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Effective Use of Booth Signage Increases Quality Leads

by Alan Isacson    

Here are five booth marketing tips to increase your ROI:

"NEW" Signage

If you're introducing a new service, system or product at a trade show, create signs that clearly highlight the word "NEW."  Incorporate font and background colors that ensure quick reading from the aisle.  Also, make certain that the word "NEW" leads the text and is noticeably larger than other signcopy.

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Headline Important User Benefits

You are competing with hundreds of exhibitors for the prospect's attention.  Attendees are bombarded with sights, sounds, and information as they walk the aisles.  Ensure your signage promotes value, since you have only a few seconds to capture a prospect's attention.

Don't simply create a sign that announces a "New Folding System" or "New Printing Service."  Clearly bullet the most important benefits that customers can gain by employing the system.

For example:

NEW XYZ Folding System

-  Consistent

-  Accurate

-  20% Faster

The word "New" captures the customer's immediate attention and the bulleted benefits effectively qualify the degree of interest and need.  Users who have an immediate need that the new system promises to solve will read the sign with great interest and enter the booth requesting details, a demonstration, andperhaps, a post-show meeting.

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Sign Positioning

Place "New" signs so that they can be seen by attendees walking the aisle.  However, make certain that they don't serve as obstacles blocking customers from entering the booth.  Use easels or other props to raise signs for easy viewing.  Spotlights or LED lighting can effectively drive attention to"New" signage.

Also, make sales people aware of the importance of booth signs as prospect qualifiers.  Encourage them to be aware of their booth positioning so that they avoid standing in front of signs as well as creating guard like obstacles discouraging attendees from entering the booth.

"Solutions" Signage

For products, systems or services that are not new, yet offer proven solutions for specific applications, effective booth signage can also increase qualified leads.  It is important to create signs that do more than identify or describe the product's function.  Key marketing ingredients critical for signperformance are bulleted benefits.

Clearly highlight the most important benefits that customers can expect from installing and operating the system. 

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For example,

Pallet Packing Software

- Pack 20% More on Pallets

- Increase Productivity by 15%

This is so much more effective than:

"Pallet-Pack Software."

Company Identity

Don't assume that specifiers and buyers walking the show know your company and your products and services.  Even if systems are displayed in the booth, key prospects may still be unaware of what exactly your company provides.

Signage that simply highlights the company's name is typically not descriptive enough.  Always use a company identifier to qualify and define your business.

Company identifiers should be created as user benefits. 

For example:

XYZ Corporation

Accurate, High Quality Printing Services

In summary, place a higher priority on sign marketing to gain a greater show ROI. 


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Alan Isacson is president and founder of A. B. Isacson Associates (ABI), a leading business-to-business, marketing public relations agency that specializes in promoting equipment, software, materials, and services throughout the world. For more informatio