The date for your next trade show is quickly approaching. Your brand messaging is on point. Your brand ambassadors are on board and prepared to engage your audience. The pieces are all coming together and the excitement is building.
After collaborating with a professional design house on the ideal trade show island design for your upcoming industry event, your exhibit is now ready to draw a record-breaking numbers of attendees. But, given that the path of traffic flow should be well-defined in an island environment, you must be ready to manage a crowd of any size.
While long lines may deter a few prospects, a growing queue indicates a high level of interest in your exhibit and will likely cause that line to keep expanding. Attendees will want to know what all the fuss is about!
Since you’ve already invested in a dynamic, interactive environment for your prospects once they enter your custom trade show exhibit, why not begin engaging your audience should a line form?
With something enjoyable to learn or interact with, attendees are not only less likely to notice the time they’re spending in line, they’re also more likely to develop a stronger emotional connection and positive associations with your brand.
Here are three ways to maximize the attention of your prospects by engaging them before they even step foot inside your exhibit.
Redirect Audience Focus with Brand Ambassadors
Signs and stanchions can help keep crowds moving in an orderly fashion, but friendly brand ambassadors will help keep them happy and occupied while they wait. Consider bringing enough event personnel to staff the waiting area as well as the exhibit floor itself.
Should a line begin to form, having your ambassadors acknowledge your visitors’ wait time will not only keep them calm, it will give your team the opportunity to begin conversing with potential leads about the exhibit they’re about to experience.
While your team members can certainly answer any questions attendees may have while they wait, they can take it one step further and engage the whole crowd through a series of fun trivia questions related to your products, with winners scoring prizes like candy bars or quality merchandise bearing your company’s brand.
Capture Trade Show Attendees’ Attention with Displays
If you anticipate a steady flow of foot traffic throughout the trade show, you may want to consider integrating plasma displays into your custom island exhibit and positioning them where attendees will be lining up to enter your space.
The screens can present a constant stream of captivating audio/visual content that informs potential customers about the history and values of your company, your latest product line, or your vision for the future.
Whether you use the screen time to educate or entertain your prospects, by directing their attention away from their wait in line and toward the solutions your company provides, you can help ensure that they’re eager to learn more once they finally walk through your exhibit.
Turn Long Lines into Pleasant Waiting Rooms
Taking a cue from the tactics spas and salons use to accommodate waiting patrons, offering light refreshments and reading material (such as your company’s brochure) to trade show attendees in a particularly long waiting line can keep them engaged and comfortable.
Similarly, inviting prospective customers to respond to questionnaires regarding their interests, needs and budgets can help them to pass the time while providing you with valuable audience insights and contact information for future marketing activities. .
Long lines don’t have to equal wasted time, either for you or your visitors. By coming prepared with a plan and materials to distribute, you can help attendees enjoy a pleasant experience while waiting to interact with you in your exhibit space.
The design experts at Exhibitus are here to help you maximize every moment that trade show attendees spend engaging with your brand. Contact us today at 800.770.4392 and let’s talk about collaborating on your next custom island exhibit.