Squeezing the most out of trade shows

Stephen Fenton, Head of Home & Interiors at Bluesoup, started this year walking the aisles of the largest trade shows in the sector.

At the January Furniture Show and Spring Fair, he saw first-hand the huge amount of investment that goes into delivering a perfect experience for visitors to the NEC.

Clearly, the exhibition basics need to be carefully prepared and firmly in place: the visual aspects, supporting imagery and exquisitely crafted identity graphics. Then there’s the physical construction and spatial considerations – giving people just the right level of room set vibe without making them feel trapped and claustrophobic.

During these busy shows it’s churlish to question the immediate value of exhibiting, but we continue to hear mutterings among exhibitors of “how can we improve ROI?” and “what can we do differently?”

Here are 5 takeaways to help avoid FOBA (fear of booking again):

1. To get the best from any show, engage with your target audience pre-event. You probably should do more than the odd email or social post to create a buzz; think of an incentive or activation that really excites and stimulates that ‘must see’ moment. January Furniture Show had one powerful mechanic, which involved visitors depositing a golden token on a stand for the chance to win a fantastic prize.

2. Shift from reliance on product photography and instead allow visitors a glimpse into your process and the story behind your brand, through curated imagery. Afterall, they’ll probably get to touch and test the products anyway!

3. Avoid the 'brochures on walls effect', where information and content overload kills any likelihood of your message landing. Leave the words for your literature and make that collateral highly targeted, time-sensitive and relevant to the show audience.

4. Post-event, share your message - but not just with those who attended. Offer a taste of the experience to all those prospects who didn’t make it, via virtual 360º stand tours, immersive videography and invitations to other touchpoints.

5. Call in the expert creative team at Bluesoup to elevate your stand from functional to theatre with a sculptural feature or kinetic installation.

Got a show on the horizon? Talk to Bluesoup about how to make your stand work harder - creatively and commercially - long after the doors close.