9 Crazy Trade Booth Mistakes and how to avoid them

Businesses can find new partners, clients and leads at trade shows. An issue is that trade shows are often incredibly crowded and busy. You need to stand out from the competition. Not making some common mistakes is a good start. Here are nine crazy trade booth mistakes and some ways to avoid them.

Jumbled and Unclear Graphics
“The first mistake is having jumbled or unclear graphics plastered all around your booth,” said Blazer Exhibits. These types of graphics are likely to leave attendees confused. It could even drive people away because no one knows what is happening at your booth. You must have clear, bold and informative graphics that capture the attention of anyone walking by in the trade show. This is the first step in gaining leads or new customers.

Too Little Space in the Booth
You want to be able to spend time with companies, representatives and vendors who come to your booth with some interest. You do not want to have to stand out in the aisle between lines of people all pushing to get through. This is what can happen if you have too little space in your booth. Always plan your booth so that there are open areas where people can stand, sit and gather. Bring visitors into your booth right away to make the conversation seem more personal.

Staying Inside the Booth
Around 28 million businesses are currently operating in the country. You want to capture as many companies interested in your products or services as possible. Standing idle inside your booth will not do this since many people will just walk right by or might never reach your location. You need to get out and onto the floor. Send employees into the crowds to pass out marketing materials, talk about your offerings or bring people back to the booth. This will increase the chances of meeting your trade show goals.

Not Announcing Your Booth Beforehand
If nobody knows that you will have a booth at a trade show, then you might not have many visitors. Do not make the mistake of forgetting to announce your booth beforehand. You want to send out invitations or marketing materials to your leads and potential clients. Let everyone you can know that your business will be at the trade show. You might even want to advertise on your website and other highly visible locations to capture the interest of prospective clients.

Insufficient Marketing Materials
A major mistake to avoid is bringing along an insufficient amount of marketing materials. Although you might think that you need only a small amount, always take more than what you estimate. You do not want to run out of brochures, giveaways or other important materials in the middle of a show. Pack as many boxes of marketing materials as you can just to be safe when going to a trade show.

Untrained Staff
A real problem in a trade show booth can be untrained staff. Untrained employees could end up telling people incorrect information or undermining your brand. You must take the time to train each person coming to represent your business at the trade show. Make sure everyone understands the brand message, the services or products offered and the overall objectives.

Lack of Objectives
Never arrive at a trade show without a clear list of objectives. A booth without objectives can seem muddled and confused. You should create a list of highly specific goals that you hope to achieve by the end of the show. Those goals will help to drive your marketing, presentations and sales pitches. Having clear and specific objectives can give your business and staff something to rally around at a trade show.

Not Adapting From One Day to the Next
You are going to learn things about your booth and marketing at the end of every day at a trade show. Ignoring what you learned is a mistake that can hurt your business. You must adapt from one day to the next. If your presentation, booth setup or graphics do not seem to be working, then change them to address the issues. Adapting quickly will help you to succeed at the show.

Uninspired Presentation
There are more than 10,000 trade shows in the country each year. Trade show attendees are going to walk away or ignore your booth if you have an uninspired presentation. Create a presentation that is memorable and fun while also being informative. An exciting and exhilarating presentation is likely to generate leads or new customers.