Carve A Huge Competitive Edge With Sustainable Trade Show Ideas

Sustainable business ideas are more important than ever. One poll found that 75% of companies rated their customers as one of the key drivers of their environmental policies. Since a growing number of consumers are concerned about sustainability, they are investing more in their green business models.

Green trade shows are a great example. A growing number of companies are looking into new green marketing strategies. Green trade shows should be at the top of their list.

The Trade Show News Network has pointed out that sustainability is a core focus of many trade show marketers. You can find ways to run a trade show while trimming your carbon footprint.

Making Sustainability the Focus of Your Trade Show Marketing Efforts

A trade show is one of the most effective platforms that entrepreneurs can use to directly connect and converse with their target audience. Trade shows have become one of the most popular marketing tools, but this also means that competition on the trade show floor has increased manifold. You may find your costs are higher if you are trying to make your trade show more sustainability. On the other hand, you can find more opportunities, since you can capitalize off the growing number of consumers focused on sustainability.

At a crowded event, the one thing that will differentiate your booth is your display. But, creating a stand-out trade show display isn’t always easy. Making it eco-friendly is also a challenge.

There are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration when creating an eco-friendly trade show marketing strategy. To help you give your business a winning edge, take a look at some important tips to keep in mind while creating trade show displays:

1. Start with the Perfect Location

Much like with real estate, finding the perfect spot for your booth is incredibly important. This matters both for your ROI and impact on the environment.

 The position of your display on the show floor will largely dictate how many people will pass by. A booth near the entrance or the food court or lounge is far more likely to see a large crowd than a booth that’s lost in the middle of a row or near the exit. In order to get the best location for your booth, you need to plan in advance and book your space as soon as possible. Some organizers will even allow you to pay a small premium for a booth in the front.

You also need to consider finding trade shows close to where you live. This can reduce your carbon footprint from traveling.

2. Consistency Is Key

One of the easiest ways in which you can make your booth stand out at a crowded event and increase brand recall is by ensuring your booth is consistent with your brand’s messaging and values. The only way to do this is by ensuring you use your brand colors consistently through your display. You should also ensure that your logo is clearly visible and easy to read from almost anywhere on the show floor. A good way to maximize your booth’s space and make your logo visible is by using the space above your booth to hang your logo. Not only will this make it easy for your clients to find you, but it will also remind visitors of your brand name every time they look up.

What does this mean from a sustainability perspective? If you are making green marketing a core aspect of your strategy, then you need to focus on that early on. Customers want to see that you are consistent with your green marketing efforts. There are too many companies that are feigning a commitment to sustainability. This practice is known as “greenwashing”. Truth in Advertising has called out a number of companies, such as Volkswagen and Nestle for misrepresenting themselves as sustainable businesses.

The earlier that you make a commitment to green business, the better. You will have an easier time convincing your customers that you are serious about helping the environment if you are green earlier.

3. Set a Scene

A really interesting way to differentiate yourself from others on the show floor is by converting your booth into a set of sorts. If you work in the food industry, you could convert your entire booth into a restaurant. Or, if you work in real estate, your booth could be built like a show flat. Either way, by turning your booth into something else, you’re sure to get people interested in what you’re doing. Once you have visitors lining up outside your booth, it’s time for you to turn on the charm and wow them with your presentation.

You should make sure your booth looks as environmentally friendly as possible. Being seen doing good is just as important as actually doing good when it comes to building a green brand. You may want to stick to using natural materials, such as wood. Even though recycled metals might be good for the environment, you will have a harder time convincing customers that they are environmentally friendly.

4. De-clutter Your Space

It may be tempting to fill every inch of your booth with marketing communication or displays of your product, but this is likely to do more harm than good at the trade show. If your booth is packed with tables, chairs, products and more, you won’t have enough space for visitors to walk around and experience everything you have on offer. Instead, keep your display simple. Use short text and clean and clear graphics to quickly tell visitors what your brand can offer them. In the short time that people spend looking at your booth, they should be able to promptly understand your message. Cluttered trade show displays with too many graphics could confuse them and convince them to walk on to the next booth instead.

5. Be Interactive

At a trade show, the most important objective for a brand to have is to engage their audience for as long as possible. The easiest way to do this is by converting your entire display into an interactive experience. Lay your booth out like a maze that visitors can walk through to experience your brand’s journey so far. Motion-sensor lights or videos make the entire experience all the more enthralling. If this seems like too much for you and your brand, you could keep it simple by hosting a raffle or using one of your display walls to create a photo booth. Even a small interactive experience can go a long way in encouraging people to find your booth and engage with you.

6. Go Big or Go Home

A great way to make your display stand out and give you an edge over your competition is by using one larger-than-life prop as your main attraction. If you work with technology and gadgets, you could have headphones that are 8-feet-tall and easy to spot even at a crowded show. Or, if you work with food and beverages, a larger-than-life bottle or edible could serve as your focus point. If you generally advertise your brand on cabs and buses, you could bring a cab to your booth with your branding on it. Not only will it make people curious about what you do, but it will also remind them what to look for outside the trade show as well.

Creating trade show displaysthat stand out from the crowd may seem like a lot of effort, but in all honesty, if you understand your audience and your trade show goals, it can be easy to pull off. As long as you keep these 6 display ideas in mind, you should be able to enjoy a successful trade show. Good luck!

Make Sustainability a Pinnacle of Your Trade Show Marketing

There are a lot of ways that you can make green marketing a core part of your business model. You may want to start with your trade show marketing efforts. You can help cut your carbon footprint and woo green customers at the same time.