We’re no strangers to trade shows and exhibitions, from boat shows to outdoor shows, and from Travel markets to camping and caravanning showcases, we’ve clocked up may hours and recorded many steps working with our fabulous clients to maximise their presence at trade shows.
Trade shows are a great way to introduce and showcase a new product or service to your target audience, but no matter the industry the first and most crucial step to ensure success is to understand your goals.
First things first, what are your goals?
Think of these goals as your roadmap—they guide your strategy, keep your team aligned, and help measure your achievements. Whether you aim to generate buzz, gather leads, or secure media coverage, defining clear, actionable objectives will help you stay focused and make the most of your trade show presence. Without goals, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle, but with them, you can navigate the event with purpose and precision.
Achieving the most from exhibiting at a trade show and unveiling a product launch starts way before the show!
- Spend time dedicated to outreach prior to the exhibition, inviting people to go along and check out your new product. Organising press meetings with journalists will help build up a conversation about your product and your brand. Offer discount codes or free goody bags to visitors to your stand at the show to help incentivise people to try your new product!
- Have your press pack ready, including the launch news release, product fact sheets and company information to put in the press room and hand out as and when needed on your stand. You should also ensure your news is available online and shared on your social channels throughout the show. Be sure to tag your online content using the show’s hashtag to help it get found!
- Hand out samples. This is a great way to get conversations about your product started plus contacts and press got a real taste for your brand…
Be active online before, during and after the show
- Before the show, use social media and other outlets to engage with your audience, creating excitement around your new product. Read our blog on how to maximise the power of social media for exhibitions.
- Have a countdown to your new product release – keep people intrigued by giving out fun and interesting hints in the lead up.
- Invite customers and press to the stand to ask questions and find out more about your new product for themselves.
- Collect great content during the show to be posted both at the time and afterwards, this can help to keep the conversation about your new product alive and ongoing.
The stand
- Make your stand eye-catching and interesting, this will help engage people as they pass by making it more likely for them to stop and take a closer look at your product. If you can make it interactive, even better! Perhaps run a challenge with a leader board – a crowd attracts a crowd!
- Have relevant and useful branded items at your stand e.g. mugs, pens, notepads or go for something a little bit different. When people visit, hand out these ‘goodies’, that way your brand will remain at the forefront of people’s minds even after the show and the samples have gone!
- Have a lucky dip at the stand – this can work particularly well with product launches. Aim to make the stand as exciting as possible, creating a buzz around your brand and your new product… get your brand noticed!
After the show, touch base with journalists, influencers and other individuals who showed an interest in your product to follow up with any questions and maximise the buzz around your product post event.
It’s also crucial to remember to keep a personal approach. Although everything should be planned down to the finest detail, the day shouldn’t seem rigid. With the right mix of hard work, a personal touch and a great product, there’s nothing stopping you achieving great success for your product at trade shows!
For further reading, you may like to download our Checklist for a Successful Product Launch to help you understand everything you need to know about launching your new product! Or, you can also check out Episode 13 of our podcast, Revitalise & Grow, for even more on how to maximise product launches!
If you’re exhibiting at a show or have a new product launching and need some extra support to ensure you are maximising all opportunities available, click the link below to get in touch:
