Trade Show Display Pros

Trends in any industry can alter in the blink of an eye. Attending industry events and expos provides you the possibility to network with other specialists in your industry and find out about new services and techniques. Here is a set of the 10 very best, must-attend trade show events so that you can make additions to your calendar for 2018.

1. International Builder’s Show
Orlando, FL - January 9-11, 2018
This event is put on by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). It features all types of construction outfits, trade partners and design professionals. If you are in the home building or construction industry, this event will help you stay ahead of the competition in 2018.

2. CES Consumer Electronics Show
Las Vegas, NV - January 9-12, 2018
This event is not open to the public as it features the latest and greatest technology, most of which has not been released to the public. If your industry revolves around modern day technologies and efficiencies, you won’t want to miss exhibiting at this event.

3. DistribuTECH
San Antonio, TX - Jan 23-25, 2018
Looking to add new systems, automation or efficiencies to your operations. DistribuTECH is the industry leader in utility. If your business offers solutions for savings and efficiencies, this could be a great way to get the word out. Whether you’re an exhibitor or not at this show, there is surely something every business could benefit from by attending.

4. Natural Products Expo West
Anaheim, CA - Mar 7-11, 2018
This event is one of the world’s largest events that features organic and natural products. A great expo to consider featuring products at as well as a learning opportunity to see if your business can incorporate new materials for a more eco-friendly business operation.

5. Waste Expo
Las Vegas, NV - Apr 24-26, 2018
Featuring both the public and private sectors, this event can help your business lessen it’s carbon footprint and help offer new ideas for conservation. Whether you’re looking to save more money as a business or you want your customers to know that you’re doing your part, this is a show you won’t want to miss.

6. National Restaurant Show
Chicago, IL - May 22-24, 2018
The National Restaurant Show is always a fun one that happens in the heart of Chicago. If you are in the restaurant industry this show is sure to set the pace of your entire year. You will learn what the most recent technologies are in order to conduct your business more efficiently and increase your overall revenue.

7. Comic Con International
San Diego, CA - July 19-22, 2018
This is the largest event featuring comic books and popular arts! You may not be an exhibitor at this show, but there will be no shortage of fun and learning opportunities. Immerse yourself into one of the most creative events of the year.

8. International Manufacturing Technology Shows
Chicago, IL - Sept 10-15, 2018
If your business requires any type of manufacturing, the technology featured at this show is sure to have many opportunities in store for you.

9. Graph Expo
Chicago, IL - Sept 30- Oct 3, 2018
This is an event that nearly every business and industry can benefit from. If your business utilizes any type of print advertising, this is where you will find the most economical solutions for all of your printing, mailing, and formatting needs.

10. Pack Expo International
Chicago, IL - Oct 14-17, 2018
This event will cover all of your packaging needs. This show features over 2,000 exhibitors and showcases all of the latest packaging solutions and technologies that will benefit your business.

Things are quiet now, but it will not be long before trade show season is upon us once more! December is a superb time to finish preparing all the fine details of your event. In the end, a trade show presence isn't cheap, but a well-executed show can have remarkable returns on your investment.

Crowded show halls are par for the course, but trade show success is determined by setting your organization apart from the competition with an eye-catching booth and display.

Prior to the show, get in touch with your leads. Create a contact plan to let your leads know where and when they can visit your booth. Sign up for the LinkedIn group for your show, and connect to other participants there. Don't wait until the last minute to begin marketing!

Posting information and hooking up with possible leads will be the ultimate goal of any trade show, so ensure that your business credit cards, brochures, marketing collateral, and other displays are in great condition prior to going.

Following the trade show, your work has merely begun. Make a plan to nurture your new leads with email promotions, special deals, and personal follow-up once the show is over. Your fellow participants were surely overwhelmed by the amount of companies and serivces they came across, so take the time to point out to them who you are and just why they should use your products or services. Then repeat a couple weeks later.

