As an exhibitor, the work for a successful event starts long before the first day of the show. Pre-event strategies are essential for driving traffic to your booth, ensuring high-quality interactions, and ultimately maximizing the ROI of your investment. While the event itself is critical, how you engage with potential attendees before the event begins can be the difference between a booth full of qualified leads and an empty space.
In this blog, we’ll explore pre-event strategies that will help exhibitors like you build buzz, engage prospects, and drive foot traffic to your booth. From scheduling pre-event meetings to using multi-channel promotions, these strategies will ensure that you hit the ground running, with your booth already set up for success before the event begins.
1. Craft an Engaging Pre-Event Narrative
Building anticipation for your booth starts with a clear narrative. Rather than simply announcing your presence, create a story that resonates with your target audience’s needs and interests. Why should attendees visit your booth? What problems do you solve for them? What new, exciting experiences can they expect?
A strong narrative makes your booth more than just a place to visit—it becomes an opportunity for attendees to solve challenges, gain insights, and connect with your brand. This narrative should be embedded in your messaging across all your pre-event promotions.
Focus on Solutions
Instead of focusing solely on products, highlight how your solutions address specific pain points your audience faces.
Create Value
Show what attendees will gain by visiting you, whether that’s access to exclusive demos, special offers, or meeting with experts in the field.
By creating a compelling story, your booth will become unmissable, and attendees will already be excited to engage with you even before they walk through the event doors.
2. Leverage Pre-Event Meeting Scheduling to Maximize Quality Interactions
One of the best ways to ensure that your time at the event is productive is by scheduling meetings in advance. Attendees at large events are often overwhelmed, so giving them the opportunity to book a dedicated time slot with your team ensures that you engage with high-priority prospects and not just casual passersby.
Offer Pre-Event Booking
Use email, social media, or your event app to invite leads to schedule one-on-one meetings at your booth. Offer them personalized consultations, demos, or discussions about specific pain points.
Streamline the Process
Make the booking process as easy as possible. Use automated scheduling tools that allow attendees to book their time with you directly, cutting down on friction and increasing the likelihood of them committing to a visit.
This strategy not only helps you prioritize high-value leads but also allows you to better prepare for meaningful interactions at the event.
3. Build Excitement with Multi-Channel Promotions
Creating buzz before the event starts is essential, and multi-channel promotions are a great way to get your target audience excited to visit your booth. By combining email marketing, social media, and event apps, you can ensure that your booth remains top-of-mind for potential attendees.
Tease Booth Highlights
Share sneak peeks of what attendees can expect. Whether it’s a new product launch, exclusive offers, or exciting demos, build anticipation by giving them just enough information to spark their interest.
Run Social Media Campaigns
Use platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to engage with attendees before the event. Post countdowns, highlight what’s unique about your booth, and share behind-the-scenes content. Don’t forget to use the event hashtag to help increase visibility to the right audience.
Email Reminders
Send out personalized email campaigns that include meeting scheduling links, product teasers, and event details. These emails should remind attendees why they should prioritize your booth and what makes it a must-visit.
By creating a multi-channel approach, you increase the likelihood that attendees will engage with your booth across multiple touchpoints, keeping you top-of-mind leading up to the event.
4. Host Contests and Prize Giveaways to Drive Booth Traffic
One of the most effective ways to increase foot traffic and create excitement around your booth is by hosting contests or promoting prize giveaways. People love the opportunity to win something, and offering a chance to win exclusive prizes can create a sense of urgency and anticipation, driving attendees to prioritize your booth.
Prize Giveaways
Consider offering high-value prizes such as the latest smartphones, exclusive swag, or even free access to premium services. Having these attractive prizes will encourage attendees to visit your booth and engage with your team, making it a must-see destination at the event.
Gamification
Set up digital activations or interactive games at your booth where attendees can compete for prizes. This adds a fun, engaging element to your booth that keeps attendees coming back for more. Gamification not only creates excitement but also encourages repeat visits as attendees engage in friendly competition.
Contests to Boost Engagement
Run contests where attendees can enter by completing a quick action, such as scheduling a meeting with your team, providing an email, or sharing your content on social media. Offering a prize for the winner helps incentivize these actions and boosts engagement.
How Captello Can Help:
Captello enhances your booth experience with over 60 interactive digital activations and leaderboards. These activations create a competitive atmosphere that keeps attendees engaged and drives traffic to your booth. The leaderboard adds an exciting dynamic by showcasing top competitors, encouraging attendees to visit your booth frequently to track their progress.
Additionally, Captello’s Reward Center allows you to seamlessly reward contest winners with digital gift cards, making prize distribution efficient and convenient. Whether you’re offering gift cards for popular retailers or custom vouchers, Captello ensures the entire process runs smoothly.
5. Use Technology to Streamline Lead Capture and Scheduling
Maximizing your booth’s impact means being prepared. Having the right tools to manage leads, schedule meetings, and track interactions will ensure you make the most of your time at the event.
Pre-Event Meeting Scheduling
Use technology like a Meeting Management Platform to allow attendees to schedule one-on-one meetings with your team ahead of time. This helps you prioritize high-value leads and ensures that your team is prepared for meaningful interactions.
Seamless Lead Capture
Tools like Captello’s Universal Lead Capture allow you to collect valuable data in real-time, ensuring that no lead is missed and every interaction is followed up on effectively.
The success of your booth begins long before the event starts. By implementing strategies such as creating a compelling narrative, offering pre-event meeting scheduling, leveraging multi-channel promotions, and providing exclusive pre-event content, you can ensure your booth stands out and drives significant engagement.
