Securing a spot and getting your marketing materials ready for a trade show is just one element of creating a successful exhibition. You’ll also need to attract the right kind of people to your stand in order to achieve your objectives.

You might think that finding people at a trade show will be simple but such events are often full of competitors eager to attract the same people too. There are some steps you can take to make sure your exhibition stand doesn’t just blend into the crowds.

1. Make your exhibition interactive – When you’re attending a trade show all the exhibitions can start to blend into one, make your spot stand out by making it interactive and fun. Rather than a typical giveaway you could create a game or run a contest, this way potential leads will need to engage with your team and you’ll have attendees queueing up to try something different.
2. Get the look right – Your brand message and what you want to achieve at the exhibition should be reflected clearly in your materials. Think of your stand as a shop window display and consider whether your exhibition stands, roller banners or pop up displays will entice the type of people you’re trying to attract, if the answer is no it might be time for a redesign.
3. Offer a wireless incentive – Trade shows can mean patchy coverage for mobile internet and offering free Wi-Fi can get people flocking to your stand to take advantage. While they’re in the area it gives you an opportunity to chat with attendees and potentially generate leads, you could even require users to give their email address in return for logging in.
4. Test out your stand beforehand – Before the trade show set up all your stands and try to view it as a potential customer would. Think about whether your brand messaging is clear, whether text is readable at a distance and up close and how people will move around your exhibition area and view your marketing materials. Try a few different layouts and see which looks the most attractive and works best.
5. Pick your team carefully – To get the right people flocking to your exhibition stand you need to have the right people at the event with you. You’ll want confident, enthusiastic and friendly individuals that have a good understanding of your objectives and how to spot and attract the people that are right for your business.
6. Run workshops or seminars – Those attending trade shows are often looking for new and innovative ways of working and you could fill that gap by running workshops or seminars from your area. Make sure you promote the designated times and have a catchy title that will excite and intrigue guests. Keep the workshops quick and to the point to avoid your audience becoming bored and wondering off. It also gives you a great way to start a conversation with guests by asking for their views on the topic.