If you’ve ever been part of the magical world of developing a trade show strategy for your own business or a client, then you know how much work goes into one. If you haven’t, you are in for a treat, my friends. While it can be a lot of work, creating trade show strategies can also be incredibly rewarding, especially when you stand in front of the final masterpiece. I’ve been with Melamed Riley for five years, and have had the opportunity to be a part of developing trade show strategies twice a year for our client, FMC Professional Solutions, a division of FMC Corporation.

There are so many pieces-parts, planning and logistics that go into developing a successful trade show strategy that I like to compare it to planning a wedding. Except that instead of just one day of fun, it can extend over a few days. And there’s no “Electric Slide.”

This blog post outlines five key steps for developing and executing a killer trade show strategy, though you may have more or less depending on your own situation. These key steps include: Designing the booth structure, developing booth graphics, integrating creative booth promotions, exploring media or sponsorship opportunities and leveraging the trade show through social media platforms.
Designing a Trade Show Booth Structure: Obviously, the first thing you need is a booth. Some businesses own one, but often the booth has to be rented. Generally speaking, each trade show publishes a list of preferred booth rental companies that are assigned to the show. If you are looking into renting a booth, the first step in your trade show strategy is to design a booth structure.

In my opinion, working with a rented booth has more advantages than working with one that is already built as it gives you the opportunity to refresh your booth year after year and offers more flexibility when it comes to customization. Rental booth companies have a large collection of booths that they have previously developed from which you can pull bits and pieces. Let’s say you really like a high-top desk you see in one booth, but prefer the overall structural layout of another — no problem. And if they don’t have something you are envisioning, they will build it for you!

From a design standpoint, it’s important to keep in mind the flow of the overall space when creating a booth structure. There’s nothing worse than being saddled with a booth that’s cluttered or cramped. If there’s enough room for show attendees to move around freely, they’re bound to stay longer!
Developing Booth Graphics: The second phase of a trade show strategy takes place after there is an approved booth structure. This is where the magic happens, as your creative team begins developing the booth graphics, as well as any copy that will be incorporated. The structure comes to life during this phase, and everyone’s vision starts to become a reality. Please note: When developing the booth copy and graphics it’s important to keep it SIMPLE. Rarely will a show attendee read more than a few key copy points, and there’s limited real estate within the booth anyway. Therefore, you may want to develop collateral materials as part of this phase. Collateral is an effective way for show attendees to leave your booth with important information, especially if they weren’t able to interact with a booth representative.
Integrating Creative Trade Show Promotions: Unfortunately, designing an eye-catching booth just isn’t enough for a trade show. Which brings me to the third key element for developing a trade show strategy: Coming up with creative ways to attract show attendees to your booth. Unique trade show promotions or giveaways are often part of a trade show, but the effective ones generally tie in with the theme of the booth or are truly unique. Distributing pens or pads of paper with a company logo really isn’t all that appealing. Think of this as the creative team’s opportunity to come up with something fun, exciting and out-of-the-box!
Exploring Trade Show Advertising or Sponsorship Opportunities: The fourth step in your trade show strategy is all about trade show advertising and sponsorship opportunities. While trade shows generally offer the typical signage throughout the show floor or the inclusion of a company’s logo within the show guide, many will collaborate if you have something compelling in mind. Sponsorships can be a big investment, so it’s important to make sure your sponsorship is effective, exciting and worth the money.

