A trade show is full of sensory overload.  And being a company that sells trade show displays we’d typically blog about well… trade show displays. But this post focuses upon a whole different take on a trade show.  Meet your 5 senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.  It’s called sensory branding.  According to Wikipedia “Sensory branding is a type of marketing that appeals to all the senses in relation to the brand. It uses the senses to relate with customers on an emotional level. Brands can forge emotional associations in the customers’ minds by appealing to their senses.”  

It’s pretty easy to say that sight would be the most important at a trade show but the other 4 senses contribute considerably to the overall value of attending or exhibiting at a trade show.   The ultimate secret to creating an experience around your trade show display is to integrate the full 5 senses, not just one or two.  Here’s how you can do just that.

• Sight: Let’s start with the most obvious of the senses.  As you would expect sight is the most important at a trade show.  The many colors, the lights, the people, the interactions, the constant need to read each booth as you pass by, products galore to look at, competitors, hundreds of individuals weaving in and out of traffic flow, and then commotion within your own booth space.  That’s a lot to take in – even for the most seasoned exhibitor.  That’s why it’s important to ensure your own booth space is clean, clear and concise with its message.  With so many other distractions it’s important to ensure your booth space focuses on directing and controlling where the potential customer is looking and for how long.  Oh and of course that your message and brand is understood immediately.
  
• Sound: A trade show floor is bustling with noises.  The overhead speaker, the hundreds of conversations being crossed over one another, booth spaces with videos, live presentations, and so on.  To get past all of that noise why not try and create an environment within your booth space that is inviting enough that attendees will want to stop and maybe even take a break from all of the commotion.  Couches, chairs or a quiet meeting area just might be the ticket. 
• Touch: Think about the last time you went to your local department store.  What sense did you use the most while you were there?  Touch.  You touched anything that caught your eye, anything that interested you, anything that sparked you to want, need and then ultimately buy.  Think about it: before you bought it; you touched it.  How does this relate to a trade show?  Simply remember to put your best foot forward and give customers the ability to touch, feel, and try out whatever it is you’re looking to sell.  And, if you don’t have a tangible product that you are selling then make sure you have enticing giveaways.  The giveaways can reel in potential customers in the same way an actual physical product can. 
• Smell: Believe it or not, the smell is considered to be a fast track to the part of your brain that controls both emotion and memory, two very prominent factors behind why we choose one brand over another.  If you can create your own smell within your booth space then do it.  You may think well I don’t sell candles or fragrances.  That’s okay.  What you can do instead is make sure you at least smell nice.  Sounds funny but who doesn’t sweat like crazy at a trade show.  So keep deodorant, hand lotion or even your favorite perfume handy. You also need to be enticing just as much as your product and booth space is. 
• Taste: This, of course, is the most important sense when you sell an edible product.  For example, let’s say you sell a Gluten free, Dairy free and Soy free cookie snack.  I know what you’re thinking. YUM!  Just having a trade show backwall describing your special yummy cookie isn’t going to get you more business that’s for sure.  Your product is free of a lot of components that are in most food today so to actually sell it your potential buyer they must taste it.  Looking at a pretty backdrop or packaging isn’t going to sell your cookie; it’s about actually tasting it.  Always, always have samples on hand.  That’s the magic touch to your booth space so make sure you have enough samples on hand to entice passersby to stop and want to taste but most importantly know your product exists and then to buy your product.  

At the end of the day if you can’t hit all of the 5 senses within your booth space it’s okay.  Just be aware of how they all do affect overall trade show floor experience.  Try to do what you can to keep the 5 senses in mind and focus on the ones that will best propel your brand and brand experience with your potential customers.

A workaholic can be defined as a person who compulsively works hard and long hours.  If you’ve ever prepared for, been in charge of, or walked the floors while at a trade show then it’s pretty obvious a workaholic is what you need to be when planning for a trade show.

Even though all of those long hours have been put into the preparation leading up to the trade show, you can’t forget there’s still the actual day or days of the event.  Now the fun truly begins when you need to turn from the educated trade show planner who knows what drayage is to booth space worker.  And so the workaholic in you continues with these simple tasks you can incorporate into your next trade show, conference or marketing event. 

Who should work your booth

You’ll want to choose the right people with the right knowledge.  For example, if you are recruiting for sales then make sure both HR and some sales staff are attending.  If you are pushing your wholesale line of products, then you’ll want the wholesale sales staff there and not the IT guy who knows nothing about sales or your wholesale product  lines.  

Once your staff is chosen, you’ll want to make sure they are prepared to actually work the tradeshow booth.  Buy an audio book to have the staff listen to or even just a simple YouTube video or two can go along way in refreshing the staff on how to look, act and feel the days during the show. A trade show ultimately might be about sales, but it’s also about building and retaining relationships.  So make sure they put the best attitude on!

Getting people into your booth

It’s really quite simple.  Be friendly, make eye contact and smile.  But more specifically ask people one of the following things:

(1) “What brings you to the show today?”  

(2) “We’ve got ‘X’ being raffled off today and just a business card will get you entered.  Would you like to join?”  

(3)  Have you… fill in the blank with what question is best to ask attendees to see if they qualify as your ‘hot target’ or not.  

Example: Our client, Custom Service Solutions, figured out through their past shows that asking the simple question, “Do you use compressed air at your shop?” quickly qualified attendees on whether or not their one-of-a-kind product MiJet would be useful or not.  Think about what hotpoint question you can ask to get more potential attendees to stay in your booth space!

up your swag game

Your staff’s most valuable job next to getting attendees in your booth space is giving away your branded promotional items.  And the easiest way to do this is to have your staff circulate through the show giving out swag.  Our best advice is to make your swag an easy to carry, memorable and so useful they will want to keep it and use it. Listen, everyone gives away pens – okay they are useful but definitely not memorable. How about something like silly putty in an egg that will surely put a smile on their faces or the faces of their kids. Definitely consider the cost though. If your swag is expensive like a stainless steel water bottle or a sampling of your own product, then save it for the ones who will truly gain from your giveaway.

Do have a raffle

Collecting business cards is crucial at a trade show.  After all, it’s your mailing list for follow-ups.  And the best way to collect business cards is to hold a raffle.  A great idea is to have raffle off an item or items that are the ‘it’ item of the month.  Something that is so super-cool everyone will want to stand in line just to put their card in your raffle bowl.  The busier your booth space is the more other attendees will want part of the action.  Of course, don’t forget the after show raffle work too.  Send out an email thanking them for participating and softly let them know they didn’t win, but invite them to join your mailing list or an upcoming webinar you’re hosting.  

Impress upon show etiquette

Do NOT ever sit in your booth space! Remember no one cares if your feet hurt or how tired you are.  Even if there is a chair in the booth, leave it empty.  Improving your trade show image is also important and standing up, looking ready for anything is one of them.  Plus, if you were not the one who planned this booth space, be respectful of the time and effort that went into it by not sitting.  The point of a trade show is the face-to-action so get out there in front of as many people as possible. Your company is paying hundreds to thousands or even tens of thousands for you to be there and a trade show is ultimately a short period of time.

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