5 Things You Should Never Do at a Trade Show

trade show mistakes, common trade show mistakes to avoid, top five trade show mistakes

5 Things You Should Never Do at a Trade Show

Trade shows and marketing events are a great way to promote your business, but you have to be able to make a good impression. We’ve gone over a lot of tips for building a successful exhibit in the past, from why you should use high-quality print materials to the reasons why physical business cards are still important. Now let’s take some time to cover what not to do at a trade show. There are definitely a few things to avoid! Let’s dive into the top five trade show mistakes people make and how you can avoid them. 

Five Common Trade Show Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Using personal electronics at your booth. Did you get a phone call or an important message? Great! Step away from your booth before you answer or hit reply. Spending time looking down at your phone, laptop, or tablet could cost you. The people passing by want you to make eye contact with them, and you never know when someone important might be headed your way. Keep your head up and be ready to interact! Tablets at your booth can be great for data gathering or interacting with potential customers. However, personal use can send a message that you’re too distracted to connect.
  2. Handing out brochures or flyers to everyone that walks past. Why isn’t this a good idea? Because not every person at the trade show is going to be a potential connection. Likely, only a portion of those attending will be interested in doing business with you. It’s your job to attract those people and have conversations with them. Then give interested parties a flyer, brochure, business card, or catalog. This saves on the amount of materials you’ll need to print. It also means each connection has genuine interest in your business! 
  3. Forgetting to plan the logistics. Knowing exactly how big your booth space is, which materials or products you’ll need to display, the lighting you’ll need, your booth’s location relative to your top competitors, and the deadlines for setup are all extremely important. Forgetting to factor in the logistics of designing and setting up your booth is a common trade show mistake. It’s okay! Even some seasoned professionals can forget this. Also, remember to order your printed materials well in advance. You don’t want to run out of business cards or flyers halfway through the event!
  4. Seeming too robotic in your approach. It can be tough to sound happy and interested when you have to repeat the same lines over and over. Instead talk to each person who stops in a different manner. Using the same wording in your pitch every time can work from a numbers standpoint. About 10% of people you approach may say yes – but it doesn’t work from a human standpoint. Knowing your product and key talking points are enough. Aim at making a real connection with each person. Put your focus on building relationships first and promoting your business second. 
  5. Over-designing your booth. A booth that’s clean and free of clutter is naturally more inviting. And yes, having too many products, demos, or marketing materials can make your booth look cluttered. Choose to display only the essential materials for your exhibit, and tuck extra materials away under podiums or tables. Draping your table with a custom-printed tablecloth or banner is a great way to promote your brand and hide cords, extra products, brochures, etc.

Trade Show Printing in Tempe, AZ

Now that you know the top five trade show mistakes to avoid, why not check out our tips on how to make your booth stand out in the crowd? And then, when you’re ready to put your trade show materials together, send your designs to Mousegraphics! We excel in printing top-quality display materials that conform to trade show specs and help you attract more attention to your booth. Before your next trade show venture, contact us at 480-470-7438 to request a quote.

Featured image used under creative commons license – commercial use (12.31.2024). Photo by This_is_Engineering from Pixabay.