Catching up with your public expo leads is an essential piece of the exhibition process. Regardless of whether you send an email, request to connect on LinkedIn, or request a followup phone call, you need to ensure your organization is top of mind. Follow-up as quickly as you can, ideally the following day. On the off chance that you anticipate sending an email or LinkedIn request, personalization is key; use their first name, and delight them with your excellent customer service and follow up.

Customized promo items, for example, tote sacks, pens, scratch pads, apparel, etc. are a sure fire way to stand out enough to be noticed, and also increase the likelihood of your business to remain on their brains long after the show is finished.

Do you need help planning and designing your booth? Trade Show Display Pros can help! See all of the trade show displays we have to offer to help you stick out from your competition. We can also help you choose products and materials that will best meet your needs. If you frequently exhibit at trade shows, be sure to invest in products and materials that are durable and lasting.

Whether you're looking for some trade show exhibit inspiration or you're looking for shows to exhibit at, here is your list of the 12 hottest trade shows coming up in the new year. Be sure to schedule your space or get tickets well in advance.

#1 NSSF Shot Show
17-20 Jan. | Shooting, Hunting, Outdoors | Sands Expo Center | Las Vegas, NV
This show is aimed to benefit the outdoor, hunting, shooting and law enforcement industries.

#2 Atlanta International Gift Home Furnishings Market
10-17 Jan. | Gifts & Handicrafts | AmericasMart | Atlanta, GA
Whether you're looking for gifts, décor, home furnishings or accessories, you will find over 7,200 brands at Atlanta's International Gift Home Furnishings Market. This will certainly be your ultimate shopping experience of 2017.

#3 International Salon & Spa Expo
28-30 Jan. | Cosmetics & Beauty Products | Long Beach Convention Center | Long Beach, CA
This exclusive, professionals-only show has all of the education and products you need to build your business and be on the cutting-edge of the new year's styles and trends. Don't miss the largest cash-and-carry beauty show on the West Coast.

#4 SPIE Photonics West
Jan 28 - Feb 2 | Optics & Photonics | Moscone Center | San Francisco, CA
Discover the latest technologies and developments in medicine, communications, internet, autonomous vehicles and much more. This event is the world's largest multidisciplinary event featuring photonics powered solutions.

#5 World of Concrete-USA
17-20 Jan. | Building & Construction | Las Vegas Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV
The international concrete and masonry show that provides you with all of the materials and know-how to win more business and to establish efficiencies in your workflow.

#6 International Surface Event
17-20 Jan. | Architecture & Design | Mandalay Bay Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV
The largest floor covering, stone and tile event in North America. A great show to attend to learn the latest trends and the best suppliers and manufacturers you should be dealing with to help streamline your efforts.

#7 Furniture, Home Decor & Gift Market
22-26 Jan. | Home Furnishings & Textiles | Las Vegas Market | Las Vegas, NV
This biannual event features designers and retailers that bring all of the newest and most comprehensive trends, materials, décor and home furnishings.

#8 AccessoriesTheShow
8-10 Jan. | Apparel & Clothing | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center | New York, NY
Be privy to the world's finest selection of juried accessories. Experience new and contemporary designers along with the classic high-end brands and their updates.

#9 New England International Auto Show
12-16 Jan. | Auto Show | Boston Convention & Exhibition Center | Boston, MA
Regardless of your lifestyle or budget, this auto show has a wide range of styles consisting of both foreign and domestic brands that can be appreciated by all. You can use this event to easily compare features and pricing in a no-pressure environment.

#10 Miami Beach Antique Show
Jan 28 - Feb 1 | Antiques & Philately | Miami Fair Expo Center | Miami, FL
Featuring the world's largest selection of antiques from a wide range of historical time periods. This show is known for setting the pace for the rest of the years in the world of antiques.

#11 Stylemax
22-24 Jan. | Apparel & Clothing | Merchandise Mart | Chicago, IL
Kicking off the new year with the season's latest and hottest fashions in women's apparel and accessories. Various categories and designers are featured at this show.

