HELPFUL TIPS FOR EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS

October 25, 2022

Hilton Long Island/Huntington

Exhibiting at this targeted event is a valuable opportunity to increase your company's exposure and grow your business. To ensure that your experience is positive, please take a moment to review these helpful tips. 

Set clear goals for your trade show participation

What do you want to get out of it? How many leads do you hope to generate? How many products do you want to sell? Are you focusing on promotion or hoping to launch a new product?

Advertise in advance

Put the word out (email, social media, etc.) that you're participating in the Expo by inviting your clients, customers, suppliers, and other contacts to attend the show.

Pull a crowd to your trade show booth

Use an interactive display, such as a quiz or game on a computer, a contest draw, or a scheduled demonstration. It doesn't need to be fancy to draw people's interest and get them to cluster around your Expo display. Make sure when someone is walking by, they can understand what you do by the way your booth is set up. (signage, logo, tagline)

Actively engage trade booth visitors

Give people who approach your Expo display a friendly greeting and welcome their questions. Be sure that your body language is friendly. Don't stand there with your arms crossed over your chest, for instance. Chat with booth visitors and find out what aspect of your business they're most interested in. Be prepared to offer specific solutions to their questions. The trick is to draw them in without intimidating or overwhelming them.

Make sure you have plenty of promotional literature on hand.

You'll want to have a good supply of color fliers, brochures, and business cards that you can hand out to booth visitors. Make it easy for them to find the information on your business later. Do not lay your material down, but stand it up so attendees can easily read it. Keep items off the floor and should be on the table or eye level.

Have your trade show booth manned at all times by a knowledgeable person

Someone has to be there to greet browsers, engage them in conversation, and take their questions. If you can't be there every minute the Expo is open, you'll need to have at least one other person to help staff your booth.

Get out from behind your booth and get off your phone/computer

Often, exhibitors sit behind their tables while attendees stand looking down at them -- get up and engage! Also, get off your phone or computer. Nothing is worse than watching one of our exhibitors miss valuable exhibitor time because he or she is on the phone. There are typically periods of downtime during any show to follow up on voicemail or emails.

Follow up promptly

Follow up with contacts and leads you made during the Expo as soon as possible. The faster you send them out, the more your business will stand out from the rest.

Email Marketing

Use the power of email marketing to invite your clients, customers, etc.

Follow-up is the key to a successful expo! Not just a "thanks for stopping by our booth", but meaningful communications that continue to build the relationship.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Chamber office at 631-777-6260 or email Ted @ ted@melvillechamber.org