Taking care of the little things promotes respect and pride.
If you’ve ever taken the time and effort to wax your car by hand, you understand the sense of accomplishment and love that arises from seeing your vehicle shining in the sun. Taking care of things gives a sense of ownership and responsibility.
The same is true for teams and employees. We all play a part in representing our businesses, families and schools. In other words… Don’t block your logo at trade shows by leaning over the counter while on the phone.
Believe it or not, this is an increasingly common occurrence at trade shows of late, alongside booth staffers talking to one another, eating in the booth, and wearing bored expressions. All these things send signals to prospects. It’s no surprise that The Center for Exhibition Research reports that 80% of attendees remember a booth based on the staff.
While we’re on the topic of logos…
McDonalds has the Golden Arches; Apple has the apple with the bite taken out of it; Disney has the castle; Nike has the Swoosh; Starbucks has the Siren. And we could go on and on and on. The point is logos don’t appear out of thin air. They’re deliberately designed to reflect the nature of the product or service.
The logo is one of the most critical aspects of the brand. It’s one of the first things customers see. They will instinctively picture it when they think of you or your industry. More and more companies are paying attention to the power of brand recognition and loyalty by being conscience of where they put their logo.
At a trade show, it’s essential to have your logo in as many strategic places as possible. Here’s a short list of items and ideas to maximize your presence at a show. Be sure your logo is
- In large format graphics that are backlit
- On business cards
- Present in brochures or other sales literature
- Imprinted on promotional products
- Displayed brightly on counters
- Printed on booth staffers’ uniforms
- In your email signature when following up with leads from the show
In addition to these standard places for logos, more exhibitors are finding imaginative ways to display their logos at trade shows with
- Unique hanging signs
- Media walls
- Photo booths
- Sponsorship areas
Here are a few examples.
Unique hanging signs
We’ve seen various complex hanging signs with the return of trade shows. Take Vent-A-Hood’s, for example. They designed their hanging sign to be in the shape of their product—a brilliant move that speaks volumes about the brand name and the business’ specialty.
Media walls
Media walls plastered with company logos are coming into their own at trade shows. At the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) in Las Vegas, our managers noted an increase in the volume of exhibitors using this clever photo opp to garner social media engagement.
AMD did something even more incredible to their logo for PAX WEST in Seattle.
Photo booths
Another great way to engage with customers and prospects is with a cool photo booth. The Ritratto photo booth above also functions as a lead capturing device. The booth gives a highly stylized picture in exchange for a prospect’s email or phone number.
Sponsorship areas
This is something to consider on a higher strategic level. First things first, is event sponsorship even worth the cost? It depends on several factors. For more information, Event Architecture has a great article walking you through the strategy.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to expand your presence at shows to raise brand awareness, strengthen brand loyalty, and attract new leads, try incorporating these touch points into your trade show program. For help brainstorming ideas for booth design and logo placement, contact The Trade Group’s award-winning design team below for assistance.
The Trade Group is a full-service trade show and event marketing company. We will work with you to create an exhibit or an event that brings in leads and helps you achieve your business goals. Contact us here or give us a call at (800) 343-2005.
