Tradeshows: the other side....

[PumpkinHead]

Hey Guys and Ghouls,

This year will be my first year exhibiting at a tradeshow , and I have a couple questions for those with a couple shows under their belt.

What kind of freebies do you hand out.

Where do you get your flyers or handouts printed.

What kind of booth layout works best. ( 10' x 10' )

And any other tips or tricks that you have picked up along the way.
( No, I don't have any booth babes, well ... not living ones.)

Thanks for your help, it means alot to me.

-PH

[Jim Warfield]

You forgot to say anything about those scientific ear plugs that keep out the loudness yet still allow normal conversation to be heard.
It can be like a bad campground, nobody is trying to sleep but I feel sorry for those who get placed next to some of those incredibly noisey booths,
John Wilkes Booth was a quiet young man, mostly.

[xxxdirk]

Freebies? Every exhibitor at TW hands out $100 in cash for just stopping by their booth. Do that & I guarrentee you will have a lot of people at your booth! :P

[PumpkinHead]

xxxdirk,
$100 cash, hmmmm. I'll have to check into that one

Other than free money, what would attract you to a booth?

Thanks,
-PH

[Infoamtek]

Good BIG graphics. A video of your product. Half naked girls passing out flyers. A couch for people to crash on. And free candy.

[maverick005]

tips and tricks for the first time vender...hmm...as far as freebies go, we have show specials giving the customers "x" percent off the usuall prices...if you are goin to give anything away i would suggest that it be something with your name on it as advertisement (other than a business card and a brochure...lol)...if not then something that is pretty cheap wont wont dent the pocket book..but remember that you want the freebie to do its job,. which is to allow the reciever to remember who you are and what you do..keep your name on their mind...booth babes are cool enough...but for us horrificus usually does pretty good...lol..he is better than a booth babe(legs that dont quit, and more boobs than any booth babe)...the brochures are usually a local thing as far as i know...and booth setup is all up to you and what you can afford...if you can afford more and need more..then get more...other than that the rest is pretty much common sense..know your product, the turn around time on products you create, dont be afraid to deal with the customer a little,and above all...make sure you atleat break even..lol....however with that said...i am all for the 100 dollar giveaway to customer...make sure oyu tell me what booth your at...i will take a few minutes to come up and grab a c-note...lol

todd poole

[SomeThingInTheIce]

You could also have a drawing for some prop, print out slips of paper that the customer will fill out with their name, address, e-mail, ect. Not only will they stop by to get into the drawing but will come back later to see if they won and you can use the info from the slips to help build a mailing list or e-mail list.

[kpolley]

Last year was our first year at the show and we learned a few things. Here are two really important tips for you:

1. Make all of your graphics and text big enough to easily read from the isle. Most people will not take the time to come closer than that to read anything.

2. If you are doing brochure printing, go to www.americasprinter.com. These guys have THE BEST prices and are very fast. The products are excellent quality too. You will not be disappointed.

Hope that helps.

[damon carson]

BEER!!!!! IT ALWAYS DRAWS A CROWD!!! :twisted:
DAMON

[Jim Warfield]

Don't print your own money to giveaway.
A Wisconsin hotel owner did that, real good advertising (his picture was in the oval in the center of the bill, an aireal veiw of his hotel on the back of the bill) until one of them was succesfully passed for the real legal tender in Vegas , then the Feds paid him a visit and told him "No more."
I knew this guy pretty well, he probably printed so many of them try to pay his employees with them!

[damon carson]

Ya Jim the same thing happened close to here in Columbia Mo. It was at a local costume shop. He had some pretty authentic looking $5 dollar bills printed out. The only thing different on the front was there was'nt a serial number. Instead it had the name of the store. On the back it was more or less a coupon that told what the promotion was. Well a few went through a few drive thru's at Sonic or where ever and he got a few visitors with the men in black too.
Damon

[Jonathan]

Or donm't be like the other WI resident who printede a one sided 20 and tried to pass it off at a gas station. Funniest thing and most stupid thing I've seen done in fake money.

[Jim Warfield]

Like the dumb conterfeiter who accidently printed a $15.oo bill, he went to a little country store to pass it, they gave him a $7 and an $8 dollar bill as change....as written on the side of the lessor pyramid 4000bc (before Change)

[xxxdirk]

I love free crap and hot girl at the booth as much as anyone, but to me the MOST important thing at the booth to draw me in is cool products. I mean, you might have the greatest give aways or hottie girls, but if the product is crap, all you will get are a bunch of freeloading perverts. Once I am in the booth, people willing to answer questions and take my order IF the price is fair....

[PumpkinHead]

Thanks for all the help.
Keep those ideas coming
-PH