The trade show environment is loud. Bright. Flashy. Full of strange imagery and sounds nowhere to be found in the “real world.” (Well … Vegas aside.) It’s enough to overwhelm the senses and dull them to what you’re actually putting before the attendees on the floor—and how that compares to the choices made by every other vendor at the show. If you no longer hear the incessant beeping of badges being scanned, if you’ve gone deaf to the screams of “WHO WANTS A FREE SHIRT?!” … or if you no longer even register the spandex-clad-brand-ambassadors strutting around the show floor, then you may need to rekindle your senses, one at a time.
Stand in front of your own booth and close your eyes. Focus on the sounds from your own personnel and electronics. Focus on the voices and the words of the crowd you’ve gathered. Think about what you hear. Think about what it means for your company and your trade show presence. Next, try a noise-canceling headset and just observe in silence.
Do you want to engage your customers in a conversation? Or do you just want to add to the noise? There’s much you can learn from your own senses …
Certainly the trade show environment can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes, it all it takes is taking a short break.
Well, trade shows are tough because as you sort of imply, there’s an attention arms race. You want people to notice your booth, and you don’t want to get drowned out. But then that sort of creates an obnoxious atmosphere. It’s hard to find a good balance – but trade shows are, for now, a necessary evil.