The more the merrier. This is an idiom that best defines the purpose of a trade show exhibit. When you put it in plain words, this simply implies that the more customers who stop at your booth, the greater your sales leads will be; thus greater chances of hitting the big time.

But what’s really the purpose of a trade show? Why do businesses should participate in exhibiting? A trade show is a great avenue for increasing the customer’s brand awareness. It’s a good means to market new products and services to different consumers. Proven and tested by many, indeed it is ideal to exhibit at trade shows for it gives businesses especially the newly established ones to generate leads, obtain suppliers and make an impact in the industry.

Many things should be considered when preparing for the trade show. However, the safest way to meet your targets is through careful planning. Plan in advance. Fewer mistakes can be made when you make your plans ahead of time. How will you do the planning? First and foremost, you have to think about the basic elements of the show namely: the kind of show, the purpose, the exhibit booth and the marketing aspect.

Here are some of the basic steps you have to follow in order that you come up with a winning trade show booth:

1. Plan, prepare and present. Ideally, it is best if you would do the preparations 18 months before the trade show event. It’s important to have a full understanding of what your goals are before you put your mind, heart, soul and money into the show. List the objectives you want to accomplish at the end of the show. It’s better if you only have one main objective. The objective should correspond to the show’s general objectives. Focus on only on objective and work hard to attain that goal. Also think about how you will make your presence felt by your target market.

2. Go for the most suitable show. Ask yourself if the show is to your advantage. Does it match your objective? Does it give you benefits? Does it cater to the right audience? If the answer to all these questions is yes, then it’s the one you’re looking for. Get some information regarding the trade show. You can ask some past exhibitors to check if the show is of good reputation and if it’s reliable.

3. Check out the space, location and the opportunities. The space and location of the booth is critical in trade show marketing. If you want to get noticed, you should consider where your booth will be located. Choose the area where the customers can easily see you. Keep away from areas with low ceilings, poorly lit spaces, columns and dead-end aisles.

4. Hand out some giveaways. A trade show giveaway is one way of getting your message across your prospective customers. It is a way of enticing your customers and convincing them to patronize your products and services.