A Guide to Launching a New Product at the Trade Show

Trade shows are one of the most exciting events that happen in each industry. With thousands of attendees comprising of a wide spectrum of industry professionals to buyers. Thus, it is not uncommon for exhibit systems to take advantage of such mass gathering to launch new products. 

But why does a company wait for a trade show to launch a product when they can easily launch it like their previous products? Here are some of the reasons why trade show product launches are beneficial for your company.

• Trade show events bring in crowds, thus there is maximum exposure.
• The exhibition comprises your target audience thus, your outreach increases.
• It helps in gaining leads and increasing first-day sales since people will want to try out the new product.
• It helps stand out amongst other exhibit systems as you are exhibiting a new product.

So how does one launch a new product at a trade show? Simple, follow these steps while launching a new product in your trade show booth set up.

• Selecting the Appropriate Trade Show

Choosing the appropriate trade show is integral for the launch of the new product given the varying nature of each event. Although there may be hundreds of events taking place in a year, they have vast differences. While some might have big names attending, others might be an international show; some might be product-centric while others might be more like a conference or seminar. 

This is why you must do thorough research on the last year’s trade show, exhibitors, and attendees. This will help you know to choose the right trade show and generate maximum leads. 

• Creating a Product-Centric Show Booth

Your show booth is the most important aspect while launching. But what is even more integral is the booth design. From the layout to banners to graphics to the placement of the show displays, a show booth launching a new product must be product-centric.

In short, the product must be the highlight of the exhibit stand. Moreover, how the attendees will view and interact with the product is important. Having live product demonstrations is the most engaging way to attract attendees and give them a first-hand experience. This goes a long way in gaining customers as the attendee are the first people who use the product. 

Nonetheless, the banners, graphics, and counters must feature the new product so that it is visible from afar. 

• Formulating Marketing Strategies

Creating the buzz about your new product a few months before the trade show helps you attract attendees. This is wherein your marketing strategies play an important role. 

Formulate a concept or theme you want to follow and incorporate it into the marketing strategies and the trade show. For marketing, the new products focus on their features, benefits, and any offers. Use social media marketing, email marketing, and video marketing to let people know about the product. Keep track of the engagement rates and answer any queries to keep the audience updated. 

Include teaser videos of the product on your brand’s website so that it is the first thing people see when they click on the webpage. 

• Promoting the Product Launch

At the trade show, make sure your trade show booth set up highlights the new product. 

If you a video wall play the new product’s videos on loop. Host games, contests, raffles, and other activities to increase footfall at your show booth; conduct live demonstrations to let people know how the product works. 

As the attendees leave your exhibit stand, give out flyers, brochures, booklets, and free giveaways. Make sure these handouts feature the new product and provide detailed information about the same. Even your giveaways can be customized to feature the product. For example, if you are an energy drinks company, launching a new range, you can create keychains with the energy drink charm. 

• Follow-Up After the Trade Show

After the trade show is over, your task to convert the leads into sales begins. Be it your post-trade show marketing strategies or the content of your messages, the new product must be highlighted while mentioning the trade show. This will help the attendees to recall the company and the product. 

We hope this article will help you plan the launch of your new product at the upcoming trade show. People love new things. So in a room full of people from the same industry, launching a new product at a trade show is one of the most effective ways to increase sales and attract a crowd to your trade booth. Moreover, it helps you stand out amongst other exhibit systems. 

Tip of the Day: Instead of having only the new product as the trade show display product, feature some of your similar products or their accessories. However, stress on the launch of the new product will drive the attention to it.