Knock it Out Of The Park with Tradeshow Entertainment
You’ve researched your target audience. You’ve delved into the demographics of the attendees. You’ve mapped your goals for brand awareness, numbers of new customers, and deeper bonds with existing customers. You’ve done all your pre-show outreach, using your social media channels, targeted emails, and/or “snail mailed” print items. Now it’s time to roll out the red carpet and meet your public. A successful trade show booth should be developed, implemented, and utilized for peak brand visibility, maximum ROI, and meaningful customer relationship management. Coupling a well staffed trade show booth with specialty entertainment will draw attention like few other additions. The limited showcase time means the initial appeal of your booth is critical. Any company centered on making their mark and getting the most from their trade show appearance must communicate with their prospects through many channels. This includes appealing with innovative, surprising, and engaging promotional tools that “think outside the booth”. Tradeshow entertainment should be implemented with 3 main goals: 1. TARGETED traffic building The right booth entertainment will not only draw visitors and drive your message, but keep them there longer and even entice them back multiple times. Choose entertainment that is congruent with your brand promise. Most entertainers can make their act fit just about any message- a magician or juggler can craft informative comedy routines about customer service, flexibility, or trustworthiness... visual artists can center their creations around anything from eco consciousness to innovation to quality craftsmanship. Don't be afraid to be specific – turning off a segment of the trade show audience who isn't your target is just fine. Using an act that appeals to your unique audience -to deliver a highly targeted message- will magnetize and energize your tribe, resulting in a higher ratio of qualified leads. 2. Generating QUALIFIED leads A trade show savvy entertainer specializes in getting your message heard and remembered- delivering the key pieces in easy to understand sound bites or visuals, and packaging them in a fun and interesting way that makes your message memorable. Ideally you want an attraction that evolves over time- one that is engaging, piques curiosity, and keeps drawing attendees back to see the progress. Visual art, comedy, acrobatics, and other entertainment triggers pleasure centers in the brain, quickly breaking down barriers with prospects and leaving them receptive to hearing more about your product. An effective trade show act will answer many questions your audience may have about your product- but more importantly will generate more detailed questions that your expert sales team can step in and answer. This is where your maximum ROI lives. 3. Deepening RELATIONSHIPS with existing customers A new study shows that looking at art triggers the same parts of the brain as being in love. What a powerful idea- give your clients art to look at that contains your brand message. Keep giving them every opportunity to fall more deeply in love with YOU! Quality booth entertainment also engages your customers in a shared experience that is memorable- and those happy memories are interwoven with their feelings about your brand. This is the intersection where brand loyalty is born. The beauty of brand loyal customers is that they LOVE to share the love! Give them a platform to share their experience across social media platforms, give them something AMAZING to share, and you make it fun and easy for them create a buzz that ripples out well beyond the walls of the exhibit hall. Once your entertainer is on board, work hand in hand with him or her to be sure they understand your objectives and your audience. Tell them everything you can about your product, service, company culture, mission statement, and your client base. Your booth entertainment becomes one of your most valuable assets, crafting a program for your booth that is not only entertaining and engaging, but that frames your message in a way that is easy for your audience to understand, internalize, and remember.
