YOUR PRODUCT NEED NOT BE WORLD's BEST, BIGGEST OR THE BRIGHTEST.
Yet, if you are exhibiting at trade shows, do yourself a favor and do justice to your product demonstration capabilities.
Design an experience and an trade show booth that is not defined by the limited capabilities of your products, but, by the imaginative approach of your product. Because, 90% of the products are a sorry imitation of their competing bretheren only... maybe, some feature works better. Well, if only...
YET, Product demos are the most important element you can ARRANGE in your exhibit to PERPETUATE memorable BRAND DIALOGUE
Here’s why
"The top two reasons for remembering exhibits, “Product Interest” and “Well-Known Company” are factors mostly dependent on what your company has done before the show and outside the exhibit hall. As the exhibit manager you can have less immediate effect on these two (although you can affect it long-term)."
"Product demonstrations take full advantage of the face-to-face, interactive trade show environment."This we say with conviction, that a notable product demo sets you apart from other exhibitors who just sit there, even if they have a popular product and a well-known company.
This is where you can make your trade show marketing powerful, vivid and significantly effective than your competitors.
Bottom line, define a better demo in your booth space.
Yet, if you are exhibiting at trade shows, do yourself a favor and do justice to your product demonstration capabilities.
Design an experience and an trade show booth that is not defined by the limited capabilities of your products, but, by the imaginative approach of your product. Because, 90% of the products are a sorry imitation of their competing bretheren only... maybe, some feature works better. Well, if only...
YET, Product demos are the most important element you can ARRANGE in your exhibit to PERPETUATE memorable BRAND DIALOGUE
Here’s why
"The top two reasons for remembering exhibits, “Product Interest” and “Well-Known Company” are factors mostly dependent on what your company has done before the show and outside the exhibit hall. As the exhibit manager you can have less immediate effect on these two (although you can affect it long-term)."
"Product demonstrations take full advantage of the face-to-face, interactive trade show environment."This we say with conviction, that a notable product demo sets you apart from other exhibitors who just sit there, even if they have a popular product and a well-known company.
This is where you can make your trade show marketing powerful, vivid and significantly effective than your competitors.
Bottom line, define a better demo in your booth space.
7 BASIC elements that make a great trade show demonstration
1. MOMENTS IN MOTION
USE MOTION TO BUILD PERCEPTION OF EMOTIONS.
Is your product revolutionary?
Is it life saving or perhaps it is life enhancing? or perhaps neither.
But, with motion create and environment of MEANING, INDEPENDENCE, EXPANSION AND IMPACT. "Substitute imitation satisfaction factors" for the basics of what your brand stands for.
Sub-consciously, we are hyper alert towards movement, so use subtle motion to catch those roving eyes as they walk down the aisle.
Use snippets of demo before there’s anyone in your booth, to help draw people in and gather a crowd.
Punctuate your demo with emotions. Dabble in the realms of awe and adventure
2. PERSISTENT WITH PURPOSEFUL PRODUCT benefits
Acknowledge this: No once cares about your product features. However, state how easy it will be for your segmented audience to make the transition in digital transformation (for the example below) — now you have their attention.
Enact contextual benefits to empower your offering
Learn, the unique benefits of your products. If you have none, talk to us. Launch an unique poll and know what your audience is looking for. You will, of course, harness the power of social media to this effect.
See example below. We like how this brand creates a tension and craft and addictive experience.
Learn, the unique benefits of your products. If you have none, talk to us. Launch an unique poll and know what your audience is looking for. You will, of course, harness the power of social media to this effect.
See example below. We like how this brand creates a tension and craft and addictive experience.
Now, get started by creating a demo that makes those main benefits obvious to your prospects and your visitors.
3. WALK THE TALK — "Prove Your product workS"
DEMONSTRATE that your product does work, and the different levels that it can work. What you claim to be the truth, is your perception. Your prospects are still very skeptic about it. They often doubt the marketing claims they they read on your website and in your handouts.
At a trade show you have the perfect opportunity to overcome their skepticism by demonstrating how your product really does what it says it does.
DEMONSTRATE that your product does work, and the different levels that it can work. What you claim to be the truth, is your perception. Your prospects are still very skeptic about it. They often doubt the marketing claims they they read on your website and in your handouts.
At a trade show you have the perfect opportunity to overcome their skepticism by demonstrating how your product really does what it says it does.
Pre-segment your audience by their knowledge of your product before your hand over reigns. This will prevent undue frustration.
4. ACTIVITY Designed FOR CONNECTIVITY
LIKE IT OR NOT, “A fish tank is just interactive television for cats.”
