This summer marked my four-year anniversary (!) managing PracticeLink's trade show strategy at physician specialty meetings, job fairs and other conferences. Over the past four years, we've made some changes to our display approach that have greatly impacted the return on our conference investments and increased our presence on the trade show floor. 

Exhibiting is expensive, and if you've purchased a 10x10 booth space at a large physician specialty conference, it can be easy to feel very small in the shadow of large pharmaceutial booths! 

If you don’t have the budget to make big changes to your display components, here are a few less expensive ideas that can enhance your presence and make you stand out from the crowd.

1. Define your booth space

Many times, physician recruiters are exhibiting at venues where the room is already carpeted.

This seems like a good opportunity to save some money by not having to provide carpeting for your booth space. But hotels or conference centers often have wild patterns for their carpet. When you place your table top display in that space, it is hard to find the message due to the distracting carpet pattern.

Whenever possible, I order booth carpet that complements our booth design and logo. Having the space defined by carpet makes our booth stand out and become a more desirable place to stop and chat. Carpeting your booth provides a more professional appearance and can enhance the impact of your message by adding a solid pop of color in a sea of patterned carpet.

If renting carpet at each conference isn’t in your budget, you may consider purchasing carpet tiles. They are a less-expensive option to renting carpet, and you can easily ship them with your display and install them on your own with little effort. For a 10x10 booth space, you would only need to purchase 100 square feet of tiles, keeping the one-time investment under $100. This company, Rubber Flooring, Inc., sells carpet tiles suitable for trade show use.

2. Outfit your staff with a little bit of flair

Attire is something that differs from organization to organization. Some organizations prefer business attire; others provide staff with branded apparel.

Here at PracticeLink, we have chosen to wear matching branded apparel for all staff members, as it provides a cohesive look. Having a consistent look for your staff helps to reinforce your trade show message.

Your dress code should also easily distinguish your staff from the attendees. A fun way to make yourself stand out from the crowd is to add a quirky accessory. Adding a fun piece of flair can boost your presence on the trade show floor. Certainly, your staff need to dress appropriately for your audience, but remember they are a walking promotional opportunity from the minute they leave their hotel rooms. Something as simple as a bold colored matching tie or a wacky pair of shoes can generate attention and help staffers strike up conversations. We've even had a staffer wear bright blue and orange colored sneakers (that matched our logo) as a fun conversation starter.

Ideas don’t have to be wild and crazy, just a little something that help catch attention and makes you stand out from the crowd. One thing we do at PracticeLink is always use our own logo lanyards instead of using the generic lanyard provided by the conference. That's an easy way to build your brand through your attire!

3. Host a private dinner

If you have a handful of quality candidates at a conference with whom you wish you could spend more one-on-one time, consider hosting a private group dinner. Offering an invitation-only group dinner can give you valuable time to foster relationships—time you might not get from attendees on the trade show floor.

If you opt for a private dinner or happy hour event, just make sure the entire evening is about building relationships—not a high-pressure recruiting pitch. They will remember your hospitality and appreciate you picking up the tab! It will be money well-spent if you can make a connection that leads to filling an open position now or in the future.

Competing with larger exhibitors for the attendees limited time and attention sometimes seems daunting. But having a smaller booth doesn’t have to limit your success at the large physician conferences.

Your exhibit marketing success has less to do with space and more to do with your ability to select the right tools and portray the right image. You can generate leads and build brand awareness with a small booth—it just takes a little creativity to make you and your booth stand out!

Don't have the time or money to attend physician specialty conferences on your own? Let PracticeLink speak to the job-seekers for you! Learn more about inPerson Conference Leads.