If sponsorships are out of the question, there may be other trade show advertising opportunities available, such as advertising within a magazine that is distributed specifically at the show. If you are looking for trade show advertising that consists of non-traditional means, working with the trade show organizer to see if they would be willing to sell the addresses and/or email addresses of show attendees could be an option. If they are selling this information, perhaps you send show attendees a custom e-mail blast or direct mailer encouraging them to stop by your booth while they are at the show.
Leveraging Booth Attendance through Social Media: The last key element for developing a killer trade show strategy is the integration of social media. Obviously, this is only applicable if your business is active on at least one social media platform. Social media is a fantastic tool to leverage your presence at a trade show. Posting before, during and after the show is critical for letting your Facebook fans or Twitter followers know you will be at a trade show, and what they can expect to see there. Social media is also a great way to get a little creative, such as utilizing your platforms to execute a scavenger hunt. For example, you could develop a specific hashtag for your scavenger hunt and provide clues using your hashtag that direct participants to places on the trade show floor for the next clue or prize.

And don’t forget about your blog! If your business has one, blogging is an excellent way to inform show attendees what they will see at your booth before the trade show. It is also a great way to recap what happened after the show is over.

While developing an attractive, informational trade show booth is important, it isn’t the only element in developing a successful trade show strategy. There is a lot more involved in making sure it’s a well thought out strategy with many components.

Do you have more steps that you would suggest adding when developing a trade show strategy based on your experience? Or do you have any success stories based on what you have done at trade show? If so, we would love to hear them! Just include them in the comment box below.

Published on: October 3, 2013 – Melamed Riley – Idea Center

Dumb Stuff People Do at Trade Shows

It’s So Maddening!

Now, I’m not calling anyone “dumb,” so lower your kitchen knives and baseball bats. What I am saying is that people do really dumb stuff at trade shows. Consistently dumb stuff. Anyone who participates in trade shows could write a book on what they’ve seen over the years. Pre-show marketing and post-show leads would cover several hundred pages.

So, let’s ignore those and concentrate on the easy, quick fixes, the ones you can change now. The ones you can implement before your next show in a month.

Senior Management

Bring them . . . but not all of them. Bring the President and the CEO, assuming they are personable and knowledgeable. Don’t bring them if they love to hear themselves talk. Don’t bring the CFO, the COO, or anyone who couldn’t charm a goldfish into a fishbowl. Clients want to talk to senior management. And their presence demonstrates that your company is serious about the show.

This rule obviously doesn’t apply if you do 80 shows a year. Pick the 3 or 4 most crucial and have the “chiefs” there. Tip: It’s much easier to get a trade show marketing budget approved if senior management participates.

Come Late. Leave Early

Most shows allow you to enter the show hall early. This gives you time to organize the booth and make any last minute changes. More importantly, it’s the ideal time to walk the show, see industry trends, and get a better sense of what your competitors are showing. If possible, bring a colleague. That way you can compare notes.

It’s also a great time to talk to the other early birds. There are fewer distractions, and you’re more likely to have a casual, informative conversation. Staying late has similar advantages. Not surprisingly, tired exhibitors can be very revealing at the end of the day.

That said . . . adhere to the formal and informal rules of the trade show floor. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want a competitor to do in your booth.

Ignore the Competition

Many companies are arrogant about their competitors. They see themselves as “the leaders,” so what could they possibly learn? The answer is — a lot. Even knowing that you are still the leader is valuable when targeting new markets and developing your marketing strategy.

And, unless your company prohibits it, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. Friendliness is not a crime. You may be surprised at what you’ll discover, and a friendly competitor has been known to send business your direction if the client doesn’t fit their model. Tip: Beware of the red herring. Sometimes competitors can be sneaky smart about their sales, trends, and products.

Ignore Your Customers

It happens. It’s human nature. We feel like we don’t have to spend as much time with existing customers since we know them. However, your customers come to trade shows to learn about new products, services, and companies. They also come to mingle with colleagues, meet new people, and share challenges. They want to feel valued.

If good customer says, “I was at the show, but —

a) You were so busy no one was available,

b) I was there but just never made it to your booth, or

c) Spoke to Bob (or Jane or Homer) and they said there’s nothing new happening”

Then, you have a problem. A correctable problem but a problem.

