Trade shows are known to produce a large amount of waste every year. Thinking sustainably can help reduce the environmental impact of exhibiting. Going green doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. In fact, it can even help save your business money. Below are a few eco-friendly trade show ideas and tips for exhibitors.

1. How much your exhibit weighs is less important than how it is packed and shipped.

Try to use materials that can fit on one pallet and be packed tightly. This helps reduce the number of trucks on the road overall. Each time you reuse your trade show exhibit, you’ll be saving money on shipping. You’ll also be reducing the amount of pollution generated.

2. When traveling to trade shows, try to always fly nonstop.

It’s a simple way for your team to make an environmental contribution. Planes create much more pollution climbing to altitude then they do while cruising. Cutting down on multiple flights is one of the easiest eco-friendly trade show ideas for business trips.

3. Keep and reuse your trade show exhibit as long as you can.

You don’t have to build a completely new trade show exhibit every time you need a new look. You can re-skin properties, swap out graphics and rearrange the booth layout. It will allow you to create a new look without having to build a whole new display every few years.

4. Go digital to give away less printed materials.

Re-evaluate your print needs by considering what information you can send out digitally. This helps vastly reduce paper waste at trade shows. You can also use environmentally conscious printers located in the trade show host city. It avoids the costs and carbon footprint of shipping.

5. Choose an environmentally-conscious convention center.

Look for those that are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified. LEED certification is not easy to attain, so this proves that the facility is committed to sustainability. These facilities have environmental programs in place full of eco-friendly trade show ideas for your event.

6. Use eco-friendly materials in your trade show display.

There are so many great eco-friendly trade show ideas when it comes to booth materials. Consider using durable cardboard for structural application as opposed to aluminum because it is much more biodegradable and sustainable. You can also use cotton or bamboo fiber materials instead of vinyl for banners.

These are just some eco-friendly trade show ideas to consider when planning a sustainable event or trade show. For more information on sustainable exhibiting, call us today.

So, you’ve got your trade show booth designed and the marketing program to compliment your efforts – but have you given the right amount of attention to your booth personnel?

When all is said and done on the trade show floor, ultimately everything, including your level of success, boils down to face-to-face interaction with the show audience. The  preparation can help to improve your odds and make your show a resounding success

All too often marketers look at trade shows and say, “If we can get the product there and the booth looks great, the world will beat a path to our door”. But remember, there are hundreds of other exhibitors with the same hopes and aspirations…

The truth is that while they may be at the door, someone needs to invite them inside and share valuable information with the singular goal of meeting the buyer’s needs.

The Art of “Boothmanship” is Everything

Where else, other than in a retail setting, does the buyer come to the seller? And while retail and trade show settings have some commonalities, the pace on the trade show floor is at a much faster pace, thus requiring a systematic approach in order to effectively communicate valuable information.

Through proper planning, selection, engagement and guidelines – Boothmanship can help to create the approach, which separates you from your competition on the show floor.

Boothmanship Pre-Show Planning

Schedule informal meetings to discuss goals and objectives well in advance of the show date. During these sessions, outline what is expected of booth personnel and how to handle specific situations in order to obtain the desired information and results you ultimately want to gather from them.

During the planning session, the following should be researched in order to set goals for the show:

• Background on previous shows and their performance
• Status and changes in the marketplace
• Familiarize personnel with changes in the format of the specific show
• Distribute new information on products, competition, and pricing
• Review all current sales, marketing and product literature
• Identify technical support
• Analyze the lead gathering process used and follow-up procedures

Choose Show Staffers Who Are:

• People oriented
• Enthusiastic
• Well-versed in product knowledge
• Keen listeners
• Empathetic to their visitors’ situations

How to Effectively Engage an Audience

This is the moment of truth. You’re ready and armed with a vast arsenal of information. Now it’s time to condense all that information down to a full day of six-minute presentations. They must be concise and systematic.

You will need to greet, respond to, and decide how to handle each prospect as they approach your booth.