#12 Intermezzo Collections
8-10 Jan. | Apparel & Clothing | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center | New York, NY
Show featuring all of the latest styles in women's fashion from denim and activewear to contemporary and casual.

If you have already found and understand the benefit of attending a trade show, then it is safe to say that we are starting off on the right foot. While trade shows can be extremely beneficial and yield a high ROI, there are certain elements that significantly increase the success of a trade show event. One of the most important elements is a professional and well-designed trade show exhibit. Here are 5 reasons why your exhibit makes a difference.

Magnetize the Audience

Exhibits are the first touch point for a trade show audience. Having displays that look great will draw people in to talk to your booth staff. If your exhibit does a great job of communicating who you are and what you do, then you’re sure to bring in qualified leads and interested attendees.

Branding

One of the most important aspects of a trade show is leaving a lasting impression with your audience. Brand recognition and awareness should be one of your top priorities when exhibiting at a show. Having incredible displays will help tremendously to keep your brand top-of-mind during and after the show.

Maintaining Focus

If your exhibit is well-planned and designed then it should give your staff the opportunity to focus on interacting more efficiently with attendees. A great thing to keep in mind when designing your booth is using your displays to provide the answers to your most frequent questions. This will allow people to do some of their own investigating and allow the staff to address the more in-depth questions and facilitating sales.

Increase ROI

Most exhibitors allocate major portions of their budgets towards their trade show displays and booth space. This is essentially a requirement if you want to stand out above your competition. Showing up to a trade show event without sophisticated and well-designed displays will quickly land you in an uncomfortable position. Many, if not all of the booths surrounding you will come equipped with large, elegant displays and you will feel extremely out of place. Let’s face it, trade shows are for the big boys. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank to play with them.

Separate Yourself

The more you focus on the quality of your exhibit and how it is displayed, the more you will stand out from your competition. While most trade shows have a general theme, this ensures that you will have a lot of competition. That being said, one of your top priorities should be how you are going to stand out from everyone else at the event.

Consider what it is that you want to accomplish by the end of your event that will deem it successful. Next, determine what actions need to be taken and measures need to be in place for those successful metrics to occur. We’re willing to bet that 9 times out of 10, your results will be tied back to your displays and how effective they are.

Trade Show Display Pros is happy to help discuss your goals and budgets in order to create the most effective booth displays for your company. Be sure to give us a call today at 877-389-8645.

Whether you're a seasoned trade show exhibitor, or you're brand new to the scene, here are some great reminders to keep you at the top of your marketing and display game when show time arrives.

Be aware of what your competitors are using to display their brand. If you have never been an exhibitor before, it would be a good idea to attend a trade show with a marketing and display mindset in order to get ideas of how you want to stand out from your competition. This is also a great way to become familiar with all of the different types of displays including, pop up display tents, roll up banner stand, retractable banner stands, tension fabric displays, table top banner stands, hanging displays, and so much more.

Make the investment to ensure that the branding and design of your displays are simple, clear and aesthetically pleasing. Your design and message need to capture the attention of your audience in 3 seconds or less. Otherwise, they will move on to the next message that is more clear and enticing. Using one focal point graphic and one clear message is a great rule-of-thumb. Give them just enough information to leave them wanting more. Always be sure to keep your displays consistent with the brand and with each other. This will create a more cohesive and credible atmosphere.

Account for all of the different touch points and interactions that you will have with your audience at the show and make sure that your brand is displayed in each of those places. Whether it is a pop up display tent, a sign in table, floor graphics where they walk, directionals, whatever their eyes are going, make sure you're represented where it counts.

The majority of trade show attendees not only hold the power of purchasing decisions, but they also come to trade shows with the intention of buying something. That being said, make sure that you are displaying exactly what it is that you are selling.

Having hanging displays that are above the booths around you, tend to draw in more people. Be sure to choose displays that are going to compliment your sales process rather than be a distraction.

