Standing out at a conference is a challenge. Most exhibitors opt for a standard size booth, a couple banner stands, a literature table, and a (hopefully) friendly rep at attention to answer attendees’ questions. Yet with many shows in this field having more than 100 booths, a wise conference planner will use other techniques to capture weary and hungry attendees’ interest.
Some solutions are quite simple. For example, have a noticeable prop at your booth. If you are marketing a cloud-based information technology solution, having a server rack with a sign that says “Are these taking up too much space in your office?” will likely grab attention, particularly since server racks are large.
Most conferences provide multiple opportunities to stand out in the hall. Floor clings provide visual cues leading to your booth. “Island” booths, which surprisingly are extremely uncommon at addiction treatment shows, create destination and gathering centers at aisle crossroads. Adjacent power or massage stations usually lead to lines, giving you an opportunity to interact with attendees as they await their turn.
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| The Qualifacts Blue Guy created a buzz at the National Council
conference in Vegas in April 2013. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Lexow |
The point of all of this is to give a hesitant attendee an incentive or cue to stop and begin a conversation. The good news is that exhibits in our field are quite pedestrian. In other areas of healthcare, two- or three-story booths with large data displays and cars being raffled are the norm. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to stand out at a behavioral healthcare conference. And, if in doubt, find a way to simply stand above the competition, as Qualifacts demonstrated at the National Council conference in April.
