Businesses are starting to wake up from the somewhat addictive haze of digital marketing. As good as it is, it helps to remember that there’s a world outside the computer with a lot to offer. One of the most rewarding ways to see that is to make trade shows and events a regular appearance on your business calendar. Build your brand, find new leads, and have a great time. But don’t just make an appearance. Ensure that you do everything you can to leave a lasting impact on attendants and even those who didn’t go for a long time.
The before
The show doesn’t have to start for you to start benefiting from it. Trade shows often have a profile of their own that might appeal to more people or to a different crowd than you have in your customer base. They also usually run their own marketing efforts, whether it’s through a website, social media, or all of the above. Connect with their marketing efforts and start hyping up your own attendance. Get in touch with others who will be attending and signal boost them by sharing their content. It’s likely they’ll do the same in return for you, helping spread your brand to even more people.
The during
You need to put effort into getting seen and having a real impact. The first way to do that is with a visual first impression. Make sure that you’re investing a little more into your display than just a banner. The more attractive you can make your space the more people will check it out due to sheer curiosity. Where it’s positioned is also going to be a lot of help. If you can get close to areas with a lot of foot-traffic, or set yourself up near some of the huge names attending, you’ll get more visibility. It’s a good idea to give out some swag, like printed tote bags or USB sticks, too. That way, people will have something from the event that will remind you of them. They’ll have even more reason to remember it if the swag itself has some intrinsic value. Printed t-shirts don’t work quite as well, for instance.
The after
Just because the event is over doesn’t mean that you can’t keep benefiting from it anymore. For one, take a look at all the contact details you made during the event. Give them a couple of days to a week, before you get in touch with them. It’s a good idea to personalize each email or call a little. If you can remember any details about what you discussed, then bring it up. People like being remembered, after all. Beyond that, you can use the event, the conversations had, and any impressive photos to keep delivering relevant content for weeks after and keep the hype flowing.
A trade show is more than a flash in the pan event. It’s an opportunity to create an ongoing peak in your business year. Make them a serious part of your annual marketing plan and you won’t have to look too hard to see the benefits.