Create Trade Show Stopportunities Using Promotional Items

We've all been to the large trade shows with what seems like miles and miles of booths. So many of the trade show booths seem to be the same thing. Over and over again. Did I just go down this aisle? Am I experiencing Déjà vu? The answer to both questions is probably NO. The truth is so many exhibiting companies fail to create the right Stopportunity. According to Urban Dictionary, stopportunity is defined as,  "A word designed to prevent having to explain that you are waiting for a good opportunity to stop/pause a movie, video game or other activity." For this article, I'm adapting stopportunity to mean a reason to stop. That reason could be be because of something cool, interesting, intriguing, or strange. If you are walking through a trade show, what would make you stop at a booth? We're all guilty of walking past booths desperately trying to NOT make eye contact with the exhibitors...Unless we see something that makes us want to STOP. That "something" may be a unique and completely rad product on display, a fun game or other booth activity, hired eye candy working the booth, or often killer promotional items being given away to booth visitors. Even if the exhibitor is selling the exact same products as the booth next to him, the success lies in creating a stopportunity. Games are an excellent way to attract booth visitors. Also, the promotional items you give away help to attract booth visitors as well as reinforcing your company to help give the visitors something to remember your company. Using promotional items with your game is even better.

Out with the old, in with the new

But any old promos won't do the trick. You MUST give away unique, trendy, fun, or useful promotional products. That means stay away from the traditional cheap koozies, cheap pens, 11 oz white coffee mugs, and other overdone promotional items. Instead, think about items your clientele will love and use often. Think about items that will resonate with your booth visitors. Think about items your visitors will need and use immediately at the trade show. Your goal should be to give away promotional items that no one else will be giving away. You want attendees asking other attendees, "Where did you get that ____?" Creating a buzz surrounding your giveaways (and booth activities) will help ensure a steady stream of booth visitors. Read about the 7 components to find a successful giveaway.

Plan your entire trade show booth to be successful

Finding the right promotional giveaways can sometimes seem like a challenge, but looking at the bigger picture takes a little more work. The most successful trade show exhibitors have an overall plan or campaign. Everything they do is a piece of the puzzle to reach a common goal. For more information about perfecting your overall campaign to increase your ROI, check out the 7 steps to ensure a successful promotional products campaign. The greatest strength of promotional products is their staying power. That means they have the power to stick around, long after brochures and business cards have been tossed in the recycle bin. With trade shows, there are three opportunities: before, during, and after. Your campaign shouldn't focus only on the "during" part. That's where so many exhibitors make their mistake. They don't prospect before the show and they fail to follow up after the show. Promotional items are the answer to get the attention of attendees not only before the show, but also, during and after the show! You send a smaller item out before the show enticing a visit to your booth with promises of fun and gifts. During the show, you give out some unique and memorable promos. After the show, you follow up with qualified leads to give a higher quality promotional item. This system has proven itself countless times for those who follow it. As previously mentioned, the piece of this puzzle most often forgotten is the follow up! You don't have to plan your creative trade show booth alone. We are here to help you not only develop an awesome trade show display, but also to help develop a unique system integrating useful and memorable promotional items so your trade show will be a raving success. Your success starts with choosing the right promotional products distributor. Related Articles 25 Ways to Use Promotional Items as Lead Magnets The Science Behind Promotional Products Trade Show Survival Guide How to Get the Most Out of a Trade Show as an Attendee