Convergence of Marketing &
Trade Show Entertainment

According to Michael Wolf in his book "The Entertainment Economy," entertainment is becoming a major force driving today’s economy. Entertainment has spread into all major industries and as a result, consumers have come to expect that they will be entertained all the time.

What better place to entertain than on the tradeshow floor, where exhibitors have a prime opportunity to mobilize attendees to visit their booth.

With the plethora of companies all vying for visitors’ attention, it’s the ones that stand out from the crowd that get noticed.

People are drawn by glitter and excitement, but turned off by dull and boring exhibits. In essence, entertainment makes it all a lot more interesting.

So, how can you add pizzazz – some trade show entertainment -- into your exhibit marketing without breaking the bank? The following are seven ways to incorporate a little bit of trade show biz to get yourself noticed.

Think like Disney.

There was never a greater promoter than Walt Disney. Everything he touched turned exciting, colorful, and was bursting with energy.

The Disney legacy continues as the Disney Corporation dazzles and entertains millions with its products, parks, and superb customer service.

What does Disney do that every exhibitor should emulate?

Disney injects a show business mentality into everything it does by creating an image that makes people smile and lets them know they're in for a first-class experience.

Disney employees undergo rigorous customer service training and are famous for their courtesy, cheerfulness, and problem-solving skills.

So when planning your pre-show marketing strategies, remember to think like Disney.

Everything you do to promote and implement your trade show involvement must be first-class, creative, and professional.

This extends far beyond the actual trade show entertainment itself. Train your show employees to provide enthusiastic and helpful customer service. Unpleasant experiences on the tradeshow floor can ruin the show biz experience you've worked hard to create.

Make your exhibit an unforgettable experience.

Saturate your exhibit with sensory appeal. Color, shapes, sounds, textures, smells and entertainment, along with a high degree of interactivity, all help to make your exhibit unforgettable.

Be creative, original, fun, real and help visitors see themselves in your message.

Everything you do is helping to establish an emotional relationship with your target audience. When you appeal to them at a sensory level, you touch them at a deeper level and sow the seeds for a long-term relationship.

Make your exhibit interactive.

When people manipulate objects they often form an attachment to them. They get an idea of how the products work and are more excited about the possibility of buying them.

Set up audio-visual displays that visitors can easily operate -- they will feel like they are part of the experience as they connect with your products or services. Remember to make it fun.

Put the Web to work.

You can interact with potential attendees through your website, both in your pre-show and at-show exhibit marketing. Direct them to your site through your various marketing efforts — direct mail, email, broadcast fax, advertising or PR.

Make sure that there are a lot of fun things to do. Use games to inform, to educate and to help them find out more about your products and services.

Entice them to visit your booth to collect their prize or giveaway for their game participation.

These are all forms of trade show entertainment. The same activity could be at the booth for those who didn’t know or have an opportunity to visit your site prior to the show.

Make your exhibits fun.

Live trade show entertainment, money blowing machines educational seminars, clowns, puppeteers, and magicians are just a few of the tools you can use to make your exhibit fun and informative.

Don’t rely on your products alone to sell the show biz experience. Booths filled with inanimate objects are boring and won't capture the attention of your audience.

When you also inject a little excitement in the form of trade show entertainment, you'll have attendees in the palm of your hand and swarming your booth.

Provide lots of comfortable space.

Make sure you have enough space at your booth to comfortably accommodate visitors. Don't try to cram as many products as possible into the space allotted. A cramped booth environment does not allow attendees free rein to wander comfortably.

Design your booth so it doesn't sacrifice comfort for hardware. Booths that are crowded with display items make it difficult for consumers to focus their attention on each item.

Set up your booth so that attendees can see everything clearly, including trade show entertainment. Make it open and welcoming. Provide good lighting, easy-to-read signage, and attention-grabbing graphics.

Inject show biz excitement into your advertising and public relations.

Without resorting to hyperbole, your pre-show marketing should reflect the excitement, creativity, and flavor of your exhibit. Observe how the producers of movies and Broadway musicals advertise their shows.

Incorporate as many of those elements as are feasible into your own marketing campaign, and look to showcase the opportunities you’re offering.

Elect a staff member as a media contact and have them on hand at to articulately tell reporters about your products/services and what makes them unique.

Michael Wolf notes that products and brands that deliver on the entertainment expectation are succeeding, and products that do not will eventually disappear.

Remember you are in show biz, and your job is implement trade show entertainment. Create and promote an exhibit that is as exciting and dramatic as a great movie or play.

Your exhibit space is your stage. In order to generate interest, you must put on a performance (your form of tradeshow entertainment) that will keep attendees riveted and eager to come back for the sequel.

Source: Article by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, an industry expert who works with companies to enhance meeting and event success. For a free copy of "10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make," click here to send an email.

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