Tips for Your First Trade Show

You’ve got your new small business up and running, and you’re gearing up for your very first trade show. It’s a really exciting time and the future is full of possibilities. Of course, you want to get everything right, and you’re looking forward to the experience and to the potential new business it will provide.

There are some missteps that people make their first time out, however, and the process can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared. Take the time to organize, though, and you can make the whole thing go much smoother and provide more productive results. Check out these trade show tips so that your very first experience will not only be fun and exciting, but also result in the most productive possible presence you can have.

Trade Show Tips

Most trade show tips for first-timers incorporate common sense, but they’re things that don’t occur to a surprising number of people. They encompass things like goal setting, research, budgeting, and having the right team in place. If you carefully plan your presence, you’ll find it goes over largely without a hitch!

Know What You Want to Accomplish

Have your goals in place before you ever go. What are you looking to accomplish? This will not only determine how you approach the show, but what show you want to attend. What does this show have to offer you? What are you looking to accomplish? Is it a general awareness of who you are, or are you launching a new product?

Know Your Budget

Stick to your budget. This cannot be stressed enough. Spending more than you have to spend will multiply your anxiety. If you have not budgeted before, you can look on websites such as kayescastleton.com for budgeting tips so you are not left in the dark. That doesn’t mean just knowing your limits, though. It also means not budgeting enough at the outset. Sure, most of the time a trade show is a tax write-off, but you’re still going to have to absorb a short-term hit in the meanwhile. Budget carefully. You’ll thank yourself later.

Have the Right Staff

It’s really easy just to carry along friends and family to a convention, but having the right staff in your booth is essential. You need people who are not only good at engaging others but who also enjoy doing it. Train and coach your staff how to stay on task and on message the whole time. Have experts available from all of your service areas. The more the staff knows your company and product, the better off you’ll be.

Assemble a Spectacular Booth

You’re going to be in a crowded room stuffed to the brim with your competitors. You need to stand out. This means having the absolute best display possible. The more creative and attractive you make your display, the more likely you’ll be to draw in visitors. Keep your design simple but supremely visible and readable, even at a distance.

If you’re looking for the best ideas and concepts for your vendor space at the next trade show you visit, contact an award-winning service for help and design. Xibit Solutions has been around for years, helping vendors all over the country with outstanding and stunning trade show presentations. Check out our services and give us a call for more information today!