The right routing or visitor flow at a B2B trade show ensures that you attract visitors, hold their attention and then move them into your sales funnel. But how do you create such an ideal visitor flow? To help you with this, we are happy to share our insights so you can achieve the goals you have in mind.

What is a visitor flow and why is it important?

An exhibition stand can be seen as a marketing funnel: you attract visitors, arouse their interest, make them think about your product or service as a solution to their problem, and then you have to convince them to take action: the conversion.
The visitors move through the exhibition in a certain way (the visitor flow), and the question is at what moment and at what place you lead them to the next step. You need to hold their attention and lead them to where you want them to be in order to make a conversion.
What information do you give at what time, and when is the right time for an account manager or salesperson to step up to the visitor? Once you have this figured out in the form of a walking route for the visitor, you can much better decide how to use the booth space, what resources you need and how you are going to design your trade show strategy to lead to maximum conversions.

The optimal trade show flow starts with your goals

Online marketing is becoming increasingly important in the B2B market. But as we also know, far from all marketing and sales activities can take place online. Therefore, it is important to set KPIs and goals specifically for the trade show, which ultimately contribute to the goals of your overall marketing strategy.
Ask yourself the questions: Why do we need a trade show? How does this trade show play a role? To what company-wide KPIs do we want this trade show to contribute, and how? Once you have determined these goals, make sure you make the relevant data measurable. Based on that collected data, you can determine to what extent the trade show has really contributed to achieving those objectives and what you can focus on better next time.

Attracting visitors

First and foremost, visitors must flock to your trade show. This doesn't just start with the trade show itself: in the overall marketing strategy for your company, the trade show is a means of achieving conversions, not an end in itself. So with marketing activities, make sure that you reach a group of potential customers well before the trade show starts and that you receive their data. For example, when you want to market a new product or service, launch a campaign where you show appropriate stimulating content to potential customers in advance. They get excited to find out more about the solution you offer, and use a short form to sign up for the launch at the trade show or for a 1-on-1 meeting with a specialist. Through the data they entered in the form, you remove them from anonymity: the more you know about the visitors in advance, the better you can prepare the booth. Such as with what purpose they are coming to the fair.
Secondly, you have to consider the location: where or in which hall are you standing? What does the hall look like and where are the main walkways? Among what other exhibitors are you standing?
In addition, you need to stand out visually by creating the WOW factor. Look for something unique every year. Make sure you establish yourself as a recognizable brand by incorporating your corporate identity. Because the trade show is part of one or more campaigns, it is important that the expectations you set in the campaign beforehand are in line with what you realize in the trade show and what you follow up on the leads. The best part is if you can exceed the visitor's expectation in the process.

Make smart use of the space you have

The visitor flow in your trade show booth does not only depend on where you have what information and how you guide visitors through the trade show. For example, you can show visitors the way by using digital signage such as LED strips, giving them a subconscious sense that they have to walk past something. Another great option to add dynamism to your space is to incorporate an interconnected touch display that allows you to direct the entire trade show display - such as the lights or certain projections - based on theme, such as sustainability or innovation, or give a customer-specific presentation in a specific area of the trade show booth. That way you can quickly transform space into a completely different look.
Then we come to the next point: where do you place the product or service presentations? If you have several, it can be difficult to determine where in the booth what should be. Many companies tend to give prominence to only a select few products and services, but how do you give attention to the rest of the portfolio as well? And how do you then build a flow around the products or presentations to achieve conversion? We do know a few solutions for that.

Leaving a lasting impression with visual experiences

Gorgeous, interactive visual experiences are a great addition for attracting and retaining attention and generating conversions without necessarily involving an account manager. And if there's one thing that ensures you leave a lasting impression, it's evoking positive emotions such as wonder and recognition of the challenge they face. To do this, you have to be able to empathize: what really appeals to your potential customer? How can he identify with someone who needs your product or service?
Videos, animations or interactive presentations on touch displays are good examples of applications that allow you to respond to the customer's emotion and situation. But if you sell technical products such as machines, in many cases you remove the machine from the production environment in which it provides the solution. Often machines are too big and heavy to carry around, or are part of a system, so how do you handle them smartly? How do you show what solution the product offers?
There are many ways you can show products or services without bringing them to the trade show: with a video, digital display, VR or AR technology, a projection on 3D printed objects, holograms or a virtual showroom. With these you can also - for the techies among us - show cross-sections, swipe through the product portfolio and display additional information.
Especially with interactive visualizations like a virtual showroom, viewers can click on what they want to see themselves. It also allows you to place the products and services in the right application environment, which an account manager at the trade show may find difficult to explain in words. What you should never forget in doing this is to show concretely what solution your product or service offers.