The small booth issues on the big trade shows

The small booth issues on the big trade shows:by The Leads Explorer

Small booths – big trade shows

Small or medium sized companies can only afford a small booth on large or international trade shows. In most cases they end up having the cubical space booths are along the side walls of the hall. Often facing the back of the large booths of the big brands which will bring less traffic. The advantage of these smaller boots is that these are grouped by solution allowing the visitors to have an overview of the market solutions.
Alternatively the small companies manage to share space on a booth of their country or county with the disadvantage of not being in a specific solution area.

Lack of space

The problem with these small booths is multiple due to the lack of space:
- The messaging is minimal: only one or two subjects or problems can be addressed
- The display of goods or services is limited too
- Standing out is hard to do
- Findability due to the limited size

Positioning of salesmen

A problem not to under estimate with these small booths is the positioning of the salesmen.
If they stand near the corridor they can be scaring away the visitors.
Their presence can distract the visitors from reading the messaging. Especially if there are to many sales reps present.
Often sales reps are sitting behind a table in front of the booth impeding the visitors the access. Sitting down at a table will not improve lead generation or sales at it shows a less dynamic image of any company.
On a small booth it is probably the best to sit or stand in the back of the booth in order to allow free access to the booth and not to distract from the messaging.

The potential customers

Potential customers on a trade show are:
- Eager for information
- Are looking for a solution to their problem
- Are collecting alternative solutions for their problem
Somehow the small booth needs to address this and communicate the message that will trigger the attention of the visitor looking for answers or solutions;
The well-known brand names are not required to do this messaging as people will investigate into solutions.
The small companies have a much bigger challenge to get their message across. Hence they need to imagine what their potential customers are looking for.
What is your messaging on trade shows ?