Ignore the Social Events

As much as we want to pretend otherwise, trade shows are business in a semi-social setting. The planned social events, such as the evening gala, meet-and-greet events, award ceremonies, and receptions are still business functions. Make it worthwhile. It’s your chance to meet new people, chat with industry colleagues, bond with existing customers, and find new customers.

Can it be hard, especially if you are a wallflower? Yes . . . but . . . wallflowers have an advantage. They are great listeners, and in any large room, the ratio of talkers to listeners is about 95:1. Ask the right question (or often any question) and the rest of the night is on auto-pilot.

Tip: For anyone under 30, Social Media ≠ Social Events. And yes, you do have to talk to people. You can’t just text them.

Rely on Memory

Unless you’re Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, your memory is flawed, hopelessly flawed. On Day 1, you will have little doubt that you can recall every single conversation. By Day 3, an important client will remind you that you spoke for 30 minutes about a critical new project on Day 1.

Whatever works for you, use it — paper, tablet, business cards with notes, digital recorder, etc. Yes, it’s better if everyone in the booth uses a similar system, but it’s even better if everyone takes notes that can be reconstructed at the end of the day or the end of the show. Tip: Don’t let “Joe” leave the booth at the end of the day without emptying his pockets. Otherwise, those notes and business cards will be trash can casualties or unreadable smudges by next week.

Please share your “quick fixes.” View it as volunteer community service for the less fortunate who see neither the forest nor the trees when it comes to trade shows. Don’t make me stand on the corner ringing a bell for the clueless. They can be saved!

Link to original article – MelWhite-ClassicExhibits

Scam Warning for BTME exhibitors

Posted on Thursday, 13th November 2014

It has been brought to the Association’s attention that organisations not affiliated to BIGGA in any way have been emailing and calling BTME 2015 exhibitors claiming to be offering discount accommodation in Harrogate.

Calling themselves ‘Convention Housing Authority’, ‘Convention Housing Reservations’ or ‘EHS’ they advertise a phone number and email address but no website link.

BIGGA have absolutely no connection to these organisations and ask all exhibitors to be wary if receiving emails or phone calls in the run-up to BTME 2015. If you have any concerns please contact the team at BIGGA House.

Anyone looking for accommodation should contact our preferred suppliers Reservation Highway through the link on the BTME website at www.btme.org.uk

__________________________

Housing Booking Alert

Travel Planners is the only housing company affiliated with and officially approved by the Chem Show.

Please be careful if approached by any other company or service other than Travel Planners implying or claiming to be an official housing provider of the 2015 Chem Show. We have been made aware of other companies aggressively pursuing Chem Show Exhibitors, offering significant discounts. Travel Planners offers the guaranteed lowest rate available. In the past, there have been cases of travel companies that are entirely fraudulent, misleading exhibitors with false information and rates, and even booking rooms that did not exist. If you are contacted by another housing company trying to sell hotel rooms, please use caution and check with the Better Business Bureau to see if they are a legitimate provider. If you are contacted by any of the companies below, or any other travel company you suspect may be fraudulent, please notify Show Management at 201-221-9232.

Companies to avoid, as they are not affiliated with the 2015 Chem Show, include:

• Book My Rooms, LLC
• Convention Housing Authority
• Convention Housing Management
• Convention Expo Travel
• ehotelers.com
• Elite Corporate Planners
• Exhibition Housing Management
• Exhibition Housing Services
• Expo Housing
• Execu-Link Corp
• Global Events Group
• Global Housing Management (GHM Travel)
• HDMC Group
• HLS Global
• IEP Group
• International Events
• Le Company LLC
• National Hotels Association
• National Travel Associates
• Show Coordinators
• T I R A Convention Travel Management
• TradeShow Housing
• WholesaleTravelPlanners

Expo Lodging Division Convention Housing Authority Convention Housing Services Misrepresents as Official Vendor for Firefighter show, scammed $2800 from me! Nationwide

Warn all of your registrants about this SCAM. This agency systematically targets large conventions. I had to cancel my credit card and I will now have to file fraud paperwork to be sure my card is not charged.

