5 Things to Have at your expo Booth

This past weekend I hosted a booth and presented a workshop at the Inspire! Women's Expo in Cadillac, MI.  

This was the event's first year and coincidentally my first time hosting or presenting for Digital Entrance.  

When I decided to join the expo as a vendor I had no idea what I was going to have at my booth or what I was going to talk to an audience about.  

However, I knew I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to meet other local business owners and share the mission of Digital Entrance. So I did my research, asked for advice, and ultimately came up with a plan that was a success!

Signage

This was one factor that I could have done much better.  

My sign was way too small and it was hard for people to decipher what my booth was without talking to me first, which put me at a disadvantage.  Therefore, when planning for an expo make signage your first priority and display your mission loud and proud.  

VistaPrint has a lot of great, and affordable, options for your table.  My favorite was the collapsible banner and the customized table clothes.   

Freebies

Everyone looks forward to an expo because of all the free stuff! Don't be a booth that doesn't participate in the fun, give out candy at the very least (I did!).

However, give out your freebies with purpose by including:

• Your logo
• Business, connection, and service/ product cards
• Your contact information 
• Thank you! 

Portfolio or Product Preview

People want to see what you do! If you sell a physical product then you're product preview should be fairly easy to set-up, however, if your booth is primarily informational you're going to have to use a slideshow or a physical portfolio in order to display your work. 

I chose to use a slideshow to present my portfolio because I was able to connect my booth with something digital and the designs were able to come through pixel perfect!

Decor

What is your color scheme?  Who is your audience at the event ? Your table should reflect it! 

Because this was an expo for and by women, I really dolled-up my table. I put lavender on my bags, emphasized the purple, placed gold accents throughout the table, and really made my table look good. 

Women are constantly on Pinterest, looking at the latest decor trends and I wanted to relay the message that I am up-to-date and draw the eyes of the attendees.   Guess what, it worked! 

To create a fantastic table your really need to think about WHO your audience is that day and plan accordingly to their taste!

Contest or Game

To make your booth stand out try hosting a contest or a game!  I have been to many expos that have "spin the wheel" games, 50/50 raffles, and enter-to-win contests that draw in the crowds and build their email lists.  

If you are a primarily information booth then you need to craft your table into a contact list funnel.  The easiest way for people to share their information is to incise them with a contest! 

I hosted a "Free Custom Designed T-Shirt" contest and received 40 new contacts to add to my email list!  

The contest was simple, enter your name, email, and phone number and get a chance to win a free t-shirt with a custom design.  ​

---

Author

Jessica Jones, Owner & Lead Designer

---

3 Reasons I Use Weebly

The Subtle Art of Graphics

Beginner's Guide to Blogging

How to Rock Social Media