Baby Fair Eve:: Tradeshow Tips

It’s finally Friday and tomorrow is the big Baby Fair that I am participating in. It seems like I’ve been preparing for the fair for years when it’s actually only been a few months. It should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. Stay tuned because next week I plan to post details about all the great mom entrepreneurs who donated prizes for my gift basket and hopefully some photos too!

Anyway, since it’s the eve of the Baby Fair, I thought I’d offer a few tips for participating in such events. Whether you are attending a craft fair, baby fair, tradeshow or another event, all of these things apply.

• Choose the right fair:: First and foremost you need to make sure you are attending a relevant event. If you sell animal products, don’t attend a tradeshow for beauty companies, etc. A lot of effort and money can go into participating in an event, so make sure you do your research upfront and ensure it’s a good place for you to be.
• Follow the rules:: All shows and fairs will have their own set of guidelines, restrictions, requirements, policies and so on. Make sure you read them and do what they ask. You don’t want to be booted at the last minute for failure to comply.
• Signage:: This is critical! You want everyone walking through the doors to know who you are and why you are there. Your entire display is important, but eye catching and descriptive signage will go a long way in attracting people to your booth. {As always, be sure everything coordinates with your branding and company logo!}
• Takeaway:: Make sure you have something that visitors can take away with them. Whether it be a small sample, a promotional item, a business card or a coupon, they need to walk away with something concrete. Or, sad to say, they probably will never remember to give you a second thought, even if they initially wanted to.
• Giveaway:: Raffling off a product or gift certificate is always a sure way to generate excitement and interest in your booth. And, since you’ve already done your research, you know that the audience is appropriate :D Plus, this is a great tool to grow your mailing list. If they are interested in winning your product, they most likely will be interested in receiving your updates, coupons, etc.
• Touch and feel:: Tradeshows and fairs are a great opportunity to showcase your products up close and in person. So, make sure you have plenty of them! Potential customers want to see, touch and feel what you have to offer. This is literally the best way to show off your quality and craftsmanship.

Here’s to a great weekend!!