March 11th, 2011
The days of waiting for visitors to stop at your booth simply because you offer a quality product are slowly disappearing. Good products should be the source of interest for trade show attendees, but new technologies and entertainment approaches are stealing the spotlight. Now, you must offer an attention grabbing attraction if you want to be noticed on the convention center floor. Companies that incorporate entertainment into their marketing message are far more successful than companies who wait and hope for people to stop at their booth.
One of the most important things to remember when planning to attend a trade show is that you need to bring energy, fun and product education to your exhibit. The best way to achieve this is to invest in entertaining activities. There are hundreds of different forms of entertainment, including: bands, magicians, comedians, caricature artists, celebrity impersonators, hypnotists, clowns, mimes, trick shot pool artists, stilt walkers, jugglers, promotional robots, interactive virtual characters, virtual simulators, rock climing walls, putting games, pitching contests, prize wheels, slot machines, air blown money booths, popcorn machines, and other food items. Depending on what type of company you are with, you will need a certain type of entertainment to make a relevant impact on your visitors.
The best forms of entertainment integrate your sales message, logo, and contact information into the experience. This allows you to educate your potential customers about your products or services, while offering a fun experience they will remember. For example, professional magicians can integrate certain product qualities and information into their act. Caricature artists can include your company's contact information below their artwork. Most visitors will hold on to their caricature for a long time, reminding them about your company and providing information for easy contact. Furthermore, while visitors are being drawn, there is plenty of time for your sales team to describe the benefits that your products or services offer. Methods such as these are extremely effective at generating leads. However, always check references to make sure entertainers are professional, creative, and reliable. An amateur entertainer may be less costly, but could ruin your chances for success, so be careful who you hire.
Other forms of amusement that don't involve human entertainers are equally valuable. Virtual simulators allow visitors to experience your products, causing them to form an attachment. Games and virtual characters can teach customers about product benefits while creating an energized atmosphere. Such activities are not usually cheap, but could provide your company with hundreds of additional sales leads.
The hardest part of integrating entertainment into your exhibit is figuring out what type of amusement best serves your purpose and supports your marketing message. Entertainment can accomplish many different goals simultaneously. These include increasing visibility, strengthening brand recognition, educating customers, attracting attention, and creating an interesting atmosphere that will generate more leads. Take some time to plan out your approach because a random form of entertainment will not accomplish your specific marketing objectives.