By definition the Stand Attraction is probably the first experience a visitor will have of your business at an exhibition. Ironically it is probably one of the last things you will consider when planning your strategy for the show. The reason for this I believe, is that an "attraction" is seen as entertainment and not as an integral part of the stand. It is important to see the stand attraction as part of the overall experience that a visitor has at your stand and vital that you understand that creating a great experience is NOT about entertaining people but about ENGAGING them.
So how do you go about ensuring that your stand attraction works well for you? The 5 points listed here will help you get an understanding of what you should expect from your stand attraction and make sure you ask the right questions of your supplier.
M - Meaning: Every presentation & performance should have some sort of meaning. As a professional magician I can give meaning to an effect by "framing" it within a certain theme, i.e. a gambling theme or Mind-reading, however as a stand attractor I rely on the client to offer that context. As an exhibitor you should already have that context from asking questions such as: "Why are we exhibiting?", "Who are we trying to attract?", "What story are we trying to tell?" If your stand designer or PR company didn't ask these kinds of questions alarm bells would ring, and you should expect that kind of detailed understanding from your stand attraction supplier. Without providing this information and more you are in danger of entertaining not engaging and what should have been meaningful will be meaningless.
A - Attract Attention: This may sound obvious but will your stand attraction attract attention? It's not as simple as it sounds and once again it boils down to engaging people. You can stop anyone in their tracks, if you don't believe me go to busy park and jump out from behind a bush! People will stop for a second before realising that you may well be insane and then quickly run away. I spent many years as a street performer and watched really skilled performers fail to draw a crowd and make money, yet performers who did very little actual performing but had mastered the art of crowd-building were much more successful in both creating a memorable experience and making money. Street legend Jim Cellini told me that the 3 elements of attracting attention were colour, sound and movement, however in the wrong hands the result might be a clown dancing to loud music. Too much colour, noise and movement can form a boundary that people will be reluctant to cross. Make sure the approach your stand attractor uses is appropriate to you and uses the 3 elements in the right ratio. A good presenter will adapt to their surroundings and alter their approach where necessary, very often a quiet show will mean smaller crowds so they must be prepared to change their tactics.
G - Generate Leads: You would think that drawing a crowd is enough, after all that is a stand attractors job - isn't it? That all depends on the leads you want. If you simply want a large number of leads then yes, a large crowd and a light pen to scan them will do the job. However the quality of the leads will be very diluted and someone will have to follow them up after the show. A good lead generator will have the capacity to carry out a certain amount of pre-qualifying for you during their presentation by asking quite open questions about people's need and/or interest in you product or service. This will allow your sales team to focus on only those prospects that look promising. A call to action by the stand attractor will also help in separating the hot prospects from the crowd. Interested parties are waiting for an invitation to speak to you and will make themselves available to your sales team after a presentation, while the rest of the crowd will leave with a positive feeling about your business even if they are not in the market for your service.
I - Inform (& entertain): Learning is controlled by the emotional/limbic part of your brain and if you emotionally engage with someone you greatly increase the chance that they will listen to you and learn from you. The stand attractor has a fantastic opportunity to deliver key pieces of information during their presentation if they have successfully engaged with an audience. This approach will not only help your sales team as the prospect has been warmed-up but it will also help people decide if they need more information from you. In short the stand attractor should at the very least know what your core business involves and convey that to the audience.
If you take the example of a Street Performer the point at which they deliver their "bottling speech", (ask for money), is crucial. The audience must be fully engaged to understand what is expected of them in terms of their financial contribution, and so the speech will take place just prior to the "big trick", when they are emotionally hooked and committed to the show.
C - Create Opportunities: You will have heard the showman's saying "leave them wanting more", well that is exactly what a good stand attraction should do. They are not the star of the show, the client is and the client should be the highlight of a true prospects visit to the stand. The stand attractor is simply the top of your sales funnel and as such should provide you with opportunities to meet new clients and build your business. They are not there to deliver in-depth presentations for you, although many professionals offer that service as well, they are simply there to introduce as many people as possible to your business and bring interested parties onto the stand. There is no room for performer ego. Exhibitions are all about opportunities and a high quality stand attraction help you create and capitalise on those opportunities.
A great stand attraction can make or break an Exhibition appearance. Done well your stand can become the focal point of an exhibition and your ROI maximised. Develop your stand attraction as you develop other marketing ideas for the stand and where possible make them part of the stand itself. It gives a presenter instant kudos whereas bolting them on at the last minute will just give them another hurdle to overcome. Make sure it has meaning and isn't "fluff" on the stand, but most importantly make it engaging and it will be more entertaining as a result.
Corporate Showman.