Trade shows, conventions, and fairs are veritable zoos of presenters, vendors, information, and consumers, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. We’ve experienced this scenario too many times; we’re walking around the convention grounds, eyeing all the tents, stopping in when we see a sign that strikes our fancy. Then we come across the mystery tent. They don’t have a banner and they don’t have a sign. We have no idea what their purpose is. They may be selling something we love or offering a service we’d like to try; they may be passing around a petition that rings true with our beliefs. But we just can’t tell, so our tendency is to assume that they’re trying to sign us up for a pyramid scheme or sell us electronic encyclopedias, and we avoid eye contact and getting locked into a discussion at all costs. Better safe than sorry!
Unless you truly are trying to rope people into your pyramid scheme, ambiguity generally does not work in your favor when you’re presenting at a tradeshow. That’s why it’s a good idea to make crystal clear – and appealing – what it is that you are offering passersby. There are several items you can easily and quickly have printed up to give your stand or tent the pull it needs to make sales or sign on new clients at your next big event.
Fully-color vinyl banners are a basic necessity for any business that takes its show on the road. No, you can’t substitute by drawing a sign by hand, unless you are selling finger paints to four-year-olds. An advantage of printing up a custom banner is the versatility and longevity of the product. Eliteflyers.com prints custom banners on durable vinyl, so you can hang your banner on the wall outside your store, in your office, or out on the street near your facility (where legal) when you’re not putting it to use on the convention center floor. Eliteflyers.com offers a range of sizes for these banners, from 2’x6’ to a whopping 8’x10’. And the prices are extremely reasonable; for less than $200, you can get a no-fail means of branding your business wherever it is you may roam. We offer retractable banners with stands, as well – get one of each to maximize your visual appeal.
Many convention centers, fairs, and tradeshows offer makeshift cafes where guests can refuel after a hard day of shopping and bopping from booth to booth. These cafes make perfect spots to strategically place table tents or other marketing paraphernalia for your brand’s exhibit. EliteFlyers.com prints 4”x6” table tents in full color on durable cardstock. Use them to briefly describe the awesome advantages of your product or service, and just as importantly, to give them directions to where your booth is located. To get these table tents printed, you will of course need some advance knowledge of where your display will be, but most large events will have those sorts of things put in place well in advance. This is also a great tool if your brand not fork over top dollar to get center stage at the event; it will help interested people find you, regardless of your booth’s placement.
One of the best ways to make sure people stop by your booth is to give them something cool they can tote around with them at the event. Free stuff, almost regardless of what it is, is a powerful motivator for people to shake their tail feathers over to your table. It’s smart to give people larger items that prominently display your company name, so that onlookers will know where to go to get their free items as well. Some ideas include hand fans (great for hot summer days), drink coolies, sports bottles, golf balls, t-shirts, key chains with lights, pens, and magnets.
We mentioned custom printed t-shirts as giveaway items, but they can serve another important purpose as well; when your staff is all dressed in the same company-branded clothing, it gives your company an attractive air of professionalism. As another plus, you and your employees will be advertising for your booth even on your lunch breaks, or while checking out the competition. For maximum effect, design your shirts in a bold manner. That might mean printing them with a witty slogan that will prompt questions, or printing the company logo in large scale on the front or back of the tee.
Old school? Yes. Played out? Never. Balloons catch eyes, plain and simple. Custom printed balloons can be printed in an array of colors to match your company’s brand and image, and can be both tied to your display and given out to clients who want a little high-flying fun.
A little information presented with a bit of flash can go a long way in drawing people to your company’s tent at your next tradeshow, fair, or convention. Don’t be afraid to combine multiple collaterals to maximize the allure – there is no such thing as having too large a presence when your object is to increase your company’s reach.
About Jenny DixonJennifer has been apart of the EliteFlyers.com team for over 15 years. She brings a deep understanding of web marketing, thoughtful strategies, that she's able to design, manage, print, deliver multi-media campaigns to meet all client's goals. Her personal portfolio includes high-end design and printing of business cards, flyers, post cards for elite businesses and individuals from all over the world.
