At InventHelp Headquarters, the start of Spring means that INPEX, our annual Invention New Product Exposition trade show, is just around the corner! Running this year from June 18 through 20 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh, INPEX allows inventors to exhibit new products and inventions to business attendees at America’s largest invention trade show.
Whether you attend INPEX or another trade show, we want to help you be prepared. Here are some networking tips intended to assist entrepreneurs in making a trade show experience productive.
Catch My Eye
One thing to always remember: When you are exhibiting on the floor of a trade show, you are not alone. Your booth must stand out among all the other exhibits and distractions. Fill your booth with dynamic, eye-catching displays that may gain the attention of attendees walking the show floor. Have your sign printed at a professional print show, and make sure to proofread it. Be professional and avoid handwritten signs or misspellings.
Quick Tip: Attendees tend to gravitate towards exciting, colorful displays and dynamic product demonstrations.
Business Cards of Plenty
Attendees walking the floor of a trade show have to see a lot of people in a short amount of time. A great way for them to remember you after the show is to give them a business card with your contact information clearly presented. More than that, a great way for you to follow up with them is to ask for one of their business cards.
Quick Tip: Write a note on the back of attendee business cards. This notation will trigger what you spoke about or when you are supposed to follow up with them. After the show has come and gone, these little reminders can prove to be very helpful.
Free Is for Me!
If you are looking for a fun way to entice attendees to enter your booth, you can’t go wrong with some free giveaways. Consider pens, stress balls, candy, or even yo-yos, embossed with your product or invention name and website. Everybody loves free goodies to take home with them! Another nice takeaway is a colorful, glossy brochure of your invention or new product. The goal is really to make sure attendees remember your product once they’ve left the show and gone home.
Free-Flowing Traffic
As an exhibitor, you want your booth space to be approachable. Try not to get into the habit of barricading yourself inside your booth with tables and displays. If you can, bring another business partner with you to work the booth space. Schedule in time for lunch to walk away from your booth for a few minutes. Attendees may pass you by if they see you eating in your booth, for no other reason than they don’t want to feel as if they are interrupting your meal.
Quick Tip: If you need to step away, the buddy system is helpful to have booth coverage in your absence.
Two-Minute Elevator Pitch
Last but definitely not least, always have your two-minute elevator pitch ready. Your goal should be to explain your invention in two minutes or less. Stick to the benefits and features, and don’t forget to practice. Attendees only have a few minutes when they are going from booth to booth. If you can quickly grab their attention in less than two minutes, you may have a captive audience. In most cases, they can quickly decide if your new product or invention is right for them.
What Has Worked for You?
We hope these networking tips will help you have a stress-free experience at your next trade show. What other tips and tricks have you successfully used to gain attention and manage your floor show experience? Share them below!
(Infographic from blog.inpex.com)
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