YOUR PRODUCT DEMO, NEED TO BE MORE THAN A SITTING 'FISHING TANK'
Get your booth visitor involved in the demo, by either a GAME, DISCUSSION, OR SOLVING A EASY SOLVABLE BENEFIT RELATED PROBLEM. Ask them about their ideas problem solving — they will engage more of their neurons (and thus memory), and also, sub-consciously, will become apart of your product experience, thus, "more likely to believe your claims as they are experiencing it them themselves."
5. THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR
We humans are who we are.
Give us too much — we will not value your goods, services or your efforts. Give us little, we are quick to sneer at you.
Train your exhibit staff how to do read human behavior — what to make of the tiny frowns and encouraging nods. You get one chance in proving how great this product works. You have their full attention. Make sure you make good of it.
Train your staffers on the possible questions that your clients might ask. Also, if somehow the product does not work on the show floor, prepare a script.
Every possible situation must be thought out and planned for. Steps must be adhered to enact the close of perfect execution.
Only, if you shoot for that, you will have the pleasure in highlighting your 'Perfect Imperfections'
Take inspiration from the culture of coloring books. Coloring tables are great memory enhancers. It is imaginative, receptive and tactile. (ask us how)
6. THE TRAUMA OF TECHNOLOGY
Technology withe all it's gifts and advances, has not made us inspired individuals. WHY? THE SHORT ANSWER:
Your imagination has been snatched away from you. OR, shall we say,
YOU HAVE BECOME THE CREATURE OF DESOLATE DISAPPOINTMENT
“We can’t jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined. We can’t take skinny dips in the ocean because there’s no service on the beach and adventures aren’t real unless they’re on Instagram.
Technology has doomed the spontaneity of adventure and we’re helping destroy it every time we Google, check-in, and hashtag.”
So, what to do? How to do product presentation if your product is a laggard, compared to your competition.
This is where you make an effort to tap into your imagination. Use interesting visuals and ideas to demonstrate your product.
You know what your product does now.
But, dare to take 10 steps ahead and present what the product can do in a couple of years. Get a market read on your ideas.
Once you have that, filter those ideas to a select few. Tap the visitors who augmented your ideas with their imagination. Ask them, if they would sign a non-disclosure agreement and be part of this new focus group that you are launching. Create private social channel groups and see how your product takes off.
You have basically created a 'Product Propaganda Technology' for the life of your product.
Now, congratulate yourself. You have customized your product based on the market needs. And, that my friend does not have to stand the test of competition.
Technology withe all it's gifts and advances, has not made us inspired individuals. WHY? THE SHORT ANSWER:
Your imagination has been snatched away from you. OR, shall we say,
YOU HAVE BECOME THE CREATURE OF DESOLATE DISAPPOINTMENT
“We can’t jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined. We can’t take skinny dips in the ocean because there’s no service on the beach and adventures aren’t real unless they’re on Instagram.
Technology has doomed the spontaneity of adventure and we’re helping destroy it every time we Google, check-in, and hashtag.”
So, what to do? How to do product presentation if your product is a laggard, compared to your competition.
This is where you make an effort to tap into your imagination. Use interesting visuals and ideas to demonstrate your product.
You know what your product does now.
But, dare to take 10 steps ahead and present what the product can do in a couple of years. Get a market read on your ideas.
Once you have that, filter those ideas to a select few. Tap the visitors who augmented your ideas with their imagination. Ask them, if they would sign a non-disclosure agreement and be part of this new focus group that you are launching. Create private social channel groups and see how your product takes off.
You have basically created a 'Product Propaganda Technology' for the life of your product.
Now, congratulate yourself. You have customized your product based on the market needs. And, that my friend does not have to stand the test of competition.
Illustrate your technology with contextual scene setting. Venture on a wild imagination ridge.
7. SET THE Space FOR THE ESSENCE OF YOUR PRODUCT
Refrain from the desire to design a booth with bunch of flat screen thrown in. That is what your competition will do. Instead, design a trade show booth that lends purpose to your product demo.
"Rather than consider a demo after your trade show booth is built, design your exhibit from the start with the demo in mind, giving it space, lighting, supporting graphics, and any architectural elements needed, such as a stage, table, or kiosk."
Refrain from the desire to design a booth with bunch of flat screen thrown in. That is what your competition will do. Instead, design a trade show booth that lends purpose to your product demo.
"Rather than consider a demo after your trade show booth is built, design your exhibit from the start with the demo in mind, giving it space, lighting, supporting graphics, and any architectural elements needed, such as a stage, table, or kiosk."
Highlight your product in an elevated vertical space. Think of unlikely contextual connotations. Have fun with it.
Activate an exciting demo.
Happy Exhibiting!
Activate an exciting demo.
Happy Exhibiting!