This agency claims to have an official relationship with the conference you register for, and is assisting registrants with reservations on their behalf. They insist that other area hotels are sold out, and that a room needs to be booked and paid for immediately in order to secure lodging. You are then sent a digital contract which flashes on the screen for a moment, and then a box appears for you to insert your digital signature.

Once you sign the contract, you are agreeing to give this agency a 25% cancellation fee (once you realize you’ve been duped and you try to cancel), and you are also signing up for a  “Preferred Client Club” membership which will automatically charge your credit card $42 a month.

When I contacted the agency to cancel my “Preferred Client Club” membership, I received an email indicating that my subscription to this membership allowed me to book at the “discounted” rate in the first place (still $100 more per night then the other hotels in the area), but not to worry because of the “free 15 day promotion” I will not be charged at the higher rate which would in turn increase my 25% cancellation fee. I’m not sure if this is their way of appeasing those who have fallen victim to the scam, or if they truly believe they are providing a service..

Hopefully, others will not make the same mistake.

Why Every Trade Show is Like a First Date

You’re Nervous. That’s Understandable.

Trade shows are like first dates, first meetings, or job interviews. Unless you have an ego like Donald Trump, these “firsts” scare the bejesus out of you. They should. No matter how well you prepare, the unknowns trump the knowns by a ratio of about 10,000 to 1. If you’ve ever been on a blind date, or even a first date with someone you’ve just met, you know that a date is about being the person you strive to be, not the person you are.

Of course, not everyone has the gumption, the imagination, or the self-awareness to lift their game to the next level. Some people never grasp that first impressions are lasting impressions. They wear scuffed shoes to the job interview, slouch in the chair, chew gum, or dress inappropriately. They make the decision easy for the interviewer. On that important first date, when every word and every gesture is scrutinized, they monopolize the conversation, talk with their mouth full of food, and tell jokes that would offend Redd Foxx.

I suspect, however, that most of us strive to make a positive first impression. After all, we want to be liked, we want to be respected. In a typical social situation, we engage others in conversation in order to learn about their lives and to share ours.

Looking Good

Then why do so many trade show exhibits stink and so many trade show booth staffers stink even more. For the vast majority of attendees, their first impression of you is based on your display. It’s their first date, your first interview, and the first meeting for both of you. Walk the typical trade show, whether it’s a Chamber of Commerce “Meet and Greet” or your industry’s lollapalooza in Las Vegas, Orlando, or Chicago. About 50 percent of the exhibits are creative, targeted, and well-planned. The booth staff understands their roles and makes every effort to behave like outstanding role models. No inappropriate scratching, no Starbucks coffee cups littering the display, no obsessive Crackberry distractions. They are there to work the show and understand that during show hours every interaction is a performance.

Looking Bad

And then there are the other 50 percent. Let’s start with the booth. My oh my. . . too often it’s bulletin board artwork stuck to a booth built by the Alf and Ralph, the Monroe Brothers on Green Acres. Or if it’s a professionally designed exhibit, it’s long in the tooth, damaged, and the exhibit equivalent of Archie’s jalopy sitting on cinder blocks. Now that may be acceptable at the local hobby fair, but wearing the trade show equivalent of a lime green leisure suit at the Governor’s Ball is tacky (funny but still tacky). It screams, “I just don’t care.” Now you may be comfortable on your first date with a big piece of spinach stuck to your front teeth, but even if your date has matching green dental jewelry, chances are there will not be a second date. Trade shows are expensive, but the actual display is usually the least expensive investment over 2-3 years. So invest wisely.

