Preparing for a Trade Show? Here are Five Items You Can’t Leave Without

Across myriad industries, trade shows allow professionals of all kinds to network with one another, build potential partnerships, demonstrate their offerings, and connect with customers in a personal and up-front way. Thus, it comes as no surprise that thousands of business leaders are planning to make the trek to attend such a conference this year. Before you pack up and head out, here are five things to remember to bring along. Doing so can help you make the most of your trade show experience and ensure you return to the office with new ideas and opportunities in tow.

1. Signage

It goes without saying that to attract passersby to your booth, you need to have dynamic signage. While you could get by with a black-and-white, minimalist sign on cardstock, chances are you’ll quickly get lost among the tons of competitors. A colorful and expertly designed display is one simple way to elevate your booth and help you stand out. You can read more here about other ways to attract visitors to your booth and keep them interested for longer than a brief period of courtesy listening.

By nature, humans are visual creatures and we’re drawn to displays that catch our eye. We’re also apt to remember them for longer. So, keep your display expressive and make sure it’s indicative of the message you want your brand to send.

2. Media

Sure, you could hand out data slicks and white papers, and some people will read them when they get back. Yet, most will shove them in the bottom of their tote bags, where they’ll never be seen again. To this end, it’s more effective to demonstrate your offerings via presentation media. From a PowerPoint to a smart kiosk, there are a range of ways you can do this and the right one will depend on your industry, product type and trade show audience. Even just a short video clip can be enough to encourage someone to stop by your booth and stay a while.

3. Free swag

Everyone likes to go home with a little swag after a trade show, and you don’t want to be the booth that leaves them empty-handed. From pens and notepads to mugs and magnets, there are scores of promotional items that you can buy for cheap that offer a fun and interactive way for customers and partners to engage with your brand. Want to make sure it ends up in their hands and not in the trash? Focus on items that are actually useful rather than strictly promotional. Things like bottle openers, lighters, t-shirts and more serve a purpose and can be used in a variety of settings, making them instantly more valuable.

4. Business cards

These don’t need to take up a majority of your trade show budget, but be sure to bring plenty of business cards with you to your next event. While there are tons of creative ways you can design and cut out your cards, resist the urge to make them super-unique and shy away from specialty shapes that won’t fit into anyone’s wallet. Though it’s important to catch someone’s eye, you don’t want to burden them with a card they can’t store properly, so stick with the basic format and just remember to bring them. You want to make it easy for someone to contact you after the show is over, and if they don’t have your information, they may not take the time to look it up.

5. Tech accessories

There’s nothing worse than going to plug in your laptop to play a presentation, or reaching for your smartphone to show a customer a demonstration, only to find that your systems have run out of power. To this end, remember to bring plenty of extension cords, chargers, and power strips to ensure you never run out of juice. You’ll want to center yourself as a tech-savvy business leader and working with shoddy equipment that’s inconsistent and powerless isn’t a good message to send.

The next time you find yourself with an invitation to a trade show, accept and know that it can offer unprecedented business opportunities. Yet, don’t show up without a plan and definitely don’t show up empty-handed. With these five basic accessories in tow, you’ll be set up in no time, ready to take on every conversation and connection that comes your way.