Tradeshows

Picking a Tradeshow Booth Location

You've got a great exhibit planned for this year's tradeshow and now it's time to pick your booth location. All of the work you put into your exhibit will be wasted if no one sees it, so you need a location with maximum visibility. Here's how to get the best tradeshow booth location.

Some tradeshow booths generate tons of traffic and significantly raise the profile of a tradeshow exhibit while other locations struggle to get noticed.

Although the quality of the exhibits might have something to do with it, the location of your booth makes a big difference in determining whether or not it will be seen by tradeshow attendees.

High traffic tradeshow booth locations go quickly, so you had better reserve your place early if you want to score one of these prime spots:

• Close to bathroom exits. Did you ever notice how people are keen to jump back into the swing of things immediately after a bathroom break? You can increase traffic by positioning your booth close to the bathroom exit. But if the restroom entrance and exit are located in two different places, avoid the entrance. People who are headed into the restroom won't share the same interest in your booth as those who are coming out of it.
• Next to food booths. Standing in a food line is boring. That's why a booth located next to the food both can be a great opportunity to get noticed at a tradeshow. Even though tradeshow attenders may not leave the food booth line to carry on an in-depth conversation about your products, you may be able to pique their interest enough for a return visit after their meal.
• Close to entrance. There is a lot of competition for booths located near the main entrance because everyone who attends the tradeshow is forced to walk by your exhibit. The downside is that they may not stop at your booth if there are a lot of people going in or out of the tradeshow. But combined with the right giveaway or other tradeshow gimmick, a booth near the entrance can make your exhibit an instant hit.
• Beside high traffic vendors. If your exhibit is "good not great", consider positioning yourself next to a vendor that you know will get a lot of traffic during the tradeshow. Although the other guy's booth will be the star, you'll get the overflow and probably enjoy more traffic than you would have on your own.
• Walls and corners. According to the experts, the prime show floor spots are the corner and outside perimeter locations. People tend to travel the walkways of the perimeter more than the interior paths, so the booth located at the very center of the show floor represents the fast track to tradeshow obscurity.

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