Behaving Badly

Now the booth staff. This is almost too easy. So rather than riff on the stereotypical cell phone chatting, Motrin popping from a hangover, couldn’t give a rat’s @$$ booth staffers, let’s take the high road. The reason too many exhibits are staffed with the wrong people is simple. They are the wrong people. They don’t have a vested interest in the company’s success, they aren’t knowledgeable, and they aren’t “people” people. Trade shows are not magazine ads or television spots. They are face-to-face sales opportunities. How often have you been to a Chamber of Commerce mixer and the local bank’s display is staffed by a teller? The teller is pleasant and pleasant-looking, but he/she doesn’t know anything about the bank’s loan programs, CD rates, or charitable programs. The teller shouldn’t be there. The local branch manager should be. Pamphlets, key chains, and cleavage are not replacements for one-on-one knowledge.

Ideally, your trade show staffing should have senior management participation. They have the knowledge and the vested interest. Too often, however, they wander the show floor like a band of schoolgirls whispering snide comments about competitors, eating candy, and planning the evening’s activities. Never underestimate the power of a title. And unless your senior management is poison, meeting the CEO or President of a company in their booth can turn “interest” into an “order” almost immediately.

Want to succeed at your next trade show? Treat it like a first date. Look your best and mind your manners. Remember that first impressions are lasting impressions. And no matter how tempting that spinach omelet looks for breakfast, it’s probably a good idea to select the oatmeal instead. 😉

From Forbes.com

People ultimately choose to do business with people they like, and everyone likes someone who appreciates them.

I once read a quote by the ever so brilliant writer known as Anonymous. It states, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”  The most powerful tool you have in creating success in your life is to appreciate other people.

When you appreciate others you will find that your relationships are stronger, your circle of friends will grow wider, your career and business will succeed beyond your expectations, and your life will simply be happier. So who wouldn’t want all of that?!  And how do we make that happen?

The two most powerful words in any language are “Thank you.” Saying thank you communicates that you value and appreciate the other person. Saying thank you has the power to completely change the other person’s mood for the better. Saying thank you has the power to create friendships. Saying thank you has the influence to create loyalty. Saying thank you to everyone you come in contact with would make you one of the most beloved people in the world. Forgetting to say thank you leaves the other person feeling taken for granted and unappreciated, and one can easily surmise the damage those feelings would do toward building future bonds.

Now that we all agree on the importance of saying “thank you”, let’s talk about a few tips on how to say it best.

When saying thank you, it is best to be specific about exactly what you are thankful for. When you take time to do so you are helping that employee feel appreciated, but at the same time you are also teaching them the behaviors they should repeat in order to receive further thanks in the future. For example, a manager might say to an employee who did a good job on their given assignment, “Thank you for the attention you paid to the smallest details on this project. I realize you put in extra hours to get this completed so smoothly and I truly appreciate your efforts.” That employee will walk away feeling appreciated as well as knowing that paying attention to detail and going the extra mile are behavior patterns they want to continue to follow in order to receive future praise.

Saying thank you to someone out of the blue in an unexpected moment can make a huge impact on someone else. For example, when the person has done nothing for you in that moment just stop and say thank you to them for something they exemplify, such as, “Thank you for always setting an example of integrity with your life.” Those unexpected thank yous can create a lasting impression on the other person.

One of the most powerful forms of appreciation is when you take the time to say “Thank you” to someone in a handwritten note. In all my years as a CEO I found time and time again that the most valued gift I could give someone was a handwritten note of thanks, and the only items I have saved without fail over the years are the handwritten notes of thanks that employees and clients sent to me.  There is something so deeply personal and meaningful in a handwritten note of appreciation. At my past company we had thousands of thank you cards with the company logo printed for the employees to be able to write and mail handwritten thank you cards out to our clients, our vendors, and each other. The value created over the years from these simple handwritten notes didn’t equal millions of dollars in value, they created hundreds of millions of dollars because they helped us to grow our company to levels beyond expectations because of the close personal bonds with our clients and service providers.

