Joining an exhibition, trade show, or convention for the first time is a monumental period in many people and companies’ lives. Often, it marks your official entrance into the industry of your products and services. These events attract a cluster of businesses and interested individuals, making them great for building connections, generating interested leads, recruitment, and finding business partners.
However, setting up a booth at your first exhibition can be tough. After all, there are plenty of things that you might not realize what you need. From setting up an exhibition display to remembering to bring sticky tacks and extension wires, here are some essentials for exhibition first-timers.
Exhibition Display
Depending on the size, scale, and popularity of the event that you will be attending, it can be a challenge to leave your mark in a sea of competition. Your identity is highly dependent on first impressions, as there are often too many booths to go through for guests to enjoy each one. As 81% of trade show attendees have buying power, you can significantly benefit from capitalizing on that opportunity. Therefore, it is pertinent for you to set up an eye-catching exhibition display that will net you as much foot traffic as possible.
Choose a fabricating company who can create a custom display that suits your needs. Regardless of the industry of your products and services and the scale that you require, everything should be possible with the right amount of time and creative strategy. A display fabrication company will guide you through the entire process, from hand sketching to 3D rendering and actual production.
Workforce
Getting as many hands-on-deck is incredibly helpful in trade shows and other events, especially if it is your first time attending. However, too many people can overcrowd your booth, so ensure that everyone who will be working has a specific role assigned to them. With the right amount of people, you will have enough hands to install the exhibition display on-site. Although it is easy to install, it can be a little daunting when you are unfamiliar with basic handiwork.
If you install an eye-catching and interactive display, then your booth will surely be busy, even on multiple-day events. In that case, extra pairs of hands will make it easier to accommodate guests. Additionally, it can be challenging to find time to take breaks, as you may lose opportunities from closing down your booth for a couple of hours a day. With enough people on board, you can go on a break rotation, which will help ease the workload.
Extras
A properly-installed booth and a reliable workforce will cover most of the work. Still, there are a few items that you might decide to forego because they do not seem useful. For instance, office supplies such as sticky tacks, paper, and pens might not seem important, but they will eventually come in handy. On your booth, it helps to display stationery such as brochures, flyers, and either a laptop or a notepad. These will allow attendees to fill in their details to win a prize or make a pre-order.
An underrated tip is to bring folding chairs. Some conventions might not allocate enough space for you to set them up, but if the one you are attending does, then, by all means, do not miss out on bringing some. Your feet will thank you for not having to stand all day. Additionally, bring a camera or a smartphone to document the event so that you can upload the photos on social media.
If your exhibit display requires electricity, then bring enough extension cords. Not all venues will provide each booth with enough sockets, so ensure that you are aligned with the organizers to prevent any problems from occurring.
Joining a trade show or convention can be daunting at first. But with the right preparation, you are set to have a great time meeting new people and prospective business partners while making a large volume of sales.