If you need help with deciding which displays to use in your space, give us a call and talk to a pro at Trade Show Display Pros 877-389-8645.

Knowing the elements of a trade show will help you prepare for an event. The infographic above explains the different elements of a trade show. While it is not an all inclusive list of all of the required elements, these are some of the most critical things to prepare for.

1. Sales Area
Having a designated area for talking to prospects will help you facilitate and maximize your sales at your show. Without this element, your booth has a greater potential to become cluttered and confusing and can end up driving traffic away from your booth. Perfecting this element will lend your space credibility and comfort for those that are passing through.

2. Freebies
This is an element that requires a great deal of thought. When there isn't enough thought put into this element, you run the risk of sending the wrong message about your brand. Make sure that what you are giving away is a true display of your brand's character and also creates value for your potential prospects.

3. Attention-Getters
Whether your booth has a guest speaker, visual components on a screen, technology to interact with, or any other form of being able to interact with your audience, having something to grab their attention will help your overall success. Every product and service is going to require a different approach to interact with customers and an understanding of that approach will help you appropriate plan for this element of your trade show display.

4. Great Speakers
Having a knowledgable booth staff that are able to comfortably converse with others is a necessity. The interaction between attendees and your booth staff will most certainly leave a lasting impression and having an outgoing staff will serve your business much better than having a staff that doesn't have incredible communication skills. Whether you hire a professional speaker that does a 15 minute demo every hour on the hour, or you simply have a handful of great staff members that represent your brand very well, make sure you have a strong representation at the show.

5. High Quality Displays
Your trade show display will have an incredible impact on the success of your show. Human nature draws us all to what is bright, aesthetically pleasing, and that shares a message that resonates with us. Investing in tension fabric displays, banner stands, pop up trade show displays or a plethora of other options, will dramatically improve the aesthetics of your space which naturally leads to more traffic. Choosing to use information on your displays that will allow you to reuse them is the most cost-effective way to go.

6. High Efficiency
Making sure that you have systems in place to help your booth run efficiently will benefit your sales, your presentation and overall success. While this seems like it could be a rather simple element, it is actually an element that requires a great deal of thought and planning. When you start to consider all processes involved in your display, you'll quickly understand how critical this planning is. Whether you are considering storage, data collection, marketing materials, business cards, or new leads, everything needs to have a protocol to follow to keep things moving smoothly.

7. Lead Generation
Collecting information from your new leads shares a huge role with the efficiency element. So much so, that it warrants it's own element. Make sure that you have a system in place to be able to capture your leads and their necessary information. Often times, this is one of the leading performance indicators of a trade show and you want to make sure you have something to show for it. In today's world of technology, having a computer or tablet handy to input information will help save you a lot of time once the event is over.

8. Demonstration
Humans have a natural need for understanding and if you can capture their attention with something that helps them understand your product or service, you'll be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. Demos often draw a lot of extra attention to their booth's, especially when they are hands-on. Put some thought into what you offer and come up with a clever visual representation of the value and benefit it provides.

Need help with planning your booth space? Trade Show Display Pros can help you design your displays and give you great ideas on how to enhance your space in order to improve your trade show success. Give us a call today 877-389-8645.

If there is one thing about trade shows that you want to be well-versed in, it is the trade show display shipping process. Making sure all of your exhibit materials get to the show in one piece and on time, is critical to the success of your show. If you have materials that require hiring a freight company to ship, there are several things you should be aware of well before the show. Keep these ideas in mind as you prepare for your upcoming events.

Don't fall for the exhibitor marketing tactics.

As an exhibitor, you will be subject to a plethora of marketing directed towards you in order to make your trade show experience more successful. Many trade shows will take exclusive distributors for certain services and freight companies will likely fall into the category. It is important to understand that the recommended freight company is not your only option. Be sure to still do your research and choose a company that will work well with your needs.

Be sure to carefully consider your timeline.

