Creating a Larger than Life Presence

A good brand experience often comes when you least expect it.  This weekend I was walking around an arts fair when I saw this booth for Mrs. Meyer’s soap.   Now I have heard of Meyer’s soap, but I have never used it.

Booth at Los Altos Fair

Another Look Including Sinks

Their portable presence was truly eye catching and straight on for the brand.  It presents an aspirational look for a premium brand.    Having the sinks outside the Porta Potties was an added bonus for those who dare use them.  Meyer’s also closed the loop by providing free samples of their dishwashing soap.

To create this look for a small show, however, is probably cost prohibitive for most companies.

Having done many tabletops, however, there are a few inexpensive ways to make you look bigger than you are:

• Pull up banner.   These are so portable to travel with and can be changed out as your products or message evolves.
• Branded tabletop drape.  If you can’t afford the banner, at least invest in one dark colored tabletop drape that can move with you from show to show.   A little investment goes along way in providing polish.
• Uniform.   Even if it simply is a matching polo shirt from Target, try to make it clear to attendees who is working your booth and can help them.   With more formal environments that require suit and tie, try to at least have staff color coordinate–using the main company color as an accessory.
• URL card.   Realizing that most show attendees don’t want to lug collateral back with them [and are often unwilling to give up their email], I have often provided a special show URL for them to go to and download press kits, collateral, etc.   This way you save printing and shipping costs but still provide an easy way to access information.  This card is also a great place to put your Twitter and Facebook info.

Missing from the list above is freebies.   I go back and forth on this one.  If you are working for a company with reasonably priced products, a drawing at the end of the day from business cards is always a good way to go.   Your ultimate goal is to get people to try out your product/brand/service and tell others about it.  There is so much swag that gets wasted–how many stress balls do you really need?  Think about what you are trying  to accomplish with your audience and whether or not that freebie will help.