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Trade shows continue to thrive today because they are effective marketing strategies. They increase brand visibility and can significantly increase sales. But, with little time to prepare and many competitors to consider, how can you make your booth display a success?
Before the Event
A trade show requires a lot of preparation, from finding an exhibition booth design company to monitoring travel, lodging, and meal expenses of your team. Aside from all these preparations, you also need to find time to check the attendees of the show. This way, you are one step closer to generating customers and establishing a long-term collaboration with them.
1) Check the Attendees’ List
A few days before the trade show, check the attendees’ list that is typically found on the organization’s website. This lets you find out who among them can be potential clients. Make a list and then research each prospect so you will know how to approach them accordingly.
2) Send Them an Introductory Email
Once you have completed your list, it’s time to email them. Be careful not to spam their inboxes by selling them your products or services right away. Keep the email light but informative. Let them know you will be at the trade show and that you have something valuable to offer. Through this, they will keep you in mind and will look forward to meeting you at the event.
3) Send Them a Survey Before the Event
The next step is to send your prospects a survey before the event. This lets you collect information that will be valuable during the trade show. Ask them what they want or expect so you can meet or even exceed their expectations. Plus, you can come up with ideas that were not originally part of your plan. If you need some help, check out this article to learn useful guidelines when creating surveys.
4) Make Use of Social Media
Social media platforms are powerful tools in reaching a huge audience. Through them, you can let your audience know that you will be participating in a trade show. Encourage your followers to participate by offering them prizes or incentives when they share your Tweet or post.
During the Event
With all the preparations you and your team have made, it’s time to put them into action. Here are the things you can do to get more traffic during the event:
1) Use Videos to Attract Clients
There are going to be a lot of display booths during the event, so it can be tricky to attract people to your booth. An effective way to catch people’s attention is through videos. Make ones that are huge, eye-catching, and flashy. This will invite attendees to check out your booth and explore more of your company.
2) Stand Out Using Interactives
Designing your booth with interactives, like touch tables and virtual reality, can help in making people notice your display. They will be drawn to visit your booth, try your products, and interact with you and your team.
3) Get Essential Information
When interacting with prospects, always remember to get important details, like email addresses, business cards, etc. There are various types of trade show mobile apps that let you scan & exchange business cards and create real-time surveys.
4) Be Proactive
In trade shows, it is important that you and your staff are knowledgeable and friendly at the same time. People feel more comfortable conversing with people who are confident about what they know. Plus, if they are fun to talk with, people will be more willing to stay and learn more about what you are offering.
5) Prepare Seats, Food, Drinks, and Freebies
Aside from enticing potential clients, you should also focus on how to let them stay so you can interact with them. The best way to do that is to offer food, drinks, freebies, and lounging space. People love to receive free stuff, which encourages them to hang out in your booth a little longer.
Providing them with some seats lets them relax while listening to you. Also, freebies are a good way to let them remember your company. Great examples of freebies include keychains, glass perfume bottles, power banks, and custom printed shirts.
After the Event
The event may be over but your work isn’t. Following up prospects will strengthen network connections and most importantly, enhance your return of investment (ROI).
1) Send Attendees a Thank You Email
Send attendees a thank you email to let them know you appreciate them for checking out your booth. This will make them feel important, which is a good way to establish a strong relationship with them.
2) Send Them a Post-event Survey
By doing this, you will determine your strong and weak points. Their feedback will let you discover the areas you need to improve and the next steps you need to do keep your relationship with them going.
3) Be Engaging on Social Media
Continue to be active on social media as a part of your marketing efforts. Promote your brand by sharing informative posts, and of course, videos and images from the exp event!
Conclusion
Trade shows are truly an awesome opportunity to get your company out in the open. What’s more, you can interact with customers on a personal level plus they get to discover firsthand the products or services your company offers. So, make sure that you follow these tips to ensure that all things go smoothly before, during, after the show!
