If you have been to a trade show, you will relate (maybe a little too much!) to these GIFs.
A trade show can bring your brand lots of attention, but it also causes a swirl of conflicting emotions and experiences. Will people like and respond to your booth and trade show products? Are pajama pants and slippers acceptable attire by the third day? Are your trade show products and booth as good as your neighbor’s? Here are just a few of the feelings most of us experience during a trade show event:
Anticipation: This is going to be amazing
The first time you walk on to the trade show floor or man your booth is full of possibilities. Will you make a splash with a fresh new audience, come home with more orders than ever before and a month’s worth of sales calls to make? Depending on your trade show display, that might be a possibility! Anything is possible that first morning; ride that high as long as you can, because things are about to get a little bumpy…
Anxiety: I hate my booth and everyone here
Everyone tells you to take a few laps around the trade show floor to get an idea of what your competitors are doing. And that is a great idea, until you stumble over your big name/big budget competition, with their sprawling booth complete with technology, custom graphics, an in-booth Starbucks and free pony rides for the kids. That is a slight exaggeration, but it is easy to be left feeling like the setup you worked so hard to create looks like a broom closet next to some of the trade show displays of headlining brands.
It is important to remember that people choose their supplier or vendor for a variety of reasons – some will fall for the slick booth, but others will appreciate your personal service and unique approach far more. Make your booth the best it can be and make sure it represents your brand’s unique selling proposition and let the big budget brands do their own thing.
My face hurts: 8 hours of nonstop smiling
You have to be cordial to those who enter your space, but after 8-12 hours on the trade show floor, your face could be frozen into a mask. If you feel like you can’t stop smiling or break out of customer service Barbie mode, it’s time to embrace your inner introvert and head back to your room.
My feet! My Aching Feet
Those shoes looked amazing in the store and you are rocking them on day one, but by day three, your feet could be a patchwork of Band-Aids and blisters. Aching feet are a part of the game for most of us, but packing a second, comfortable pair of shoes to slip on at times can help you make it through the grueling second and third days at the show.
Oh no! What have I done?
It is going to happen, no matter how much you practice and how many times you pitch your product, you are going to say something that makes you feel dumb, is slightly embarrassing or that makes you want to crawl under the nearest table or start walking back to Arkansas. When you are at a trade show, you are “on” from the moment you leave your room until you return. We have all done it, just do your best damage control and move on.
Happy with the Results
The important thing about your trade show display is having a presence, understanding that you are your own harshest critic and doing your part to make the best of the show experience. You’ll reap the rewards of attendance long after the memory of the day has faded in the form of leads, sales calls and eventually revenues.
With the right trade show products, your trade show display can be a success. For more tips and for the best trade show display, contact Arkansas Graphics at 877.918.4847. We will help you design everything from your booth to your promotional products.
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