyone to intentionally shift their thoughts in a new direction every time this issue comes to mind.

It may sound contradictory but giving your brain a break from rehashing the same problem allows the creative juices to start flowing. Your team just might have a few “Eureka!” moments when they least expect it.

Focus on interaction.

Put yourself in the shoes of your viewers. Ask yourself, “How can I communicate with my audience more than I’ve ever done?” rather than “How can I build an exhibit that’s different from previous exhibits?” or “How can the display be engaging in and of itself?”

Try creating a looping light and sound show that will attract your audience’s attention. Alternatively, you may use interactive floors or walls. A touch-screen wall or flooring that “moves” as people walk across it might potentially be installed. Consider adding virtual reality for a complete immersion experience (VR).

Consider your options in layers.

Break free from the monotony of the same-old-same-old. Request that your team consider how they can develop several levels of experiences. Over 90% of those in attendance are looking for new and improved items. How can you show consumers what your items can achieve for them in various layers?

For instance, your exhibit could be divided into multiple “rooms,” each of which would focus on a different part of your product or service lines. One room may be set aside as a meeting space, where potential purchasers could meet with staff one-on-one in a quiet area to discuss questions. Multiple levels could also be used to “layer” your display. Is it possible to establish an upstairs using movable ramps or stairs?

Consider new ideas.

The possibilities for creativity are endless, and an exhibit can be innovative in ways that aren’t immediately tied to your business or products. Create a “downtime space” for attendees to unwind at your booth, for example. Comfortable chairs, phone charging stations, and complimentary snacks are all simple ways to differentiate yourself from other booths.

Encourage your employees to think imaginatively by having them jot down any ideas that have nothing to do with actually displaying your products. Provide a diary and a soft-touch metal pen so that employees may rapidly jot down thoughts.

bottom line.

Make it simple to think creatively. A unique show is one that sticks out, and it can help your company create more leads and sales. Use these suggestions to get your team’s creative juices flowing when they’ve run out of exhibit ideas and aren’t sure how to think imaginatively. Best of luck!