Having a clear calendar of your arrival, setup, take down and departure will help you manage your shipping timeline. Understand that the "expected" shipping date does not guarantee that your items will be in your booth on that date. If you have to do some adjusting to your schedule in order to ensure that your collateral arrives safely and on time, do so. This may require you to arrive earlier and leave the event later in order to ensure that all job are carried out.

Understand the process and all of its moving parts.

Having a clear understanding of the process is going to help you tremendously. If you are a new shipper, you probably don't realize how many moving parts and responsibilities are involved in the process. In order to plan more efficiently for your event, be sure to take note of what is required before, during and after the show in order to ensure a seamless process for all that are involved.

Always be aware.

If you are a experienced shipper, understand that processes change and making assumptions can add a great deal of unneeded stress. Consistent and thorough communication with your freight company will help all parties avoid mistakes and any miscommunication. Don’t fall into the traps that assumptions will often lead you into. Every show is different and will generally result in different requirements to fulfill your shipping needs.

Keep track of your paperwork.

We can't tell you how many replacement orders we process because people lost track of their displays and their paperwork at the show. Whether you are setting up or taking down, it is important to realize how many things are happening at once and how easily it is for items and communication to be lost. Be accountable for your displays and ensure they are taken care of properly. Taking the time to ensure that all of your belongings are accounted for and taken care of will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Be sure to do your research on reviews of trade show shipping and exhibition logistics companies before you send off your valuable and essential trade show displays. Running into shipping problems right before an event is the last thing you want to be dealing with.

When you are attending a trade show as an exhibitor, there are a lot of things you need that you might not have thought of. We have complied a list of essentials for you to gather and a to-do list before you go.

First up, stating the obvious, remember your banners, hardware and marketing signage. Odds are, you probably have some table covers, floor graphics, kiosks or other trade show graphics to help show off your products and services. A great way to make sure that you haven’t forgotten anything is to draw a bird’s-eye view of your booth space and get a sense for where everything will be placed. Having this will not only get you more familiar with your space, but you’ll also be able to check items off the list when you’re packing everything up.

While you are busy worrying about the big stuff you need to bring, don’t forget the little things that will be crucial to your success. Be sure to stock up on pens, business cards, note pads, sticky notes, paper clips, rubber bands, staples or any other office supplies that you know will come in handy while you’re at the show. Consider if you’ll be handing anything out and what you’ll need to make that process go smoothly. You might even consider literature racks if you have brochures and fliers that you’re handing out. This will make it so people can gather information about your business if you are already speaking with someone else.

Next, you’ll want to consider your setup. An actual tool kit with a screw driver, hammer, pliers, etc. will typically come in handy and always provide for a much more efficient setup. The last thing you are going to want to be doing while you’re setting up is running around trying to track down a tool. Some other great items to have on hand, just in case, include velcro, tape (preferably tape that matches your banner stands and setup), baby wipes, box cutters… you see where we are going with this. Try to think of what your setup will consist of and the tools and accessories you can bring to help aid your process.

If your trade show display has any type of electronics involved, make sure you have all of your adapters. If you have certain equipment that is essential for your display, it is never a bad idea to have a backup if possible. Having a monitor or speaker go out in the middle of a show could be catastrophic. Extra extension cords are also never a bad idea. Just remember to tape them to the floor so that people are not tripping over your cords or damaging your equipment.

It is always handy to have a list of local vendors that are close to the convention center or your hotel in case you have any last minute needs or emergencies. Small and large format printers are great contacts to have as well as any specialty items that you can think of. Doing your research prior to the show will help ease your stress if something unexpected comes up before or during the show.

Last, but not least, don’t forget to take care of yourself and the team. A first aid kit is always a great thing to have on hand in case someone ends up getting a headache, sore throat from talking or encounters and unforeseen injury during the show. Throat lozenges, bandaids, aspirin, ibuprofen, and eye drops are all worthy attributes to a trade show first aid kit. While considering the health and well-being of the booth staff, make sure that you are stocked up with plenty of easily accessible water and power bars. As the show goes on, you’ll most likely end up getting shorter and less breaks than you had anticipated. Be sure to stay hydrated and nourished!

