The title of this post is a little cheeky but let’s face it, there are plenty of ways to get noticed at a tradeshow if you don’t care about your reputation. But for those who want to be noticed and win over some prospective customers, leave the public spectacles to the other guy.

It’s all About Branding

You want to get noticed but you have to work within your budget.

The easiest, and least expensive way, to make a big impression is through bold and consistent branding. Everything should match and tie together like how the individual bricks make up a larger walkway. The bricks are your promotional pieces and the walkway is your larger corporate brand. And, ideally that branded walkway leads to a sale.

Branding’s Not What You Thought

Branding is more than just slapping your logo on something. Branding is your promise to your customer. It communicates your message and how you see yourself. It is the platform from which potential customers ask themselves, is this company’s product or service for me.

Ideally your branding should reflect your ideal customer and turn off someone who’s not a good fit. A luxury item brand looks very different from a cheap one. Brands help customers self-select, which saves your salespeople time and energy.

All items associated with a tradeshow must be identically branded – that means look, tone, and message. This includes your promotional items, marketing collaterals, tradeshow banners, even what your salespeople are wearing. Cohesive branding provides a greater impact.

People Matter

Selecting the right crew for a tradeshow is important as they are a reflection of your company and the only one some prospects will get. Base the number you bring on the number of attendees expected. Don’t bring 5 people to an event of 150 unless you think everyone will be knocking down your door. Be realistic about your prospects and you’ll be more effective.

Bring employees who are friendly and enjoy talking to people, not carnival callers. They should be well-versed in your company and products/services.

Select people who understand a sales funnel and know the difference between dealing with someone who’s never heard of you and someone who’s nearly ready to sign on the dotted line. Since it’s hard to remove salespeople from your business for the length of the tradeshow, bring a few but also bring greeters.

Greeters are people who draw prospects into the booth and make conversation with them before introducing them to one of your sales people. Greeters can weed out those who just need a little information, or want your swag, from those who are seriously interested in you. Having greeters allows you to control traffic flow without wasting your top sales people’s time with attendees who just want the giveaway.

The beauty of tradeshows is that most companies aren’t very good at them. Their branding is inconsistent, their staff waits around for people to come to them, and their promotional materials aren’t part of a larger marketing plan.

If you’d like to know how you can win more customers at tradeshows contact ThinkQuik today.