Set Guidelines for Engaging Prospects

• Prepare 3-6 questions for engaging prospects.
• Be friendly and non-threatening. Build rapport.
• Ask open ended questions beginning with who, what, where, when, why and how.
• Avoid trite questions such as, “Can I help you?” “How are you today?” etc.
• Establish who the visitors are (Decision Maker, Supplier, Influencer, Competitor, etc.).
• Ask questions which will reveal their level of interest or need in your products or services.
• Inquire into their decision making process i.e. the prospect’s influence/authority in the buying decision.
• Explore time and budget parameters. Make sure the above information is gathered in the form of a conversation not interrogation.
• Set up a time to rehearse the presentation among booth personnel. Role playing will go a long way in making people comfortable with their part of the presentation.

Set Guidelines for Lead Gathering and Management

• Design customized lead cards that meet show standards and corporate goals
• Establish a prospect ranking system
• Conduct a debriefing session at the end of each day so that hot leads can be sorted and acted upon
• Make sure that the support staff at the home office is prepared to respond to hot leads every day
• Use a computerized database or CRM for tracking leads
• Make sale personnel accountable
• Measure results and compare them to goals
• Recognize and reward booth personnel and support staff for achieving the desired results or outstanding contributions

Show Time

• Plan a walk-through of the exhibit space before the show opens to familiarize everyone with presentation processes
• Remind everyone of key goals, customers and prospects
• Set a rotation schedule for personnel so that they remain fresh and effective
• Check on competition and new industry developments
• Drink water regularly: it will help maintain your energy
• Dress appropriately and wear comfortable shoes
• Get out there and make great things happen!

Like to learn more about Boothmanship and how doing it right can help move the needle at your next trade show? The seasoned professionals at ColorCraft can help shape the success of your next event. Give us a call.

You’ve seen them on the show floor (don’t pretend you haven’t) – trade show booths that are either in need of serious repair and updates OR those that simply look like the exhibitor should have gone for the upgrade. Not exactly putting their brands’ proverbial best foot forward huh?

In many cases, companies and trade show marketing managers “settle” for purchasing a trade show booth that is within their estimated budget, but doesn’t really “say” the most about their brands…..

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is a better answer than having to “settle” on the purchase of your next trade show booth!

Enter Trade Show Booth Rental Programs

With the average cost of purchasing a custom trade show booth being in the range of 3-4 times (or more) the cost of renting a trade show booth – rental programs become a very strong alternative to purchasing an exhibit of the same cost. Just to toss a number out there, that means renting a fifty thousand dollar exhibit for as little as ten to fifteen thousand. Huge difference.

And the flip side of that is, if your budget for your upcoming trade show event’s exhibit is $15,000 – would you rather represent your company with a $50,000 custom trade show booth rental – or purchase an exhibit (within your budget) that isn’t even close to the level of customization and quality you’d receive with the rental. Again, your exhibit says a lot about your brand on the show floor.

A Word About Quality and Upkeep

When you rent your trade show booth, you can be sure they’ll be providing durable and good looking structures. And of course they’ll be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the exhibits.

Because upkeep is “on their dime” it makes sense that they’ll be using high-quality components and structures in the first place. They last longer and require less on-going repair – which puts a higher quality exhibit in your hands for the time you need it!

Other Benefits to Renting Your Trade Show Booth

Of course, there are a number of other benefits to renting your trade show booth over purchasing besides the quality of the exhibit….

• No storage fees for exhibits you rent vs own
• No capital expenditure with a rental trade show booth
• The ability to rent more than one exhibit at the time for overlapping events
• Flexibility to change your exhibit and footprint from show to show
• No cost for upkeep and updates to your trade show booth (you don’t own it!)
• AND you can afford to rent a whole lot more exhibit than you can buy….

If you have questions about how your brand can look its best at your next trade show event – give ColorCraft a shout. We’ll help you navigate the numerous choices out there and outfit you with a solution that fits your budget and keeps your brand looking stellar!