How to Increase Traffic & Engagement at Trade Shows
Innovative Marketing & Design is your market leader in creative and clever promotional products to tell your story. We understand sometimes you need a little help in the creative and artwork space! We are bringing you tips and tricks to help keep your marketing rolling along... we received this question earlier in the week:
"What tips do you have for increasing traffic and engagement at our trade shows in 2024?"
Great question! While the appearance of your booth is important for promoting your brand, research shows that having activities in your booth will not only attract new visitors, but increase the time they spend in your exhibit and multiply opportunities to establish qualified leads. Gamification provides a perfect opportunity to do just that.
- Gamification /ˌɡāməfəˈkāSH(ə)n/ noun - the application of typical elements of game playing (e.g. point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service.
Here are some tips for helping you incorporate "gamification" in your booth:
Pick a game that takes time. While a raffle or "spin-the-wheel" game might draw a visitor briefly, a game with multiple turns will keep your potential customer at your booth longer, and increase the opportunity you have to turn them from a visitor into a qualified lead.
Have a visible leader board. Leader boards create competition, which automatically translates into a greater level of engagement. They also provide an easy opportunity to collect lead data for entry from visitors who might have otherwise neglected to check in at your booth. An additional perk of a leader board is that people are more likely to come back by the booth to check their position in the standings as the exhibition progresses, allowing you to expand on previous conversations and really get a chance to know what will hopefully be a new customer.
Have fun and create excitement. People are more likely to remember interactions where they were laughing and having a good time. People may just attend trade shows for business, but letting loose for a few moments could be the memorable experience that brings new business to your doorstep.
According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, spending just 5% to 10% more on a good trade show promotional activity can increase your sales from your trade show leads by 50% to 100%! Jeopardy style trivia, cornhole, Plinko, wall Scrabble and virtual reality games are just a few examples of interactive challenges that will provide an exciting atmosphere where your new customers want to spend some time. So get creative with your trade show activities and have some fun!