Attending a trade show is a great way to highlight your products or services to an audience who you already know is interested in learning what a company has to offer. While individuals are walking up and down the aisles perusing various vendors and companies, what will make them stop and spend time at your booth? Companies have used incentives, giveaways, and other methods in order to attract trade show traffic, but while pens, chargers, and other small items will eventually run out, break, or be lost – maybe it is time to consider focusing less on branded swag, and more on the actual experience someone will have at a booth. The experience and its lasting memory will go on much longer than the ink in a cheap branded pen ordered for a trade show. Focusing on the customer experience is a way to set yourself apart from the competition while placing your brand front and center for customer top-of-mind.
As an exhibitor, you have made a substantial investment in time, effort, and money to participate in the trade show. When you add up the cost of salaries, exhibit space, maintaining the display, travel, food, lodging and entertainment – it is important to capitalize on resources in order to connect with your trade show audience as much as possible.
Create A Brand Experience
Most people expect a similar scenario when attending a trade show. Walk past a booth, if it catches the eye, pause to look around, be approached by a brand rep, talk a little about products and services, grab some booth swag and move on. Now multiply this by dozens, as an attendee walks up and down the show floor for one or more days. Monotonous, no?
Imagine offering the weary trade show traveler with a hot, delicious cup of espresso. Not only will the gesture go beyond the typical “Hello, Welcome to our Booth…” – it will bring the individual into your booth and open up the opportunity for casual conversation. It is then you can show the customer other elements (visuals, videos, demos or products, etc) that are in your booth and hopefully create a business link for both parties. Remember: trade show attendees will be more inclined to remember the experience they had at the booth rather than a quick conversation accompanied with a branded pen or cell phone holder.
Cultivate Conversation
Trade shows are about face-to-face interaction and networking. It is enticing to a passerby to see other attendees and colleagues engaged in conversation in a booth. Now consider this: is it not uncommon to see conversations bloom in a coffee shop as well? Why not marry both concepts in order to achieve similar results and optimal traffic? A big goal of a trade show is to converse and cultivate an on-going discussion with existing and prospective customers, as well as industry experts. If offering a coffee break to your audience helps them pause for five minutes, it gives you the opportunity to create a laid back atmosphere that will attract others to participate in the conversation. The best part? They’ll be holding a cup in their hand with your brand logo as they find themselves enjoying their beverage and a moment of relaxation during their trade show journies.
Be The Port in the Storm for Trade Show Traffic
Something to consider in addition to adding an espresso service to your trade show list is bringing in a couple of charger ports for individuals to refresh their smartphones or tablets. Wi-fi at trade shows is often times spotty and unreliable, which drains someone’s batteries quite quickly. Having a high top table with a power strip and charger options will provide an added service to your booth, and also gives trade show traffic another incentive to stop and sip more slowly, increasing the chances at meaningful business conversation.
Learn more about Trade Show Espresso Bars from Cupa Cabana.
