by Inside The Chrysalis

Created on: April 23, 2009

Trade shows are a great way to connect with your end user. When I managed exhibits for a manufacturing company, we used the trade show venue to tell customers about exciting product news. The things that made the most eye-catching impact were neither expensive nor time consuming. After all the usual trade show features were accounted for, we came up with some simple ideas to generate more traffic.

Even if you are in a mostly male industry like I was, flowers are a great way to beautify your space. Flowers make your booth warm and inviting, and who doesn't want to be reminded of the comforts of home when traveling on business? These flowers don't have to be large and hotel-like, they can be subdued and used just as an accent, almost unnoticeable at first. Finding something at a local florist is a great way to be sensitive to the city you are in. If you have a trade show in Washington, tulips are the way to go. In Florida, orange blossoms arranged in a small vase will add a hint of citrus to your booth.

Another simple and inexpensive idea to create more booth appeal, is a large, glass bowl of candy. You'd be surprised how many people stop to sample some well-appointed chocolates, or hard candy. Again, finding a local vendor will connect with your current trade show market, who will appreciate your ability to learn more about their town.

Give-aways are another important part of the trade show venue. People love getting something for free, and if you can tie-in a website address, then it helps your business. Water bottles always go quickly, so have labels made with your web address and logo on them. This type of give-away is more useful then a piece of paper with a lot of jargon on it. I can remember being so overwhelmed with information, that once I got home from a trade show, I ended up throwing most of the gimmicks away. A simple logo and web address gives customers enough information to follow-up at a later time.

If your customer is serious, he will get the information he needs. Having an intelligent sales team is the most effective way to generate actual sales for your product. Having a professionally dressed team costs a little more, but these are the people who are connecting with revenue dollars. It pays to have them in eye-catching attire, and shows customers that they care about the product they are selling.

Nice uniforms, water bottles, candy and flowers, will create an eye-catching trade show booth without the expense. Just remember to do some research on local flair, and come with product knowledge. Before you know it, those trade show leads will turn into sales revenue.

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