Event Marketing Strategies for 2018
At any given trade show, there is a mix of booths that attract huge crowds and others that are eerily quiet — it seems to be a hit-or-miss process on the surface. However, when you take a closer look, you’ll notice that successful booths have gone the extra mile to market themselves using a variety of proven strategies. You can get creative with the marketing aspect of the process — it’s all about standing out.
Evo Exhibits can help you with the trade show process and provide professional advice. Our Discover. Create. Connect. process leaves no stone unturned in giving you the best advantage possible.
Marketing before the event can give your sales staff an easier time hitting financial targets as more attendees will flock to your booth. Read on for some of the top event marketing strategies you should implement in your next expo experience.
Plan ahead of time
Signing up for a trade show at the last minute is a recipe for disaster. You will not have enough time to figure out a solid strategy to draw in the crowds and convert at a profitable rate. A lot of work goes into visiting trade shows; such as the logistics, choosing your team, briefing them, developing products, and so much more.
It is not unreasonable to register for your trade show up to one year beforehand and begin your marketing efforts right away. Imagine the buzz you can create for your booth with an entire year of marketing!
What are your goals?
Having clear cut goals enables you to setup a trade show preparation strategy that is highly focused. For example, you may have hundreds of products, but you only need to raise awareness for a select few new flagship products that you are releasing. In such a scenario, your marketing plan for the expo should be narrowed down to these key products.
The audience at a trade show tends to be very diverse, as key decision makers come from vertical markets you may have never even touched before. You could explore other markets in the hopes of attracting a whole new client base.
Share knowledge by being a speaker
Establish yourself as an authority in your field and people will naturally want to hear about what you have to say. It is an indirect but effective way of selling your products — the consumer base will trust you.
For example, you could be in the solar energy-based industry and share insight into where the market is going or the latest technological advances. People will appreciate the information and feel confident about buying your products.
The majority of trade shows have a number of educational sessions where industry leaders can share their experiences and inside knowledge. Get in touch with the event organizers to find out how you can be a speaker.
Raise brand awareness with the booth
Your trade show booth can be a strong driving force for raising brand awareness at an event. Blast your brand logo, name, and message all over the booth and anything you give out to attendees. Create a strong brand image and people will remember your booth long after the trade show has finished.
Consequently, you may receive a steady flow of interest from event attendees that could turn into sales. To aid this process, clearly highlight your social media details so that people know where to find you online.
Make time for the media
Many trade shows have plenty of media attention you can utilize to market your booth, products, and company in general. When approached by the media, make sure you have the time to answer any questions and give them as much access as possible to inspect your products. Impress them and they may write an article about what your products bring to the marketplace.
Set interviews with the media that explore your new products, entire range of offerings, and future projects. These might take up some time to conduct, but the upside is immense. A popular media outlet with a big following may introduce your brand to people that did not make it to the event.
Give something for free
Attendees love to receive free stuff. This could be samples of your products or a goodie bag filled with all sorts of items. You could include leaflets and brochures that help inform attendees about your products and where to find you online.
Your investment in free giveaways will pay for itself in the form of extra sales generated. With free samples you will attract a crowd — giving you an opportunity at face-to-face interactions. This enables your sales team to execute their pitch to a larger pool of people.
Post-event strategy
You should capitalize on the excitement of the expo and close the deal on the spot if possible. Some people have come a long way to see the best of what the industry has to offer and would feel disappointed to leave empty-handed. They are looking to buy and are ready to pull the trigger on suitable products.
However, if you cannot close a deal right away, set up appointments for after the trade show when have more time to elaborate on your product range. Closing a deal during the event is as equally valuable as closing a deal after the event, so why not make the effort to give it another shot?
To generate post event appointments, ask for the attendee’s email address. This can be done effectively by offering something in return like a free download of the trade show presentation or a valuable resource.
The booth must be open and inviting
You want attendees to feel comfortable at your trade show booth. If you are having trouble creating the right atmosphere, Evo Exhibits can help. Provide a seating area and introduce interactivity for attendees to engage in. If there is something to do at your booth, naturally people will stay around longer.
Your sales team must have an upbeat, positive attitude that puts attendees at ease. You will lower the guard of the crowd and they will be more receptive to hear your marketing pitch.
Conclusion
There is much that can be done to market your visit to a trade show and generate leads for your sales team. Be focused by creating marketing objectives and sticking to them. Take the trade show marketing strategy tips above into consideration and you will have a solid foundation for getting started.
A trade show is an excellent venue for marketing your company as there is a highly targeted crowd of potential buyers. You will struggle to find an equally lucrative opportunity to generate interest and sales. Therefore, going to a trade show is a no-brainer. Tilt the odds of success in your favor — Evo Exhibits can help. Our unique Discover. Create. Connect. process will help you blow the competition out of the water.
