Winter and Spring are prime times for construction and home improvement trade shows. Whether you’re gearing up for your first in-person event or looking to revitalize your typical approach, we’re here to share the best industry tips on how to get the most out of trade show season.
Take Advantage of Early-Bird Registration
Many trade shows offer vendors the option of early-bird registration. When you register early, you may be able to book your booth at a discounted rate. More importantly, you’ll have the opportunity to select a strategic booth location.
In the trade show environment, you’ll go head-to-head with your top competitors. While booth design and product samples will make the biggest impression on attendees, securing a booth in a prime spot can maximize foot traffic. If you can’t grab a booth at the entrance, look for locations near event sponsors, demonstration stages, food vendors, or intersections.
Upgrade Your Branding
Trade shows are the perfect time to increase brand awareness and recognition. If you’re planning on rolling out a rebrand any time soon, try to do so before your next event. Using one logo or color scheme to market yourself at a trade show only to change your visuals shortly after is bound to create confusion and may even cost you some of those new leads.
Most contractors will notice an increase in social media engagement and website traffic after attending a trade show. Now is the time to audit your online presence and make any needed upgrades. Quality and consistency show professionalism, from your web design to your product photos and service descriptions.
Plan Around Measurable Goals
If your goal is to increase your email marketing list by 20%, you might choose to display your most popular products and bring along your customer service representative. If your goal is to double your appointments for the next month, you might display products with a trade show-exclusive discount and bring along your lead contractor.
When you’re creating a vision for your trade show booth and deciding which of your employees you’ll send to represent your business, it’s useful to use specific goals as your framework. By picking goals that are not only specific but measurable, you can also use each trade show you attend as an opportunity to learn from and improve your presentation and sales tactics.
Create Curated Displays
Trade show attendees value visual and tactile experiences that can’t be replicated digitally. Sample displays act like a guide, showing attendees how to interact with your products. Whether you want to show the same shingles in different shades or create a gradient of flooring options based on quality and price, thoughtful curation is key.
At Exalt Samples, we offer customizable, high-quality sample boards, waterfall stands, binders, and more. Not only can we bring your branding and vision to life, but we can share our expertise to help you make important decisions about your trade show displays and strategies.
With an emphasis in the building products industry, Exalt Samples provides hands-on marketing solutions to a wide range of customers here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and around the US.
