Design a Booth Geared Toward Your Goal
- Udi Ledergor
- Feb 10, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 31
The Goal of Maximizing Lead Generation
To effectively design a booth for lead generation, please consider the following:
It is important to recognize that only a small segment of the show's attendees will be interested in your product or service. However, by distributing attractive giveaways, you can expand your contact list more efficiently. This list can then be nurtured until the contacts are ready to make a purchase. Over time, this strategy yields the best return on your show investment.
Provide small prizes to most or all attendees in exchange for their contact information (such as business cards or badge scans, where applicable).
If it is not feasible to provide giveaways to everyone, invite visitors to participate in a simple game of chance or skill to win a prize. Successful games we have employed include:
Dart throwing.
Throwing a sponge ball at a target.
Using a roulette wheel with various prizes.
Customizing actual Las Vegas slot machines to display your prizes.
Drawing prize tickets from a fishbowl.
Please ensure that the game is inclusive and accessible to a wide range of participants by avoiding games that:
Require specific skills, such as physical strength.
May cause embarrassment to participants (e.g., getting them wet or dirty).
Take more than a few seconds to complete.
Offer food or beverages to attract attendees, such as sandwiches, sodas, coffee, and cocktails. These should be non-alcoholic unless provided during an evening cocktail event. Coordinate with event organizers, as they may have exclusive agreements for distributing water bottles and other beverages. They might also have specific guidelines for serving food and drinks.
The Goal of Meetings with and Identifying Decision Makers
Over time, you may realize that you participate in the same trade show each year, gathering leads from similar companies consistently. To improve your experience at this point, consider developing a simple computer program to identify decision-makers visiting your booth in real-time. This enables you to engage them in conversation, making follow-ups via phone and email more efficient after the event.
As previously discussed regarding games and prizes, it is important to note that even the most dedicated professionals often welcome a respite from the intense conference environment. They would likely appreciate the opportunity to engage in a simple game of chance or skill for a chance to win a prize.
We designed a game for trade shows that has proven highly effective in identifying decision-makers at our booth:
Our engaging staff and signage promising prizes for all visitors successfully attracted attendees to our booth.
We set up as many computer or tablet stations as our booth could accommodate.
Upon reaching a station, visitors encountered a welcome screen requesting basic contact information to participate.
After entering their details, visitors viewed a video animation of a slot machine spinning for a few seconds.
Soon after, visitors were informed of their prize. Typically, we awarded remote-control helicopters as grand prizes and stuffed animals as consolation prizes.
This was the visitor experience. Behind the scenes, the following occurred:
Prior to the show, we pre-loaded the computer application with a list of regional accounts where we aimed to meet decision-makers.
When visitors entered their contact details, the computers cross-referenced the account name (e.g., American Airlines) and searched for a decision-maker job title (e.g., titles containing President, Director, or Manager).
If a match was found, the visitor won the grand prize. Otherwise, they received the consolation prize. Here’s where we added a unique feature:
To notify our booth staff of a decision-maker’s presence, we utilized a large-screen TV that typically displayed our product or company presentation. When a decision-maker entered their details and won the grand prize, the TV immediately displayed a congratulatory message accompanied by a loud, distinctive slot-machine sound to ensure our staff noticed.
To refine the strategy, we displayed the winning message on a blue background for existing opportunities, indicating a salesperson should approach, and on a green background for new leads, signaling a marketing person should engage.
We employed the same method to develop other computer games, such as a simple soccer game where visitors pressed the space bar to kick the ball. Interestingly, all decision-makers excelled and won the grand prize.
The Goal of Holding Pre-scheduled Meetings
For those planning to hold meetings with clients, prospects, and partners at our booth, it is recommended to establish a dedicated meeting area within the booth. An in-booth meeting area offers several advantages over renting an external meeting room:
Meetings can be scheduled at the booth, allowing you to continue your activities there right up to the meeting time and immediately after.
If your meeting counterpart does not arrive, you can remain engaged at the booth instead of waiting idly outside an unused meeting room elsewhere.
Incorporating a transparent wall in the meeting room can make your booth appear active during meetings, thereby attracting additional visitors.
You can customize your meeting room with your branding and equipment according to your preferences.
External meeting rooms are often located at a considerable distance, making it challenging to guide visitors there.
Start scheduling meetings about a week before the event, keeping in mind that many attendees prefer to have a flexible schedule during the show. Expect some absences and be ready to arrange impromptu meetings at the event.
Maintaining records of all your meetings is advantageous for tracking follow-ups and assessing progress from one event to the next.
To incentivize your sales team to proactively schedule meetings prior to the event, consider linking their participation in the event to reaching a predetermined number of scheduled meetings. For example, each salesperson is required to pre-schedule a minimum of four meetings with prospects or clients before the event. Failure to meet this requirement will result in their ineligibility to attend the show.
Take Away Tips
Tip #1: Frequently, it is not the product itself that draws individuals to your booth.
Tip #2: Offer booth visitors an appealing giveaway in exchange for their contact information.
Tip #3: Providing food and beverages at the booth consistently attracts and engages attendees.
Tip #4: Ensure that any games held at the booth are inclusive and accessible to all participants.
Tip #5: To identify decision makers, request that they provide their title in exchange for a promotional item.
Tip #6: Choose an in-booth meeting space to increase the number of meetings during the event.
Tip #7: Document the quantity and type of all meetings conducted at the booth for subsequent analysis and enhancement.
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