Creative Trade Show Booth Ideas for Exhibiting on a Budget
Whether you are running a small business or are part of a Fortune 500 company, you probably already know that participating at trade shows can have a positive and significant impact in your business. What’s really great about this particular marketing medium is that it gives small business a great platform to be at an equal playing field as their more established, larger competitors.
This is one of those rare instances when it’s really not about how much you can spend but rather about how well prepared you are. So it’s essential that you prepare your trade show booth for your targeted audience not based on how much you can spend but on how well you know your customers – implement a certain design based on insights you have about your targeted audience, not on what looks the most expensive.
Are your marketing efforts for a trade show booth on a budget? This is actually the case for most companies. The truth is that between budgeting the money for a hotel room, a plane ticket, your trade show booth fee, exhibit costs and travel expenses, the budget can seem even smaller. However, there are several cost-saving measures that you can take to ensure that you have a successful trade show exhibition even on a budget.
If you are looking to get your name out there through exhibiting on a budget, then here are a few creative trade show booth ideas that will allow you to make a great impact on your audience, without spending a fortune.
1. Promote your trade show booth
You’re on Facebook, right? So should your business be because you bet all your potential customers are already there. So there really is no reason for you not to use Social Media as a way to advertise your upcoming trade show exhibit.
Sites such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and LinkedIn allow you to announce when and where you will be exhibiting, and even allow you to find other professionals that will be attending the event.
Use all the features available! Make stories on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat and show your audience how you are preparing for the exhibition show, show them a sneak peak of your booth to get their interest and event show them where they can meet you. Don’t be afraid to overshare! Stories only last 24 hours so make sure you use them at full capacity.
Create posts and tell your brand story and why users should come and see your trade show booth. All this costs little to no money and will drive more traffic to your trade show booth.
Also, keep in mind that most shows offer free press release distribution or a free description on their website for exhibitors at the event. Why not take advantage of that? Provide relevant content and engaging pictures rather that letting them write whatever they want. You are that one that knows best how to speak to your audience. Do it!
Last but not least, don’t forget to include information about the expo, such as your booth number and location, as well as the time and date of the event with every post, article or press release.
2. The classic add-ons of a trade show exhibit
There are many exhibitors that choose to spend a lot of money on on designing, printing and handing out brochures and flyers at the trade show. While this may seem like an established and effective marketing tool, the reality is that most of these materials end up in the trash and not in the hands of a relevant and qualified lead.
So what can you do? One idea is to go digital. Ask your trade show booth visitors for their email addresses and offer to send them relevant product information after the event. This way, you will have a cost effective way to make sure they have ( and don’t easily lose) your information and also a great conversation starter for relevant leads after the trade show event is over. It’s a win-win!
Another important aspect to look at is giveaways. Small gifts and freebies are some of the most expensive add-ons for a trade show exhibit. However, we do know a trick to optimize these costs: keep your giveaways at the back of your trade show booth! This way, you can avoid handing them out to every person that just happens to walk by your booth and you can only give them to relevant and qualified leads. This way they are more of an investment and less of a costly marketing tool.
3. Save big on a smaller trade show booth!
As we said at the beginning, bigger and flashier is not always better! Keep in mind that in most cases, the biggest trade show booths are not necessarily the most effective ones or the ones that get the most attention but they do tend to be the ones that cost the most.
Smaller trade show booths are usually more affordable options if you are planning to exhibit on a budget. Note that if design effectively, smaller trade show booths could have attendees remembering you long after the show is over.
Another cost effective option for your trade show is to rent out a booth. With trade show display rentals you are able to use a creative and extravagant display at a fraction of what it would cost to purchase one. Sounds good, right? And there’s another benefit – you won’t have to worry (or pay for) a storage facility for the trade show booth since the company you rented it from will take care of storing it at their warehouse after the trade show is over
However, keep in mind that purchasing a trade show booth is a great investment long term if you will continue to participate at trade shows and exhibitions event. Think about your short term and long term plans so you can make a cost effective decision.
So as you can see, trade show exhibiting does not really have to be that expensive. While it is true that cost do tend to add up fairly quickly, participating at trade shows can be a crucial part of your business growth so there is no need to skip just because you have a limited budget. Make sure you follow these tips, keep a close eye on your expenses and you can definitely have a successful trade show and a solid return on you investment.