We all have hundreds of opportunities to say thank you every day. We can thank the gal behind the counter at the gas station who rings us up when we grab our morning diet soda. We can thank the person in the drive-through who hands us our lunch order. We can thank the person who holds the door open for us when we walk in the building. If you pay attention for even one day to everyone who could possibly deserve to hear a “thank you” you will be amazed at the number of opportunities that could be missed in a day if we don’t pay attention to them. There is never a downside to saying thank you to someone. It can only make your own life and the lives of those around you better.

And so with that I want to take a moment to say “Thank You” to all of you who read my articles, who take time to comment on them, and who have chosen to also read my daily blogs posted at www.amyreesanderson.com/blog where many of you have shared such kind and supportive comments there. Each of you has touched my life for the better and I truly thank you for that. THANK YOU!

~Amy Rees Anderson

Forbes.com Article -Entrepreneurs – 6/28/2013 @ 12:17AM

The Who, What, When, Where and Why of Trade show Planning

The prospect of planning for a trade show can seem like a daunting task. After all, overlooking the smallest thing may result in a day-of calamity that affects the viability of your lead generation efforts and compromises the impact you intend to have on the audience – not exactly the impression you’re aiming to make.

When sitting down to write an event checklist, you’ll likely find you have a lot of ideas at first. Holding a brainstorming session is a great approach if you’re just looking to get everything down on paper, but you’ll need to come up with a more structured list down the road. Once you’re ready to take that step, consider breaking everything up by using several common questions as a base.

Who?

The question of “Who?” can be broken into two parts: Who is the audience you’re targeting, and who will be manning the booths on either side of yours? Knowing your audience is a basic and virtually self explanatory step – if you’re not familiar with the likes and interests of your target demographic, you probably won’t be able to effectively appeal to its members – but you might not even be thinking about what’s going on at neighboring booths.

What?

Sometimes, exhibitors get so wrapped up in prepping for a trade show that they forget about what comes after. Asking “What is my post-show plan?” will encourage companies to commit to deploying effective follow-up strategies.

When?

If you’re planning a trade show, setting up a calendar is crucial. Kick off preliminary planning six months to a year in advance, then set four-, three-, two- and one-month benchmarks, with weekly and day-of goals after those.

Where?

The location of a trade show dictates a lot about the event itself, both in terms of the specific venue and the surrounding municipality, so you need to make sure you know what you’re getting into.

Why?

There are several main reasons companies decide to partake in trade shows. Each calls for them to approach the undertaking a little differently, and it’s important to have a solid idea of the motivation behind your participation so you can align your event-planning accordingly. Are you debuting new products? Drumming up buzz about your brand? Nurturing relationships?

If you have an event plan in place that answers all of the above questions, consider yourself well-positioned for trade show success.

See more at: http://www.tsnn.com/news-blogs/who-what-when-where-and-why-tradeshow-planning

11 Tips for Trade Show Displays

How to Create Trade Show Displays To Engage Potential Customers

The quality of your trade show displays will make or break your trade show experiences. Exhibitors new to trade shows tend to focus on the flashy; they want to create trade show displays that will draw crowds. But that’s not the point.

It’s not the number of people your trade show displays draw that matters; it’s whether or not your trade show exhibit engages them when they’re there. Use the tips for trade show displays below to create trade show displays that will engage people and get them interested in your products and services.

1) Think neatness and visibility when putting your trade show displays together.

Use a display board to hang some of your products at customer eye-level to draw them into your display. Make sure your display is organized and tidy; customers will be turned off by messiness or by having to do too much searching to find what they want. Have all your prices clearly marked.

2) Build the impression of demand into your trade show displays.

Customers will want your products more if they think they’re in high demand. Place a strategic sold sign on one or two items. You might even leave a display spot empty, giving the impression that you’ve been too busy to restock.

3) Pull a crowd to your trade show display.

