Did you know, 76% of businesses use their participation in trade fairs as a marketing tool and integrate it into their annual strategy? Attending and presenting at trade shows offers numerous benefits for B2B tech companies. They can use them to launch new products, generate leads and business opportunities, increase brand recognition, and gain credibility in the industry.
If you want to maximise the impact of your trade show presentation and are searching for creative ideas and expert strategies to draw more attention to your company, this blog is the ideal starting point.
1. Use your booth traffic to fill your session
Use your booth at trade shows to reach out to prospective attendees. Talk to people, advertise on social media and other digital platforms, and use the hashtag for the show to promote your session.
This might sound obvious, but so many businesses forget to make the most of their captive audience.
“During every conversation, our team members ask if booth visitors have an interest in the session topic, or what they are planning to attend. We remind people as they are leaving to “come hang out with us” during our speaking session. That extra invitation goes a long way in getting a large attendance number for a speaking session.”
Logan Mallory, Vice President of Marketing, Motivosity
2. Get endorsements from key opinion leaders
Popular brands tend to make trade shows more successful. The power of an endorsement goes beyond the name alone, conveying trust and quality, and increasing viewership.
“When I was planning my presentation for a major industry event, I knew I wanted to make sure everyone in the audience showed up. After some research and some trial and error, I found one technique that worked especially well: getting the support of a well-known person in the field.
Being seen alongside someone popular or influential goes a long way towards ensuring attendance, as people are more likely to turn up out of curiosity or admiration. This can be done through personal connections or through direct email campaigns with attractive incentives. Whatever route you decide to take, having someone recognizable leading off your presentation is an invaluable tool for getting people interested and showing up on time!”
Lorien Strydom, Executive Country Manager, Financer.com
3. Incorporate an Element of Mystery
Think creatively and incorporate surprise elements to capture your audience’s attention. Utilise props or unexpected visuals like 3D graphics or videos to make your presentation stand out.
“My best tip for ensuring people attend presentations at a conference or trade show is to incorporate an element of mystery into the presentation—this entices attendees to be curious and motivated to take part.
A good, uncommon example would be incorporating creative problem-solving challenges during your presentation. As people have limited time at conferences, including puzzles or interactive challenges helps break up the monotony of speeches while providing something enjoyable and stimulating for your audience.”
Michael Alexis, CEO, Tiny Campfire
4. Communicate value gained with a riveting title
When it comes to generating interest from potential prospects, business exhibitors have noted that the best way to attract people to their stand is by using flashy, eye-catching displays (48%), followed by giveaways (34%). This indicates that an eye-catching presentation title can be a crucial factor in getting the attention of those who may be interested in the product or service being offered.
The title should be captivating and make the audience stop and take notice. It should also accurately convey the message of the presentation and make it clear what it is about.
“The most important factor in getting people to attend your presentation is having a compelling title and abstract. The title and abstract are often the first things potential attendees will see when deciding which presentations to attend, so it is crucial to make them interesting and informative.
When creating your title and abstract, keep in mind the audience you are trying to attract. Use keywords that apply to your topic and to the conference or trade show. Also, make sure to clearly communicate the value that attendees will get from your presentation.
For example, if you are speaking at a conference on web development, a title such as “The Future of Web Development: Trends and Best Practices” is likely to be more appealing. Similarly, an abstract that highlights the specific takeaways attendees will gain from your presentation, such as “Learn about the latest trends in web development and how to implement best practices to improve your website’s performance” will be better.”
Alan Carr, Director, Webpop Design
5. Provide new insights
When crafting a trade show presentation, it can be easy to focus on the obvious. Isn’t it?
However, to truly engage your audience, it is important to provide something new. Try to focus on providing unique insights and ideas that your audience may not have heard before. Doing so will help you stand out among the competition and make your presentation memorable.
Here’s the final important piece of advice to think about:
“As someone who has presented at many conferences, I always include insights my audience doesn’t know. This is the best way to draw attendees toward your presentation—give them knowledge and skills they can use in their own work.
For example, a recent conference was on media innovation, and I focused on strategies for managing external sponsorships—something many of the attendees hadn’t seen before. I emphasised case studies and practical resources to show how easily these techniques could be implemented. As expected, I had a lot more people signing up and attending than I had expected!”
Derek Bruce, Sr. Director,
Struggling to prepare for your trade show presentation?
B2B tech companies face a unique challenge when it comes to presenting their offerings at trade shows. Given the intricacy of their products and services and the competition in the market, putting together an impactful presentation can be a time-consuming task.
If you need help pulling off a great presentation, do attend our webinar focused on that very topic. Join us to find out how to:
- Avoid Death by Powerpoint
- Craft a winning title
- Feel the fear and do it anyway
- Get the results that you want
If you would like help with trade shows or your broader content marketing activity, contact us at hello@isolinecomms.com
