THE COASTER CAN BE YOUR PROMOTIONAL TICKET RIDE TO TRADE SHOW SUCCESS!

For many businesses, trade shows are the most powerful marketing they do all year. The contacts generated from one successful trade show event are often enough to keep sales professionals busy throughout the year.

Why let your competitors take the lion’s share of those cherished sales leads? If you’ve made the commitment to exhibit at your industry’s biggest tradeshows, make the commitment to get the absolute most value from the experience possible.

We’ve collected a few ideas here to help you create a lasting impression on clients so that your brand, your product, and your offer are burned into their minds long after the trade show ends. Selecting the right kind of attention is a critical part of your tradeshow success! Finding the right trade show attraction can set you apart from the competition winning the attention of potential customers drawing them to your booth like a magnet. But more importantly, unique trade show attractions provide a tactile experience for your target audience and make this precious networking time at your booth most memorable.

Tradeshow contest ideas: THE COASTER STACHE

THE CHALLENGE: Create a unique way to gain attention of the passersby on a hectic trade show floor.

THE SOLUTION: We created a die-cut drink coaster with a punch-out Mustache for a music related website so that individuals can attach a 'STACHE' under their noses and have an instant 'doc-holiday mustache' look. Perfect for those Movember November fall trade show months.

As an additional twist, why not make this a social networking promotional contest for people to upload their photos – create a Twitter Hashtag where a picture will be selected for a prize.

Have an interactive game at your trade show booth like a beanbag toss or a video game; Whoever gets the highest score wins. People will continue to check back throughout the day to see who has the highest score.

Have a prize wheel in which visitors take a turn spinning to see what they win. Use it at every trade show, people love it – It gets a lot of attention and can draw crowds to your booth.

The first 25 people to visit a booth get something free. Such as a custom branded Promotional Beer Coaster!

Snap photos of the booth and booth staff and send to Instagram or Twitter via a utility like TwitPic.

If you’re launching a new product at a show, extend the launch reach with social media video and photos.

Create a one-off micro site for your presence at a show.

Update your Facebook company page live from show (automate by forwarding Tweets to FB).

Include the booth number, the name of the tradeshow, city location and convention centre in all messages so it’s easy to find you.

Create a LinkedIn Group for the show.

Link to your show and product launch press releases from the trade show LinkedIn Group Discussion.

Bringing trade show attractions and games to your exhibition booth is an ideal way to generate leads – and more leads mean more sales!

Attendees line up to fill out your contact form, for a chance to try their luck at the Plinko board, Beer Coaster (beer mat) flipping contest, draw from your raffle drum, grab at cash inside the Money Machine, scan QR code from a Promotional Beer Coaster, try to crack the code of your Prize Safe, or spin your Wheel of Chance. Trade show attractions such as these allow you to collect contact information for leads, and keeps them engaged at your trade show booth long enough to network, hand out brochures and flyers, and offers a memorable way to hand out your logo imprinted trade show giveaways in the form of a prize!