Use interactive trade show displays, such as quizzes, computer games, contest draws, scheduled demonstrations; it doesn’t need to be fancy to draw people’s interest and get them to cluster around your trade show display rather than the others. At a gardening trade show, I once saw over 50 people crowding around to watch an exhibitor demonstrate how to turn compost!

4) Have a stock of promotion items that you can use as trade show giveaways.

Small items that people can take away and use (while being reminded about your business) are best. Be sure you place these items in a location where people will have to walk into or through your trade show display to get them.

5) Use a prize draw or contest.

Having some kind of prize draw or contest as part of your trade show displays is a great way to collect contact information from booth visitors. You can give away promotion items to encourage people to participate.

6) Make it easy for booth visitors to get information.

Use signs in your trade show displays to give information about prices, minimum orders, shipping costs, or any other basic information they might need to know, to save them the trouble of having to wait to ask when you’re busy with another potential customer.

7) Make sure you have plenty of promotional literature on hand.

You’ll want to have a good supply of color fliers and brochures as well as order forms, price sheets and business cards that you can hand out to trade show display visitors so it will be easy for them to find all the information they need about your business later. You should also have a press kit prepared for the trade media.

8) Be ready to do business.

Be sure you have a good supply of order forms, pens, credit card slips, or anything else you need to conduct sales and keep track of people’s orders at your trade show display.

9) Have your trade show displays manned at all times.

Someone has to be there to greet browsers, engage them in conversation, and take their questions. If you can’t be there every minute the trade show is open, you’ll need to have at least one other person help man your booth.

10) Actively engage trade show display visitors.

Give people who approach your trade show display a friendly welcome, and welcome their questions. Be sure your body language is friendly; don’t stand there with your arms crossed over your chest, for instance. “Chat” with booth visitors, and find out what aspect of your business they’re most interested in. Be prepared to offer specific solutions to their questions. The trick is to draw them in without intimidating or overwhelming them.

11) Follow up promptly.

Send out email, regular mail, or make the phone calls to follow up on the contacts and leads you made during the trade show as soon as possible. The faster you send them out, the more your business will stand out from the rest.

Trade Show Displays Have to Do Two Things

So there are two main considerations when you’re putting trade show displays together. Your trade show displays have to be visible and interesting enough to get people over to take a closer look. But once they get there, you have to make that closer look worthwhile by engaging them with conversation and information. Do these two things well and trade shows will be an incredible sources of contacts and customers for your business.

Link to Original Article

The Displayers | 212 620 5555 | Directly Across from New York’s Javits Center

8 Social Media Marketing Tips for Trade Shows and Conferences

Even in this day and age Trade Shows are a critical component of any B2B company’s marketing mix, however they involve considerable marketing investments by companies; booth space, design and fabrication of displays, travel, accommodations and marketing collateral and interactive content. It’s little wonder then why more and more cities are offering more and more incentives to attract more trade shows and conferences to their cities to fuel economic development

To help maximize ROI and create awareness many companies and organizations are turning to social media to improve their success at trade shows. Below are eight tips that can help your marketing team have a successful trade show experience.

1) Make Sure Your Brand is Discoverable on Social Media.
Long before you start your trade show awareness campaign, you have to have an established presence on social media set up and ready to go. No one likes to be the first guests at a party and the same goes for fans connecting with brands on social media.
In 2013, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and LinkedIn are still dominating social media marketing but newer entires like Instagram and Pinterest are fast becoming popular due to the visual nature of their platforms and shifting trends in how users are spending their time online.

2) Make Sure Your Social Profiles are Up to Date.
For trade shows, conferences and general event marketing, you need to put your best foot forward. Directing people to your social channels only to have them find the most recent post was six months ago does your company a huge disservice. Having an up-to-date profile not only makes your company look more professional, it helps bridge the gap between the real-world touch points and your brand’s online presence helping facilitate a seamless conversation between your prospects and your company.

