The five senses play a pivotal role in the learning process. Each of the five senses: smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing are the primary means humans use to gain new knowledge. Amazingly, we rarely experience anything with just one of our senses; they are all working together to make a complete experience. So, incorporating the senses into an experience helps to make learning not just more effective, but more meaningful too.
Telling your story to both clients and prospects through a variety of mediums and delivery methods will ensure that your message is received at a trade show, and that your business has left a lasting impression. Here is how our clients successfully appealed to the five senses and increased engagement at their booth.
Smell: Luring attendees to your booth with an enticing smell is an excellent way to pique interest in your brand. Popping popcorn or baking cookies will fill your booth area with an aroma attendees won’t be able to resist. To demonstrate their “cordless kitchen”, WPC (Wireless Power Consortium), manufacturers of smart kitchen technology, fried an egg. And to fill the area with a mouthwatering aroma to attract visitors, they dropped bacon bits into the pan. After all, who can resist the smell of bacon?
Taste: Offering a free sample of something delicious is an effective method to attract a crowd. From granola bars to ice cream and smoothies, our client Abbott offers samplings of their products to attendees. Abbott’s goal is to increase brand exposure and give HCPs (Healthcare Providers) new options for nourishing their pediatric patients with severe allergies. By showing their product in action, Abbott is able to stay top-of-mind when it comes time for a prospect to make a recommendation to their patients. Even if your business doesn’t sell food, offering a warm chocolate chip cookie or any other snack is a great way to help attendees remember you when it comes time to convert.
Sight: Does your business have something visual to show spectators? The best way to drive engagement is to show them exactly what you do best. Omron, a world technology leader, showcases the harmony between humans and machines at their booth. With the goal of maximizing media exposure, Omron showcased the star of the show, Forpheus, the tennis-table tutor that would adjust its skill level to its human opponent and offered encouragement and tips to make them a better player. The crowds around the Omron booth were five and six people deep with everyone trying to catch a glimpse of Forpheous in action. By allowing attendees to interact with their products, Omron was able to exceed all of their show goals. Plus, their booth won a Best in Show award from EXHIBITOR Magazine!
Touch: People can’t resist touching unique textures — especially if they’re soft, like a blanket. Koroseal, a wall covering company displays their products in large sheets so that attendees are able to see the patterns and feel the variety of textures they offer. For the last decade, Koroseal has continuously implemented this at their booth with success. Even if your business is not in the business of textiles, incorporating something with a soft or unique feel into the seating or displays at your booth is a great way to attract attendees.
Hearing: Sound travels. Playing catchy music or projecting the sound from an interactive game is sure to attract a crowd. At EXHIBITORLIVE 2019, we drew visitors to our booth with an interactive, storytelling robot named Orville. When visitors opened the door on his torso, Orville would introduce a client’s project with visuals and sound bites. Another great example comes from Young Innovations, who had a live band playing at their booth during a hospitality and happy hour they were hosting. If you want to engage your prospects, make a sound they can’t resist.
However you choose to incorporate the senses, you’re sure to leave a lasting impression. When you increase interaction at your booth, your visitors are much more likely to remember the experience they had after they’ve left the trade show floor. If your business is ready to take your trade show booth experience to the next level, we’re ready to help!
