For many companies, exhibiting in industry trade shows is a necessity. After all, 81% of trade show attendees have buying authority; that means four out of five people walking the show floor are potential customers. As the trade show world has gotten more competitive and attention spans have grown shorter, companies are competing for visitors. And you don’t just want to attract potential customers to your amazing custom-designed booth; you want to keep them there! Here are some trade show trends for 2020 that can help you give visitors an experience they’ll remember.
Immersive & Experiential Displays
The very definition of immersion means the fact of becoming completely involved in or a part of something. These types of interactive exhibits invite the visitor into the story of your brand, whether through a physical, emotional, or personal connection. Here are some examples:
- Gamification. Using elements of a game like skill testing, point scoring, prizes, and good old fashioned competition is a great way to generate interest for your trade show booth. Add old fashioned carnival games or high-tech trivia to help sell your brand.
- Live presentations. Live presentations are much more engaging than one-one-one product demonstrations. Make them interactive by inviting the audience to share their own experiences with a product.
- Nostalgia. Does your brand have a unique history? Consider designing a booth that replicates an original storefront or other settings so visitors can feel like they’re living the evolution of your brand.
- Photo ops. For 2020 traditional photo booths can become interactive digital photo walls where attendees can capture their experience in your booth and share across social media platforms. It’s a great way to get the online advertisement during the show, but visitors will remember you after the show while they’re scrolling their photos.
Multisensory Displays
Multisensory booths go beyond the visual stimulation and also engage visitors through sounds and scents. To get people to connect with your brand, consider these marketing ideas:
- Scent marketing. According to Exhibitor, incorporating scents into your marketing plan at a trade show can make visitors feel more relaxed and keep them in your booth longer. For a scent to be effective, pick something that’s tied to your brand.
- Headphone stations. Trade shows are always bustling with music and loud noises. Adding headphone stations that either tell a brand story or just offer soothing music gives your booth visitors a way to tune out all the other distractions for a while.
- Kinetic lighting. The integration of creative lighting can have a big impact on drawing visitors into your booth. Motion and sound-responsive lighting make for an interactive experience that visitors will want to capture and share on social media.
Tech Integration
There may be no single trend that drives booth traffic and captures leads like tech integration. Each year the technological advances get better and better. Here are some ways you can effectively use tech to boost show traffic.
- Virtual/Augmented reality. Let visitors give themselves a virtual tour of your brand by using VR goggles, touchscreens, and video walls. You can create a virtual reality experience of your manufacturing process or showcase a customer’s unique experience.
- Voice tech. Use AI voice assistance to drive booth engagement and collect leads. Visitors can ask your voice assistant to sign them up for your email list or answer product questions.
- Apps. Show management generally has apps to help trade show participants and attendees find their way around the floor. But brands can take advantage of their own in booth app to help visitors navigate product information and booth workshops.
With the never-ending tools and technological capabilities that marketers have at their fingertips in 2022, your company can make a lasting impression on trade show visitors and a positive impact on your ROI.