The Power of Trade Shows – and the Power of a Creative Booth Draw

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There are many factors that contribute to a company’s continued success. But what about a company that is dipping its toes into the deep end of a new landscape vertical or taking on a new suite of products and services? 

Visibility is key, and brand education and awareness are pivotal to get in front of the right audience at the right time. This is where attending trade shows not only enters the picture but paints a picture of success. The driving force in successful client relations is the capability to help save the client from suffering any time, stress and budgetary concerns. Being able to do so authentically significantly increases when we are given the opportunity for face-to-face interactions. Trade shows offer that by connecting supply and demand together under one roof. Once the show begins, the rest is up to the company in how it chooses to position itself and leverage the time it has to connect with potential clients. 

I have attended enough trade shows in my professional career to understand the importance of maximizing every moment of your time on the exhibit floor. But there are SO many ways to increase your opportunity for authentic interactions with potential clients. The conference organizers via the association hosting the trade show offer valuable insight and can be called upon to relay additional meet-and-greet opportunities that aren’t on the exhibit floor. Off-site networking opportunities are endless, and if you’re part of the trade show (sponsors and attendees alike), you’ll be receiving (printed) direct mailers starting approximately three weeks prior to the conference itself. 

This leads me to the No. 1 way to leverage your communication opportunities and increase visibility for your company: a creative booth draw – it works! 

Chartwell Agency just returned from the annual Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD) Conference, the leading national tradeshow/conference for healthcare strategists.  We utilized the mailing list obtained through our exhibit sponsorship to leverage communication and visibility, as well as to entice each recipient (attendees of the show) to stop by and check out what Chartwell has to offer. 

We created an incredible booth draw – a prescription label lookalike with instructions that included marketing information that mimicked medical terminology. It served as an excellent hook that garnered us incredible interest and traffic to our booth. 

Seeking ideas on what shows you should attend and/or participate in and how to grab attention to gain the most ROI for your investment? Reach out to us today and we’ll share our recipe for success with you on all things marketing and communications related!