Fun, Memorable Ways to Promote Trade Show Events

After the dip in in-person trade show attendance following the pandemic, trade shows are experiencing a resurgence. In fact, according to event management company CVENT, spring in-person attendance at its events was 34% higher in 2023 than the previous year. Here are three “out of the box” ideas for promoting attendance at your next trade show booth or live event.

1. Three-dimensional “pop-up” mailers.

No piece of mail will captivate your audience’s attention like one that pops from a flat into a 3D shape in their hand. Surprise! Remove the band or pull the tab, and the flat mailer explodes into a three-dimensional shape that recipients can’t help but explore. Every surface can have a different picture, message, or graphic. As recipients turn the 3D pop-up over and over, they become engaged with the content in a unique and highly memorable way.

2. Virtual tours using augmented reality.

One of the hottest ways to promote trade shows is through virtual tours using augmented reality. Recipients scan the QR code on postcards, posters, or social media posts with their mobile phones, follow the prompts, and after a few moments, they appear to “step through” a virtual doorway into the event venue itself. Use augmented reality to give them a 360-tour of your booth, allow them to “walk around” and explore your product as if they were right in front of it, or offer another exciting experience. You provide the video, and the software does the rest.

3. Branded promotional items.

Match the right promotional item to your audience and marketing goal, and you will have a powerful and long-lasting marketing tool. Unlike brochures that can get thrown away, branded calendars and mugs will sit on your recipient’s desk for weeks or months. Mail a 90-day countdown calendar with all the reasons to visit your booth at Coffee World 2024, or send them a funny trade-show-meme-themed coffee mug: “Don’t Be a Land-Lubber! Make Waves with Us at National Boating World!”

There are so many creative options for promoting trade show events that there is no excuse not to do something truly eye-catching and memorable. If you need ideas, let’s brainstorm.