We’re out at HAI’s annual HELI-EXPO this week (as I’m sure many of you are too), so in honor of that, we thought we’d talk tradeshows on today’s blog – more specifically, branding’s place on the tradeshow floor.
Sure, you know that your logo, colors, motto and other brand collateral should be on display at your company’s tradeshow booth, but do you know why? Do you know how it can impact your performance at the show? The sales and connections that come from the show?
That’s what I want to delve into today, so let’s just dive right in.
- Branding is what helps you stand out. In a sea of other aviation companies, your branding is what’s going to make you stand out to a passerby. It’s your colors and logos that will catch their eye, your motto that will intrigue them, and your unique booth design that will make them stop and want to learn more. You don’t want to blend in and look like every other booth on the floor; you want to look like YOU – and only you.
- Branding makes you more impressive. Your branding is also what people are going to be impressed by. Think of it this way: If you stopped at two booths, each selling autopilots, but only one had fresh, colorful branding, helpful and friendly staffers, and cool, branded freebies you could take home, which one do you think you’d bring back to your boss? You can bet it’s the better-branded one.
- Good branding is easier to recall. The average tradeshow-goer stops by hundreds of booths during their stay. Do you really think they’re going to remember each and every one they visited? Definitely not. They’re going to remember a select few – probably the ones that gave them the most unique experience, had the best visuals and stood out the most amongst the crowd. Aim to deliver just that!
- Bad branding will send them away. No one wants to do business with an outdated, out-of-touch brand, especially in a high-tech world like the aviation industry. Unfortunately, if your booth is filled with tired, old and outdated branding, that’s just what your company will look like. Not only will it fail to bring in new customers and sales, it actually may turn people off to your brand completely!
- Proper branding delivers an experience. Just handing out flyers and business cards isn’t going to get you far. But with great branding, you can turn your booth into a real-life, interactive experience for your visitors instead. Use your branding to create fun, hands-on models and demos, hand out branded freebies, giveaways and raffles, or let your visitors feel a part of your brand, by sitting in a mock-up cockpit, airplane cabin or other unique setting specific to your organization.
So before you head to your next tradeshow, make sure you’re making branding a proper part of your booth. It should be considered in your initial designs, used in any demos or products you show, and be a big part of your staffers’ pitch and presentation.
Want help perfecting your branding and tradeshow booth? Contact the aerospace and aviation branding experts at Haley Aerospace today.
