New product to launch? Here are five ideas to launch your new product at a trade show or exhibition.

Launching a new product has many challenges. You need market visibility, and you need to be able to get it in front of your target audience in order to showcase your products unique selling points.

Trade shows and exhibitions come into their own as one of the best marketing tools available to launch new products. Consider the following market research from our recent post on the marketing power of exhibitions: 

92% of trade show attendees say they are looking for new products
81% of trade show attendees have buying authority and purchasing power

 Source: CEIR: The Spend Decision: Analyzing How Exhibits Fit Into The Overall Marketing Budget and The Role and Value of Face to Face

What this research says is clear….

The majority of trade show attendees want to see new products and are in a position to buy. Talk about capturing the right audience at the right time!

As well as generating sales, trade shows are also a perfect way to conduct valuable market research.  They provide a knowledgeable, captive audience, in person, ready to test your new product.

If you’re thinking about using a trade show to launch a new product,  here are five ways to use a custom exhibition stand to help make it stand out.

 

1. Perform Product Demonstrations

 

It’s a fact that most people learn by doing. While you can print brochures, create a video and talk about your new product if you want to make a lasting impression on customers – let them try it.

If a new product demonstration is a vital part of your display stand, your stand design and layout must follow suit.

This stand we put together for Melitta Coffee Solutions at Fine Food Australia is an excellent example of one that invites attendees to both view and sample the product on offer.   With a café style arrangement and their new coffee machine as the centrepiece, it showcases the new product in a setting that invites attendees in to try for themselves.

 

 

Of course, this isn’t always possible with larger, more expensive products.

Instead, pick a few audience members to come in and test it out and experience it. Consumers trust other consumers, which is why word of mouth is still today, a valuable marketing tool. Your audience would rather see one of their peers testing out the product than sitting through a demo from a salesperson.

To ensure your product demonstration is connecting with your audience, make sure you do your research.  Here are some tips:

a. Know your audience: it’s essential to know who you are selling to and to make sure your demonstration caters to their needs. Do some market research and work out the features that are important to them. Ask yourself:

• • • What interests does this customer have?
    • How much knowledge do they have about your product and industry?
    • Why are they at the trade show?
    • What problem are they hoping to solve?

The secret to a powerful demonstration is making sure you have a deep understanding of your customer and demonstrate how your new product benefits them.

b. Know your product: you need to expect that people attending a trade show are heavily involved in your industry and expect detailed product knowledge. Some will have researched your product and competitors before the event and will have questions they are looking to answer. Make sure you have the answers to any product-related question, no matter how technical it is. If you fail to respond sufficiently, they won’t stick around.

c. Know what problem you solve: it all comes back to understanding your customers, their problems, and demonstrating how your products solve the problem. A deep and thorough understanding of their issues makes for a much more compelling demonstration.

d. Tell a story: people love storytelling. It creates an emotional connection that stays with us and makes you more memorable. If you only list the features of the product, chances are you are already forgotten once they leave the trade show. Tell a story about how the product came about, or how it has helped clients. Make it relatable.

 

2. Giveaway Samples

 

Who doesn’t love a freebie?  Sampling has been in the marketing arsenal for a long time, but not all companies can harness its full potential.

Here are some tips:

a. Decide why you’re sampling: when you’re launching a new product, samples are a great way to ‘seed’ your market.  Sampling can work across many industries, so it’s not limited to just food products.  If they like it, they will come back for more. Have a clear understanding of what you are hoping to achieve with your sampling, as this will help you decide whether it’s worthwhile or not.

 

 

Sampling isn’t limited to food products. What better way to sample a new gaming machine than to use it!

a. Choose what you’re sampling: this decision is simple if you have a single product, but what if you have a developed product line? Consider whether you have a hero product from the range that you want to promote. If not, vary your samples, or provide them with all. By including small samples for each category, you can still strive for mass appeal with a potentially large and diverse market.

b. Make a plan: There’s a saying that goes: “Sample generously, but with more practicality”. Sampling does not come cheap. It involves balancing your goals and the size of your market. You can’t just decide to make millions of samples on a whim.  A good rule to follow is to order an extra 20% for each product line as samples.

c. Strut it: do you want to make your launch memorable for your customers? Then you need to think outside the box. How can you make your samples stand out? How can you make them want to open and try it? Look at new and creative sampling packaging to help it stand out.

 

3. Create A Launch Event

 

You’ve got the new product, you’ve got the customers, so why not turn the exhibition into a launch event? An event is a perfect way to connect with your customer and gain invaluable insight to further improve your product. To make sure you get the maximum investment return on your product launch, follow these simple tips:

a. Create an outline: together with your marketing team, build a task calendar three months before the launch. Make sure to include clear assignments and tasks, such as updating new merchandise graphics to fit the trade show theme and conducting trials to gain customer testimonials.

b. Build an event-specific website: a standalone website is useful in providing customers with information about your new product before and even after the launch event. It is also a great idea to collect emails at the event as it is the most direct way to stay in touch with your customers.

c. Use social media: social media is a great way to reach a targeted audience and create product hype for your launch event. Create a hashtag or use the show’s hashtag to connect with attendees. Host a contest or promote your samples through Instagram or Twitter. The opportunities provided by social media platforms nowadays are endless!

 

4. Use Product Experts

 

You need to build a connection and trust with your consumers during a trade show.

A trustworthy brand is transparent about their products and their values. As mentioned above, you also need to be prepared to answer any technical question your audience throws at you. This is why a product specialist is essential.

You need someone who not only understands every technical aspect of your product, but they also need to be able to present it in a friendly and engaging way. This is a huge responsibility that requires the right candidate.   

 

5. Have A Product-Conscious Layout

 

When thinking about your display booth design, you must consider how the customer is going to interact with your product.

Do your customers need somewhere to sit when sampling your product? Does the product require a unique display stand or location?  You also need to make sure you assign places where you’ll do the demo, taking into consideration both the audience’s comfort and product visibility.

This time-lapse of the Suzohapp display we built at the ICC Sydney showcases the product in a comfortable setting that encourages the visitor to sit down and engage with the products.

 

 

Failing to think about your stand layout will affect how many attendees can enter your space, what message they see, and how long they will stay on your stand.

Grand Stand Events has extensive experience creating unique and effective display stands for new product launches across many industries.

If you’re putting together a trade show display for your new product, then our professionals are here to help you. Don’t hesitate to contact us on 1300 979 114 or email us at [email protected].