3) Use Social Media to Create Pre-show Buzz.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and Instagram are currently the top tools to get the word about about your trade show. The key is to move beyond the general announcement and standard issue press release and showcase who will be there, free giveaways, and what attendees can hope to learn when they stop by your booth. The goal here is to generate foot traffic.

One good tactic is to take the press release of the event and break it up into small chunks that can be spread out across your social calendar. Create teaser campaigns where you dole out information in small amounts to pique interest and drive engagement. Make the information valuable and exciting so that it incentivizes people to share your posts with their immediate network. In this sense, it’s the 2nd degree connections that is really the most valuable asset of your social presence, often increasing the reach of your content by an order of a magnitude or more.

4) Utilize the Official Hashtag for the Event or Create Your Own.
Leveraging hashtags for your event is one of the best tools for generating buzz and curating and monitoring conversations about your brand specific to the trade show or conference. It is also one of the best ways to make lateral connections with other participants, speakers, presenters, and show attendees. 

If you are exhibiting at an event, check to see if there is an official hashtag being used by the show organizers, incorporate this hashtag on all of your event specific tweets and Instagram posts. Also note that hashtags can be used on other platforms as well (LinkedIn and Google+) and that Facebook is soon expected to activate them in the next major update.

For events that do not have an official hashtag, or if you are hosting your own event. Feel free to create a unique custom hashtag to help generate buzz and awareness for your event. Double check to make sure that the hashtag is not currently in use and be sure to use intercaps to help distinguish specific words and avoid the dreaded hashtag confusion.

5) Incorporate Social Media Into Your Corporate Website and Email Marketing.
One thing we notice with a lot of companies still, is that their social media channels are nowhere to be found on the corporate website or email marketing. In 2013, this is a huge missed opportunity for brands to allow their customers to connect with them and receive news and updates in real time.

For companies that haven’t done so, collect all of the live social media channels currently maintained by your brand and have your web and email teams integrate them prominently onto your company’s site and campaign templates.

6) Leverage Real-time Marketing.
In a globally connected world, information is shared in real time with zero lag. Perception can turn on a dime so marketers have to be on their toes to take advantage of any opportunities that emerge. The Oreo tweet during the 2013 Superbowl is becoming a textbook example of how to leverage social media and real-time marketing to generate brand awareness.

For real-time sharing on-the-go, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Pages are the top three Social/Mobile platforms of choice primarily due to their user friendly mobile apps, around the clock content stream, and wide popularity with Millennials.

Depending on how many people you bring with you to support your trade show/conference efforts, bringing along a dedicated person (typically an online community manager or PR person) who can post real-time updates, post visually attractive photos, and engage with followers or fellow attendees on-the-fly can offer the highest impact for your brand’s marketing efforts and allows your company to maximize lead generation by making it easier for other attendees to make the connection between your brands offline presence with their online one.

7) Understand that Social Media is a one-to-one marketing strategy.
A mistake many brands make is treating Social Media as a mass communication strategy. In some instances, treating your Facebook Page or corporate Twitter as a broadcast medium is expedient and effective but the real value lies in the two way communication between you and your audience. This offers an unprecedented opportunity to engage in one-on-one conversations with prospects and fans.

Also another point to consider is that customers are now quick to vent their frustration and dissatisfaction with a company on Social Media. Getting your marketing/social team up to speed on customer service and online conflict resolution can actually help defuse negative feedback by courteously taking the conversation offline and converting critics into advocates.

8) Share Your Trade Show Experience with Those Unable to Attend.
With advancements in mobile technology and smart phones you can record an almost endless amount of data at events; insights, photos, videos, contacts, geo-locations, that you can share with your audience in real time. 

Some of this can be shared on Social Media but also don’t overlook the fact that the material captured can be used to create a recap of the trade show experience where you can share what you and your team discovered and reflect on where your business or industry is headed.

Have additional questions about your brand’s trade show promotion strategy? Contact John Luu at jluu@axiom.us.com for more information.  Published June 21, 2013.