Your To-Do List Before Attending a Trade Show

More than 40 trade shows will be held in New York in February 2019 alone. A trade show has the potential to be an extremely effective way of advertising for a small business, says Trade Show Display, a reputed services provider for trade shows in NYC.

However, a trade show display can also end up being a complete waste of time and money. The outcome depends on the amount of forethought that gone into preparing for the event. Here are some useful tips to achieve high return on investment from your trade show participation.

Be Clear About Your Goals

What do you want to achieve through your participation in the event? Do you want to create awareness about a new product? Do you expect to make contact with wholesalers? Is your entire focus going to be on creating a brand image? You need to ask yourself these questions because this will determine your trade show exhibits.

Conduct Thorough Research

Select the trade show that you think will give you the best exposure and therefore return on investment. For instance, if you’re aiming at selling products, you shouldn’t set up your booth at a big event that many of your competitors are also participating in.

Choose an event that will be attended by your target audience. For that, you’ll need to do proper research to understand the objectives of the event and evaluate the people attending it.

Find Out About Your Space

Make sure you are aware of all the important details about the space you will be allotted before booking a spot. You should know what kinds of displays will be surrounding your booth and about whether it’ll be a low traffic or high traffic area. Also, ensure that the physical conditions, such as lighting and acoustics, in the area are up to the mark. This can help you make the most of even your trade show backdrop.

Plan the Budget

Make a budget for your trade show display and stick to it. The amount of booth space that you can get will be determined by your budget. Although it is great to have an extravagant display, a small and simple booth can work just as well in making connections and turning visitors into customers. If you have a tight budget, securing your space well in advance might be a good idea, since many such events offer discounts on early bookings.

Advertise in Advance

Spread the word. Let people know about your participation in an upcoming trade show. You can do this by sending invitations for the event to customers and suppliers. Don’t forget to mention your booth number in the invite. Advertise about your participation on your website and social media channels as well.

Most importantly, make sure to give a lot of thought to your booth, such as whether you need a step and repeat banner or large tent at the event and hire the services of an experienced trade show display company, such as those in New York.