What a great article on Forbes! I especially love these two:
“Be audacious and memorable… but smart… and relevant. Don’t pay for mermaids to swim in glass tanks in your booth that have nothing to do with your business. But it’s ok if you are having a Hawaiian vacation for partners who send lots of leads to have Samoan fire dancers and Hawaiian hula dancers at your booth.”
“Have your best lead generators at the event… And make it a game! Invite your reps to shows and watch for the ones who really earn their pay. The others can stay home next time. Have contests, set goals. Gamify your tradeshow.”
And also the idea that it isn’t the association’s event, you paid for it; it’s your event. You need to make the most of it. Also the idea of piggybacking on the event by holding your own event, party or conference that coincides with the trade show is a great way to add value.
Experiential Ideas 