If you don’t follow up on new prospects from a trade show it’s a big mistake, your leads will remain cold, which will cost you sales and clients.
Pre-show marketing campaigns with existing leads by announcing that you are attending events and bringing value through content downloads; and creating excitement through hindsight for any gifts you may have at your booth.
Make a great first impression.
In trade show marketing conferences and shows, your first impression is important – therefore, event marketers use multiple tactics to give attendees a first-class impression and an impression of the company.
Briefing zones are the brand’s welcome committee, interacting with potential customers to set the mood for their experience at your booth before even they walk in. Briefing areas provide attendees with an overview of what you have on display at your booth and allow guests to sign up for updates to review them as needed.
Facebook promotions often incorporate countdown clocks to build hype about an event before it happens, interactive kiosks and games at your booth may bring visitors in as well as entice them to tweet about their experience. Print catalogues complement experiential elements in that visitors are able to look at previously explored items they had already seen or learn something new.
Be the talk of the town.
There are few tradeshows where marketing goals should not be explicitly stated. Such as creating leads or introducing something new at the show, or saving money to market your stand at a particular show – these should be measurable and manageable so that you’re not spending it all and inefficiency; else going to a construction event isn’t going to bring them any meaningful benefits – kitty litter company visiting trade shows isn’t going to bring them any significant benefits anyway.
Digitize Designs has stood out in FABTECH with a dynamic 3D scanning demo – a unique tool that means they can be remembered by potential customers long after the trade show.
Aftershow follow-up is also essential to make sure precious trade show leads don’t fall through the cracks later. If the trade show organizer allows, send a welcome email with valuable information to contacts who exchanged their contact information with you during the trade show, giving them another chance to visit your booth or to inquire if they should return. It can help establish brand awareness as well as engage those whose first decision-making was unsure about visiting your booth in person.
Take advantage of your booth space.
Pre-show marketing — to let people know that you’ll be there and who in your team will be in attendance can attract existing leads to your stand, while offering valuable content (webinars, ebooks, etc.) that specifically address visitors’ interests.
It’s vital to have enough staff at your booth to welcome visitors, help them with their questions and direct them – otherwise you won’t be able to captivate those visiting your booth.
Goals regarding lead generation and sales conversion can be used to identify your show ROI. Setting up follow-up messaging — either email, phone call or instant messaging with leads generated at trade shows is crucial to keep them engaged and you at the top of their minds. It will distinguish you from companies that don’t follow through.
Be proactive.
When it comes to getting an edge on a trade show, organizations should plan ahead and during the show. It can be by using a countdown timer, posting on social media or giving exclusive pre-show materials that draw visitors to your booth, and drive traffic.
Personalization through direct mail campaigns will help boost event response, but geofencing can also be effective – these are technologies that draw virtual perimeters around venues such as convention centres, and distribute specific messages to individuals in them.
After the show, you should always reach out to leads quickly so that you build relationships with them and turn them into customers. Email automations services can do the job for you and automatically send out all communications; write useful content such as blogs and whitepapers to entice leads to interact and educate them about your offering.
