Having a booth at an industry trade show is good but having the right trade show materials to help promote your brand can be the real key to success. The beauty of a trade show is that it puts your company front and center amidst large numbers of people visiting booths in between presentations.
With a captive audience, this is a prime opportunity to share products brilliantly showcasing your brand and/or logo. Even more exciting is that the more popular and user-friendly the product is, the better the chances of your brand and logo being seen wherever the recipient takes it. This type of organic marketing can be far reaching, and a professional printing company can help add your logo to a variety of promotional items.
Presentation of Trade Show Booths and Materials are Important
Before you can showcase your trade show materials that help promote your brand, it is first essential to create attractive visuals that will draw the attendees to your booth.
There are two types of displays that can really stand out and that experts typically recommend for this, including:
- Personalized Banners. When designed correctly, your company’s banner should help your booth stand out and provide brand recognition. In order to do this effectively, it needs to have top notch fonts, graphics, colors, and messaging that looks sharp from a distance and up close. It can also be a good idea to choose a banner with minimal sheen so that it does not reflect the overhead lights, making it harder to read.
- Personalized Tablecloths. Using a tablecloth that is screened or embroidered with your company logo can be a nice touch as once people get to the booth, they can simply look at the table to be reminded of the name of your company. Make sure the tablecloth is unwrinkled and smooth so that it looks professional. This is critical because it too is a direct reflection of your company and its attention to detail.
For both banners and tablecloths, make your company’s name clear and have it stand out. This not only draws people to the booth as they walk the room, but it also enables them to find the booth with the cool tumbler that everyone is talking about.
Once you have people swarming the booth, be sure you have plenty of trade show materials available to engage visitors and help promote your brand.
Popular Promotional Materials for Trade Shows
Although some say that no marketing is bad marketing, there are several items that are considered to be tried and true when it comes to trade shows. The key in selecting the perfect items for your company is to think about your target audience at these shows. Think about what they may be most interested in and are more likely to use as time goes on, as this will enforce your brand long after the trade show. Some of the most popular branded options include:
- Apparel (t-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, uniforms, jackets, etc.): A huge plus for this category is its versatility. Everyone wears clothes, which makes these products something the recipient will use. Choose the product or products you think your audience would most like to have and then be sure not to skimp on quality. A high-quality clothing item featuring your logo will be used more often, which can potentially increase your company’s marketing reach.
- Automotive accessories. People who commute to work typically spend hours each week sitting in traffic. If your trade show market fits this demographic, consider including key automotive accessories that recipients would be glad to have with them on the road. Some favorite suggestions from this category are keychains, flashlights, and small automotive tool kits.
- Even with modern conveniences, we tend to bring a lot with us wherever we go. Whether it is for the office, the weekend, the grocery store, or a road trip, Americans often use high-quality reusable bags to keep things together. Think about your recipients and if they would be more attracted to a backpack, computer bag, attaché case, briefcase, duffel bag, or sports bag and order some featuring your branding.
- Computer accessories. Trade show attendees like receiving computer accessories as they are likely something they will use on an almost daily basis. Some of the most popular accessories for trade shows include USB drives, device chargers and even mousepads.
- Executive gifts. For the consummate executive, a product with a little more polish might be in order. Consider offering a high-end writing pen with your company’s name engraved on it. If that doesn’t fit the bill, there are a variety of other options ranging from stress balls to fine journals and more.
- Whether wearing one on the job or just around town, hats embroidered with your company’s logo can be a great marketing tool. They key is to have well-made and stylish options. Choose from ballcaps, safety wear, beanies, visors and more.
- It is commonplace for companies today to require their employees to wear identification badges on lanyards. Why not make wearing lanyards more fun by providing some with your company’s name or logo on them?
- Whether it is for an early morning meeting or a late-night strategy session, or a simple weekend morning, coffee or tea mugs are a great option. Imagine your logo being the first thing someone sees in the morning, bringing your company back to the forefront of their mind.
- Sporting goods. Let’s be honest. Sometimes the biggest deals are closed on the golf course and not the boardroom. For this reason, golf items are often a big hit at trade shows. Whether your budget is small and you need to stick to golf balls and ball markers, or you have a larger budget for golf apparel and towels, a professional printing company can brand a variety of items for budgets of different sizes. If golfing doesn’t meet your audience’s needs, consider other outdoor and sporting items that can be branded, such as camping chairs, camping supplies, umbrellas, blankets, and insulated bags or coolers.
The key in making the trade show materials that help promote your brand be a hit with attendees is matching their interests with high quality and user-friendly items. And the more they use an item the more people will see it and your business will be promoted!
How to Effectively Give Away Trade Show Materials
When it comes to how to move trade show materials, one of the biggest determinants is your trade show budget. If you have a large budget, it can be a good idea to put together a swag bag of sorts or offer a wide variety of different types of products so visitors can choose which items they prefer.
For those with a more limited trade show budget, there are still alternatives. For example, consider gamifying trade show products with activities such as raffles or prize wheels. The flurry of activity from raffles and prize wheels may also draw additional people to your booth. Another idea for limited trade show budgets is to have people share their contact information or business card to receive a complimentary product with your business’ branding. This allows you to build your marketing database in addition to giving promotional materials away.
Using trade show materials to help promote your brand is a great place to start. Now that you know how to set up your booth to attract attention, what types of promotional materials you can choose from, and ways to share the promotional products, you are almost ready to hit the trade show floor. The last step is to find a printing company. For the best quality in branding your trade show materials, contact a respected commercial printing company and set up a consultation to make your next trade show a true success.