If you’re questioning whether or not you should bring something, it is better to be safe than sorry. Being over-prepared is a good strategy when it comes to preparing your trade show tool kit. Remember to always refresh your tool kit after the show so that there isn’t anything missing the next time.

Everyone in the business world has their first trade show experience at some point or another. After your first show, there always seems to be the most takeaways that you know you'd incorporate or do differently the next time. Below are some tips to hopefully give you a head start before your first or next show.

Positioning

Odds are, when you booked your last trade show, you didn’t give as much thought to “where” your booth was, until you arrived at the show. Once you’re at the show, it seems to be a lot more obvious where all the traffic is drawn to and where you wish your booth was at. Try to remember where the booth was that had all the traffic at your last event; most likely it was in the main walkway. Just like selling products, positioning at a trade show has a huge impact on your overall success. Remember, the earlier you book your booth, the more spaces you’ll have to choose from, so get a head start and book sooner rather than later.

If you find yourself booking a space late in the game and you’re left with spaces that aren’t the most ideal, it’s not the end of the world. This is when it might be worth the extra investment to get directional pop up a-frame banners or floor graphics to point people in your direction. There’s always a place for display that will get people where you want them.

Display Quality

If your last trade show was your first trade show, you might have gotten shown up by the competition who weren’t experiencing their first rodeo. If you think back to the booths that had swarms of people around their booth at any given point in time, not only were they in the main walkway, but they probably had an irresistible display.

Focusing on a stellar display may seem like frivolous spending of your precious budget, but you have to keep the study of human psychology at the forefront of your decision making process. People are naturally drawn to things that look good. Don’t make the mistake of slacking on the overall presentation of your trade show booth. You’ll regret it when your competitors are driving all the traffic to their booths with their immaculate trade show displays.

Get Social

Not only is it important to be social and outgoing at the show to create new relationships, but being active on social media will help your success tremendously. Start by creating a campaign on the platforms that you have established the most. This will help you let people know about the upcoming show and help you drive more traffic. A great way to get people excited about visiting your exhibit is by sharing sneak peaks or possible prizes/deals you’ll be featuring at the show. Give your followers an additional incentive to share the information you’re posting, by offering additional prize entries, or something creative that doesn’t cost you extra.

A common mistake that exhibitors make, is getting carried away with the event and neglecting their social feeds during the show. If you need to hire an intern or someone to manage the engagement on your social media during the show, do it! Keep the excitement going and keep the feed updated throughout the event. Social campaigns during an event are a also a great way to gain new followers. Small giveaways for a “like” is a great strategy for this.

Share What’s New

Back to the human psychology, people love anything “New”. If you have products or services that haven’t been introduced to the public yet, share them at the show! Don’t worry; if you don’t have anything that is “new” remember that often times, when we work with certain products or services every single day, they don’t seem new to us, but to the rest of the world, it is new! That being said, don’t be afraid to tack on “New” to your displays that feature your products or services that aren’t widely recognized by the general public.

If you’re looking for ways to display what is new, tension fabric displays or banner walls are a great way to showcase your product or service in a big way. These eye-catching displays will surely bring in the inquiries. If you’re looking to provide additional information, a table top display is a great solution for more content to go into further explanation.

Be Nice

While making your booth visually appealing is important and helps to bring traffic, don’t forget to bring it back to the basics of customer service. While your Expand banner stands might get potential customers in the door, it will be your charisma and customer service that makes the impression that lasts. Make the impression a good one; remember to smile and concentrate on forming quality relationships.

