Each year when I return from the Consumer Electronics Show, everyone asks me what was new and interesting. This is a loaded question, given the number of new product introductions by the 3,600+ exhibitors that are spread throughout more than 4 different facilities, covering 2.2 million square feet of exhibit space.
What do the smart exhibitors do to make sure that they’re remembered after the show? Below are five tips that exhibitors can use to create recall among show-goers.
- Pre-Show, Post-Show – I attend 30+ trade shows each year to stay up-to-date on market trends in our core markets: agriculture/horticulture, building products, healthcare and manufacturing. Very few exhibitors send out compelling information that would cause me to visit their booth. Likewise, very few send compelling post-show information. My definition of compelling means that I actually pay attention to the information and plan to make a special stop at their booth or recommend their product after the show. This is one reason why we spend lots of time working with our clients to create a unique selling proposition strategies, which include pre-show and post-show trade advertising, PR and social media.
- Photo Op – At a show like CES, millions of smart phone photos are taken and shared via social media. The most compelling photo ops are rarely ones that include celebs, models or professional athletes. Instead, we believe that the most compelling photo ops revolve around product demos. Often, we use our team of mechanical engineers to devise these types of demos. Case in point: showing the power of an electric leaf blower by using it to suspend a basketball in mid-air or shoot tennis balls at speeds of 90 mph.
- Booth Highlights Literature – Many people believe trade show literature distribution is passé and expensive. However, a single page about what’s in the booth, why it’s unique, and outlining key contacts is helpful and memorable. Attendees don’t need to spend time waiting for someone to ask what’s new. Instead, they can merely glance at a 5×7 sell sheet that is easily transportable. Better yet, include a link to all your contact and media materials on a business card sized promo piece.
- Business Cards – Many show-goers collect business cards as a way of remembering the companies they’ve visited. Few business cards that I pick up at CES list the product lines or product innovations being presented at the show. I’m loath to leave my business card in the proverbial booth fishbowl or have my badge scanned because I’m already on a plethora of list services, and the last thing I need is more spam. LinkedIn, Verizon and the show administration organizations all have apps to help attendees quickly and easily organize their trade show contacts.
- Booth Garb – Some companies often clothe their booth staff in attention-grabbing garb. Yes, I know this may seem like a gimmick; however, we’ve used it successfully to spotlight science- or engineering-based product features and benefits. At CES, one company that received several key innovation awards for its sound blocking sleep products had its booth staff dressed in sleepwear. Another company that manufactures award-winning technology for anglers had its staff dressed in fishing regalia. The funny thing is, both companies have been long-time exhibitors at CES. This is the first time I remember seeing either of the companies at the show.