4 Creative Brand Activations And How to Use Them to Generate Leads

Updated June 17, 2025

Trade shows and conferences can be a goldmine for lead generation and even on-site sales—but only if you get people to engage with your brand while they are there.

Reserving the booth space or table is just the start. The real magic happens when attendees come over, engage with your team, and remember your brand long after the event ends.

So how do you make your booth irresistible for prospective clients?

Get creative – while remaining strategic.

You’re not just telling people what your brand is about—you’re showing them, inviting them into an experience that sparks a conversation (hello to my introverts 👋🏻) and leaves a lasting impression.

Here are four proven brand activations you can use to attract attendees into your booth, start real-time sales conversations, and make your message stick long after the badge is packed away.

1. Photo Booths… With a Strategic Twist

Now you may be thinking: “Come on Channing! Photo booths are not innovative.”

This is true. And yet, we keep seeing them everywhere. Why? Because they WORK!

We are visual creatives and social media has reshaped how we move through the world. So much so that the “pics or it didn’t happen” is more than just a Millennial joke.

It’s a testament to the ways younger generations—aka the future of the workforce & those influencing the most buying power now—view their life experiences.

People love capturing memories and sharing them online. The key is to make the experience brand-relevant.

Instead of generic props and backdrops, create an immersive setup that puts attendees at the center of your brand story.

Think: a magazine cover template featuring your company’s tagline, a pop-culture-themed frame tied to your product benefits, or branded props that subtly reinforce your value proposition.

Bonus:

Ensure the booth requires a lead capture element (phone or email depending on your ideal client demographic) before they can access the pics. Then USE that contact post-event with a follow-up campaign to continue the on-site conversation started during their photoshoot.

👉 Related: Top 3 Tips for Optimizing Your Email Marketing

2. Turn Attendees Into the Product

Interactive experiences don’t just entertain—they create emotional investment. Whether you offer a custom giveaway or make attendees part of the brand moment, the goal is connection.

For example, set up a “mystery tattoo” station with temporary tattoos designed around your brand values, icons, or tagline.

Or invite attendees to decorate something related to your service offering—a branded tote, notebook, or even a digital creation they can share online.

When attendees leave with something they created (or get to wear), they’re much more likely to remember you—and come back to the booth to talk more.

📌 Want more ideas like this? Check out our Event Strategy blog series

4. Let the Crowd Decide

Want attendees to feel truly invested? Give them the power to shape the experience.

Live polling or choose-your-own-adventure activations are great for longer events or conferences with flexible formats.

Ask attendees (via the app or pre-event social posts) to vote on things like the music in your booth, the F&B that would make them wander all the way across the exhibit floor to partake in, or the swag they want (and would actually use).

When you ask your target audience what THEY want, then deliver it, you are practically guaranteeing yourself qualified leads and new (or returning) brand ambassadors.

This gives people a reason to return to your booth later (to see the outcome), creates fun talking points, and—if done well—can be tied to a lead form or follow-up action.

Even better? When they post about their involvement, you get free visibility from trusted voices.

Why This Matters

Every activation listed here isn’t just for fun—it’s a strategic way to draw attendees in, start a conversation, and give your team the opportunity to qualify leads on the spot by having an immediate ice breaker to conversation.

Read that again: “ice breaker to conversation,” not a sales pitch.

The point is to start building a relationship with the human standing in front of you. That primes them to be more open to hearing how you can help make their life easier through whatever service you offer, which you will do via a post-even email followup campaign.

The point of the event itself is to position the brand, attract the leads, qualify the leads on-site, then follow up after in order of quality. For instance, those who fit the ideal client avatar get prioritized with email followups after discussing services and booking.

Those who seemed more wishy-washy or like they needed more nurturing first, get put into a nurture campaign providing more educational info about the paint points you can solve, before asking for the call.

When you’re part of a crowded expo hall, the brand that gets remembered is the one that made people feel something AND gave them a reason to keep talking.

Ready to Make Your Next Activation A Magnet for Quality Leads?

Let’s talk. The DCM Krewe and I can help you utilize your exhibit space for both brand awareness and lead generation before, during, and after the event ends.

📅 Book Your Strategy Call →