When I was working for one of Japan’s largest exhibition companies, I was often asked for advice on how to get visitors to stop in front of their booths. Of course, if there is no interpreter at your booth, or if your booth is in English only, Japanese who are not good at English will probably not stop at your booth. 

However, there is a more fundamental problem. Most people don’t like to be sold to. That means they don’t want to actively approach the booths they aren’t interested in nor do they hold any interest in, at this point. This is because humans have a defensive instinct to avoid being swindled out of their money. So how do you get people to stop by your booth and exchange business cards?

In this article, I’ll give you three tips for getting a high percentage of visitors to stop in front of your booth.

1. Devise a catchphrase (Especially services and technology show)

When you speak to a visitor who walks past you, many of them will look at your booth after they see you. This is because they want to see if their interests match up with what you’re selling as quickly as possible.

Now here’s a question for you. If you’re tired and need a cup of coffee to take a break, which signage looks appealing to you?

1. ABC Company
2. Coffee Shop
3. We are selling coffee that brings you peace of mind.

Perhaps it’s #3? Because what you want right now is a coffee that will help you relax and relieve your fatigue. The same is true for trade shows. There is no point in promoting your company or service name in the manner described in #1. This is because few people are interested in it and will listen to you.

In the case of #2, it’s a good way to describe what you do. However, among the tens of thousands of coffee shops in the world, this notation will not differentiate you from them and will not make your booth stand out.

So why is #3) better? That’s because it’s a booth that solves a problem you’re having. People are drawn to companies that provide exactly what they need.

The tagline for your booth is very important to show what your product or service can solve for them.

2. Be proactive by talking to visitors.

Japanese people are said to be shy, and visitors are less likely to proactively talk to exhibitors than they are at exhibitions in other countries. This means that if you don’t talk to them, they will be hesitant to listen to you and will run away. Proactively talking to people is very important to get them to stop by your booth.

3. The tips in getting them to stop by talking to them

Sometimes when you talk to them, they won’t stop and listen to you. But if that’s the case, I suggest you try the following.

1) Don’t sell it, but teach it.

You are a professional in your country and in your industry. Japanese visitors may know about the Japanese market, but they may not know about the latest trends and developments in your country. Exhibition visitors tend to be curious about first-hand information.

Therefore, let’s ask them, “Why don’t you take home the knowledge of the latest trends in my country as a souvenir of your visit? You’ll probably get more people to stop by. A good way to avoid them from bypassing your booth first is tell them, rather than sell them.

2) Don’t sell, but ask them to tell you.

On the other hand, asking people to tell you about the latest information in Japan is a great way to get people to stop by your booth. It is said that Japanese can’t take no for an answer, so asking for help will likely teach you things in a positive way and give you a chance to build a relationship with them.

Even if the person you’re talking to isn’t someone who you will work with in the future, it still gives a positive impression of you and your product/service during the conversation. This may result in creating a network in Japan. Furthermore, they may introduce you to someone they know who might be applicable. You never know what kind of opportunities are out there, so explore all possibilities.

These are just a few tips to get visitors to stop by your booth. We have more than 10 years of experience as the largest exhibition organizer in Japan. If you would like to do the following found below to make your exhibition a success, please contact us. >>> https://biztripstory.com/contact/

We will build a team dedicated to you and contribute to your success.