Trade shows and expos are great marketing opportunities, but they can also be challenging. Your space is limited, the venues are busy, and everyone is trying their best to get the attention of potential customers.

So what can you do to stand out from the crowd?

In advance of this year's expos, here are a few suggestions.

• Be out front and friendly; sitting behind a table can create a barrier between you and potential customers.
• Use height to your advantage with ribbon streamers or pull-up banners that can be seen from a distance.
• Simplify your signage. Decide on a key message and promote it in large lettering.
• Keep your booth area open and uncluttered so people can see at a glance what you’re offering.
• Provide something to draw people in. At the 2013 WILMA Expo, Envision Mortgage Corporation offered a spa area with cushy sofas, chairs and massages to encourage event-goers to “Envision a Stress-Free Mortgage Experience.”
• Tie giveaways directly to your business – a medical group could offer branded band-aid dispensers, for example.
• Use computer or TV monitors to play videos about your product or service.
• Do a preshow-email blast to tell your customers where to find you at the expo.
• Bring business cards, and consider creating a small sign with a QR code that points directly to your website or Facebook page.
• Offer an "expo only” product or discount.
• For more ideas, check out our photo gallery of past booths at expos.