Image by Mircea Iancu from Pixabay
Trade show marketing is a marvelous opportunity to get face time at your booth with prospective customers.
But how many times have you been disappointed in trade show sales opportunities? In terms of results, the difference between a great trade show and a disappointing one is marketing diligence.
You don’t need a mega marketing budget to attract the most-possible traffic to your booth.
Here’s how:
Use geo-targeting
The term refers to the practice of establish a virtual perimeter in a geographic area to target prospects. The key is to target the right demographics with relevant and personalized messages.
To start, determine the location of Internet users and deliver content to them based on their city, zip code, IP address or ISP.
You can also use an app or service to target smartphone users who visit your trade show. If they use their social media — for instance, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest — you can deliver ads to attract them to your booth.
Well in advance of the event, become the go-to authority for the trade show. Set your company up as the source of entertainment and information for what will take place at the trade show. Include messaging about your products to your target audience.
Develop custom landing pages for the event. Use relevant pictures to engage trade show prospects on a personal level.
Buy or rent the trade show list
Often trade shows will sell or rent the list of trade show attendees. Use the list for an email marketing campaign prior to the show.
Most attendees tend to be responsive to such marketing campaigns.
If you’re fortunate, some lists have the names, titles and companies of attendees.
Otherwise, you’ll have to do some extra work to research the email addresses of attendees. But you can use a variety of free or paid email-hunting apps or the LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
Invite your customers
By inviting your customers, you’ll increase traffic.
With the added face time, you’ll also enhance your relationships with them if you give them an advance peek of new products and services and any special offers.
Use social media
Prior to the show, invite social-media users and share your brand and trade show booth number. Include show hashtags and industry hashtags.
As for the messaging, give some thought to it, so you’re seen as informative and relevant.
Throw a party on the first day
Depending on the type of trade show and your business niche, serve libations and refreshments in mid-afternoon on the first day of the event. It’s a quick way to generate word-of-mouth advertising.
Be sure to promote your party well in advance of the show. Naturally, make certain you invite your customers so they feel they’re a special member of your tribe.
From the Coach’s Corner, here are related tips:
8 Strategies for Trade Show Success – Trade shows are an excellent vehicle to scale your business. If managed correctly, they’re cost-effective and provide you valuable face time with a targeted audience.
Free Vital Email-Marketing Tools (or Have Free Trial Periods) – Whatever your business, whether it’s B2B or B2C, email marketing is a cost-effective way of targeting your prospects and connecting with your current and past customers. For important email marketing tools that are either free or have gratis trial options, here is a list.
“Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.”
-Joe Chernov
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