Trade Show Marketing Ideas
Even an experienced exhibitor is often looking for new trade show marketing ideas. Exhibiting at a trade show is a big investment in time, money and employees. Before you make a major investment in promoting your business, you may as well get some fresh new trade show marketing ideas. Additionally, what you do before the trade show can have a big impact on your success. Simply by contacting old customers to invite them to the show, you may end up with new business. For instance, a former client may have moved on and now they do business with a competitor. However, now hearing your voice on the phone helps to rekindle an old relationship.
We have always found that it is helpful to handwrite thank you notes to everyone you meet at the trade show. Naturally, when you return from the show you are much too busy getting caught up on work that has accumulated. For that reason, it is good to begin writing those notes before you leave your office and head out to the show. Then when you return from the expo, you’ll only have to add a greeting to the note and a sentence or two about something you discussed with that person. You can be certain your competition isn’t doing this and that will help you to stand out from the crowd. Additionally, you can follow up with a phone call a few days after the cards have gone out.
Please click to check out our trade show booth design ideas.
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Participating in trade shows is not for the faint-hearted entrepreneur especially since it is one of the most challenging strategies in traditional marketing. Most businesses think twice before diving into one, not just because of the amount of work required to pull it off but also due to the financial hit the company budget will have to potentially take. But just like any other business decision, trade show marketing, when done right, can prove to be a very effective leads and revenue-generating channel.
To make sure do right on your next trade show event, we are going to walk you through the whole process, from start to finish.
Before the Trade Show
Do Your Research
The first step to successful trade show marketing is knowing what you are getting into and preparing for it. Here are five important information you should definitely have with you before signing up for a trade show event:
1. Choose the right show for your brand
A trade show can be an ideal venue to market your brand and products but only if you choose the right expo. So before you jump the gun and register for a booth space, the very first thing to do is to research. List down at least three relevant trade shows you are eyeing and discuss and evaluate with your team which trade show marketing theme is more aligned with the goal you have in mind. A good way to determine if a trade show is right for your brand, is to attend the show and walk the floor so you know exactly what to expect and start thinking about where you want to be placed.
2. Make sure it fits your budget
Once you and your team have successfully chosen the trade show event you want to sign up for, it is time to get down to the details. Contact the event organizer and schedule a meeting so they can discuss with you the packages available and its respective basic inclusions. Knowing your choices can also help you better determine the budget you can work with to make the trade show happen. We are not just talking about booth options, but also about what kind of marketing the trade show event can do for your company. Basically, it is all about getting the most of what you will be paying for.
3. Know your booth options
At the core of all trade show marketing events is each and every attending company’s booth. An expo is a battlefield where you and your competitors are fighting to win your market’s attention. To make sure you can maximize your participation in the trade show event, go for a booth size that will enable you to truly showcase your brand and what it has to offer. Once you have chosen your preferred booth size, ask the organizer the design and decor limitations so you can properly plan how you want to go about it without wasting time, energy, and resources. If you are an avid Brandboom blog reader and happened to chance upon one of our trade show marketing articles titled The Ultimate Guide to Trade Show Display and Booth Ideas, then you will know that there are four basic booth sizes, and only one of those allow hanging signages. Having knowledge of the scope you are allowed to work with will enable you to come up with a more specific and creative way to build your trade show marketing booth.