Hold Your Horses

It’s no secret once you’ve worked a trade show; they’re exhausting! It is easy to get antsy about leaving and you’re going to want to pack up as soon as the show starts dying down so you can beat the traffic and be done. The truth is, you never know when you’re going meet the person you were hoping to meet the entire show. While there aren’t any guarantees, a good rule of thumb is to plan on sticking it out until the end. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met the most valuable contact of the entire show after the crowds died down. Good things come to those who wait and don’t pack up at the first sign of traffic slowing down.

Analyze the Show

You may have noticed at your first trade show, that you forgot to implement something to track how many people visited your booth, how much product you sold, or how many appointments you setup. Make sure you have things in place to be able to track your success. Everyone will measure their success differently based on their goals, so it is important to set your goals before the show and then implement a strategy to track it so you can do better at your next show.

If you need help with any of your trade show booth design or layout, let the Trade Show Display Pros help! Give us a call at 877-389-8645.

Trade shows can be a great investment and opportunity for branding and meeting qualified decision makers. Although the benefits of a trade show are easy to point out, there are undoubtedly a lot of costs that go into planning and executing a successful trade show. The costs of a trade show often scare businesses away from the opportunity, but there are a plethora of ways to save and still run an efficient and successful show.

Getting the Word Out

Advertising your event is an essential part of your trade show execution. You want to get the word out in order to drive as much traffic to your event as possible. Now, there are countless ways that you can advertise and they range tremendously in cost. If you're looking to save, one of the best options is to use social media and your existing networks.

If you have a following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any social media platform, those are all great channels to spread your message. You can either post for free or choose to allocate a small budget to reach an even larger audience outside of your followers.

If you have a database of email addresses, sending out an email newsletter is also a very affordable and effective way to get people's attention. Letting your contacts know about what they can expect at the show as far as offers, discounts or giveaways is a great way to increase attendance. Combining an email newsletter with social media by encouraging people to "share" for additional promotions could go a long way as well.

Another great way to get the word out is to take advantage of the complimentary mediums that the show is offering for the exhibitors. Often times they will offer exhibitors space on their website, magazines, press releases and more. The key is to stay informed and to take advantage of all the opportunities that are given to drive traffic to your booth.

Exhibit Materials

It's no secret that the best looking booths generally attract the most attention and therefore the most traffic. This is generally the portion of your budget that goes the quickest, but if you do your research, you can spruce up your booth for an affordable price and still look great. Tradeshow Display Pros offers the widest selection of displays from inexpensive to elaborate to fit any price range and display need.

It's important to consider materials like banner stands, table top displays, etc. as long-term investments. Keep in mind that you can reuse these materials at future shows or even as point of sale pieces. Try to leave out show/date specific content that will outdate the material for alternative uses.

Handouts and Brochures

Having marketing materials or brochures to hand out to trade show attendees can be one of the largest costs you encounter during a trade show and the majority of them will end up in the trash. A great way to save in this area is to take advantage of ever increasing and reliable technology and go paperless! Create a digital brochure and ask for people's email addresses. Not only are you getting them a copy of what they want, but you're also gaining valuable contact information which will allow you to follow up after the show.

Booth Staff

Securing a booth for the show can be quite expensive just in itself. That being said, you want to send the right team to make the event as successful as possible. Sending a low energy staff that sits in the corner of the booth the whole time will surely backfire and yield and unsuccessful event. On the other hand, if you're able to send an outgoing crew that understands the goals of the show and the long and short term benefits of the investment, your money will be well spent.

Observe the Competition and the Industry

Keep in mind that to stand out at a trade show, you really only need to look better than the other exhibitors. In some industries, having a custom table cover and banner stand would make you stand out among the competition, where others might require a much more elaborate display. Spending too little on your display can cost you traffic, but spending too much can be a waste of your budget that could have been used to help pay for the other collateral materials you’ll need at the show.

In summary, there are so many ways to save money when planning a trade show event. The key to all of it is getting a head start and doing all of your research. If you put off your planning until the last minute, you'll end up paying top dollar for everything and most likely end up being unprepared all together. Starting to plan your trade show 12 months prior to the event isn't unheard of and is generally the major key to success.