Did you know professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that the trade show market will generate $15.7 billion in 2019? While it may not currently receive the same media attention as other forms of marketing, trade show marketing is still popular across a variety of industries. Trade show marketing presents an incredibly effective opportunity to generate buzz and make key connections with prospective clients.
In honor of GREENCREST exhibiting at the upcoming 21st Annual Conway Family Business Awards and Expo, GREENCREST has compiled a list of five top trade show marketing strategies to ensure that your company stands out among the crowd and helps your business gain the maximum return on investment.
Set Company Goals
Just as you would with any other marketing campaign, your company should set clear, concrete goals to help measure your trade show attendance success. Goals will also make the expected outcome obvious to every staff member, which helps everyone understand their crucial role throughout the process. Are you trying to generate buzz and awareness for your brand? Is your aim to generate leads that could become potential clients? Regardless of the specific goals you hope to achieve while attending the trade show, make sure they are specific, measurable and results-oriented.
Spread the Word
Trade shows can have thousands of attendees — it’s important to spread the word about your company’s attendance in order to generate the desired buzz! Post about the event far in advance on all social media platforms. Create email campaigns informing current clients about the event and your company’s attendance. Is your company spotlighting a new product or service? Incorporate your attendance at the trade show into any current marketing regarding the new feature. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, 92 percent of trade show attendees say their main reason for attending is to see new products being featured. Remember this key fact in your trade show planning and your company could potentially have a valuable new client! Start a “countdown to the event” blog series, or if anyone at your company is a speaker at the event, have them star in a short video explaining what topic they will be discussing and place it on your website and social media. Be creative and allow your presence to shine!
Capture Attention with Great Design and Engagement
While this may seem obvious, it’s worth stating: The majority of people are drawn to things that are visually appealing. According to a Display Wizard Exhibitor Survey, 48 percent of exhibitors feel that an eye-catching trade show stand is the most effective method for attracting attendees. Considering you have only a few seconds to capture an attendee’s attention at a trade show, make sure your booth has great lighting, prominent branding and easy-to-find brochures, business cards and other literature. It is also important foryour trade show booth to have an appearance that is consistent with your brand image. Interactive elements have also proven to be a way to engage guests. Consider incorporating an interactive activity to generate more traffic and provide more opportunities to pique interest about your business. The ultimate goal should be to have a well-designed booth that is both informative and entertaining.
Create a Follow-Up Strategy
Once the trade show you have worked so hard to prepare for is over, there is no time to breathe a big sigh of relief and relax. It is crucial to have an impactful post-event follow-up strategy to make the most of the numerous connections that were made. Send emails to the attendees who visited your booth and ask them if they would like more information about your company. Remember, however, that 81 percent of exhibitors use email to follow up with trade show leads, according to a Display Wizard Exhibitor Survey. Therefore, you should consider other creative follow-up strategies. Connect with attendees and prospects on your social media platforms and be sure to tag anyone who is in photos you took at the event. If you are looking to add an extra-special touch, sending handwritten notes to those who requested more information from your company at the event can go a long way in showing that your company is willing to go the extra mile.
Measure Results and Plan for the Next Trade Show
It’s never too early to start planning for the next big trade show event! Take time to measure the results from the last trade show with your team. Analyze any boosts in social media metrics and leads to your website. Compare the cost of being part of the trade show to the amount of qualified leads gained from the event. Discuss what ideas, strategies and promotions had the most engagement and what can be tweaked or changed in the future. This should help your company make the next trade show it attends the most successful yet!
GREENCREST is excited to be exhibiting at the 21st Annual Conway Family Business Awards and Expo presented by the Conway Center for Family Business, taking place November 13, 2019. Make sure you check out our exhibitor booth and sign up to win the GREENCRESTINI Gift Basket at our raffle giveaway!