If you’ve ever attended a trade show, you likely understand the importance of getting a good booth location. The idea is that highly trafficked areas will bring more eyes to your company. But what if all the “good locations” are gone?

It happens. After all, everyone can’t get the great spots, right? As long as you plan and prepare, you can have a wildly successful trade show, no matter how poor your booth positioning may be.

Here are a few areas to focus on before setting up shop.

Reach Out to Prospects Before Trade Show

Let as many people as possible know that you will be participating in the trade show. Do this as far in advance as you possibly can. You can tap into several different resources to do this outreach, but first begin with your own resources, including your email list. Let all of your email subscribers know that you will be attending the trade show and mention your booth number in the email.

You may also have the option to pay for access to the email list of those attending the trade show. This is a golden opportunity to get acquainted with attendees before they arrive at the event. Give them an incentive to register on your company’s site before they get there. Have your website designer create a new landing page to collect attendee’s names, email addresses, and numbers before the show. This way, you could stay in touch via email or SMS text messaging, to keep attendees up to date with what’s going on at your booth.

Promote Your Booth Number on Social Media

Weave your booth number into your general trade show marketing efforts before and during the trade show. Build a hashtag around your booth that could be used to brand your company. Use the hashtag whenever you or your company’s social media manager engages with those who are participating in conversations about the trade show on social media. You can use the hashtag you create in publications related to the trade show, including the pamphlet, booklet, or information guide attendees typically receive at the beginning.

You can also use your hashtag on Twitter and other social media networks in concert with hashtags already associated with the trade show. Here’s an example that we can build on: “Bring inexpensive healthy dining options to your office, #EasyAsBooth123”, “ Visit #Booth123 at the #BestBusinessExpoTradeShow daily for a yummy treat ” Or “Visit #Booth123 at 1:23 p.m. for your chance to win $123”. Get as creative as you want to promote your booth.

Provide Unique Features and Entertainment at Your Booth

Aside from having snacks or the usual free pen or pad giveaway, you can offer something that provides a convenience. For example, consider building a place where people can hang a coat or leave a bag while they walk around the convention center. Or, instead of giving away one large prize to one lucky winner, you can give away smaller prizes daily or multiple times a day and make the prize giveaways interactive.

To drum up interest, try hosting a series of scheduled bingo games where the winner takes the prize. You can host once in the morning, once mid-day and once in the afternoon. You may want to consider offering free quotes or consultations with some kind of expert related to your business, like a doctor or a financial advisor.

Give People a Place to Rest

While trade shows can be fun, they’re notoriously tiring. Lots of walking for hours on end guarantees that people are exhausted during many points throughout the day. Why not let people know via signage, or telling people as soon as they enter the doors, that they are welcome to stop by your booth to recharge themselves? You can provide guests with several comfortable seats, cozy air mattresses, and inexpensive snacks (bottled water is a great thing to give away) that can be replenished throughout the day.

These are methods that don’t have to break the bank or take too much time, and they work. The point is to keep people engaged so they can have a good time. That’s something other attendees can’t help but take notice of, so don’t ever look at your booth location as a hindrance. Instead, look at it as a challenge and commit to making your booth a worthwhile experience for attendees.

If you are interested in Las Vegas trade show displays, exhibits, or booths; contact us today to see how we can help you!