It’s halfway through the summer marketing season of 2024, while for some it is just getting started! July is when it starts feeling like summer to many parts of the US, Canada, and northern Europe. While in the south, new businesses are discovering that outdoor marketing is a great way to attract new customers. Regardless if you are just starting your outdoor marketing efforts or if you are in the full swing of these, this blog is for you! The goal of any event is getting noticed. In a sea of booths, businesses, and banners it can be a challenge to stand out. That is why we are discussing 5 Ways to Get Noticed at Outdoor Events in today’s post! Some of these may seem like common sense, while others seem off the wall. Let’s dive into some expert advice and see if it will increase your ROI for outdoor events!

5 Ways to Get Noticed at Outdoor Events

Live Music and Entertainment

The first way to get noticed at outdoor events is with live music and entertainment at, or around your booth space. Additionally, you can occupy a common area or stage and use a display like the Zoom flex outdoor Billboard to direct attendees to your booth. Your first thought is probably how much will this cost and will it actually show me a return on investment? Hiring live entertainment can cost a lot and involve a lot of logistical coordination. However, there are free and low cost solutions to achieve a similar goal.

Outdoor Portable Popup BarThe first questions to ask yourself is if you, or a member of your team have any natural talents that are easy to showcase at an event. This can include acoustic musical abilities, juggling, magic, dancing, or comedy. Simply offering a card trick, game, or juggling exhibition can capture the attention of the majority of attendees and make your booth a gathering place. Additionally, you can hire an artist or band to perform at the outdoor event. Use this opportunity to use outdoor marketing displays to promote your company and showcase that you donated the entertainment for the event. Regardless of what you do, get some movement and excitement going in your booth space or at the event to get people talking about your business!

Videos and Media

Advancements in technology are great for portable events. Battery packs, low power devices, and compact technology make it easier than ever to create an awesome event for a low cost. PC Mag did a great article on the best outdoor projectors for 2024 to highlight the best solutions in a variety of situations. Using a portable Bluetooth speaker or video projector makes it simple and easy to level up your outdoor space. If live entertainment will not work, some music or a video is a great alternative! Power at outdoor events is hard to come by, so a portable battery pack is a great way to bring power with you! A little media in your booth will set you apart and increase traffic!

Free Raffle with a Great Prize

Let’s not kid ourselves, free stuff is one of the best marketing tools regardless of the type or size of an event. One problem however, is most other exhibitors know this and offer some kind of free item at their booth. This creates an environment where most attendees expect at least a free pen for stopping by your booth. Well, what about a free raffle? To enter the raffle all you need to do is provide an email address, name, and phone number. This raffle enters the attendee into the raffle for a great prize that is appealing to the general population. Many exhibitors spend hundreds on giveaways. What if you spent that money on a pair of ear buds or Bose Bluetooth speaker? Or a free product or service from your company? This method creates an environment for pre-show, during show, and post-show marketing that creates excitement and anticipation. Try this at your next event and let us know how it works!

Unique Signage Solutions

Zoom FLEX Outdoor BillboardEveryone uses a tent, a-frame board, and table throw. These items are effective and worth the investment, however there are better options available! The Contour Sidewalk Sign is a great alternative to a standard a-frame board. It offers a variety of shapes and sizes which will set you apart from crowd! The Outdoor Popup Bar is another unique solution for outdoor events. This bar offers a unique appearance and functionality that creates opportunities for serving snacks, drinks, and marketing materials. There is storage in the back of the counter and the casters make it easy to move around your space. This is also a great tool for a reception counter or a place to great attendees to the event!

Effective Design

To build on the previous point, effect graphic design makes a world of difference at outdoor events. In a previous blog post about Graphic Design Tips for Outdoor Events we discussed many of these strategies. It is important to stand out in a good way. A great example is effectively designing an outdoor canopy so it pops out in the sea of tents. This could include bright colors, catch phrases, or images. If most exhibitors use white and black tent canopies, try a bright color like orange or green to stand out. Images of your product, facility, or team can also set your canopy apart. Creative Imaging Displays offers graphic design service and our team is experienced in event marketing and we know how to get you noticed!

What do you think about these 5 Ways to Get Noticed at Outdoor Events? Have you used these methods before? Did they work for you? Do you have any other solutions that work at your events? Let us know in the comment section below and make sure to contact us at anytime about products or advice for events, trade shows, and visual communications!