5 Key Event Strategies for Trade Show Marketing

Radhika Sivadi

3 min read ·

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Trade show marketing can be the best decision you ever make – if you do it right. Attending an event with minimal prep and no strategy isn’t going to pay off in a big way. Instead, you need to think strategically about how to make the biggest impact, attract the most visitors, and convert those visitors into viable leads that you can nurture long after the last banner is packed away.

Not sure where to start? Here are the top 5 event strategies to help you make a splash at your next trade show:

  1. Make It Interactive

Research and case studies have confirmed what most trade show exhibitors could have already told you: visitors want interactive exhibits that they can get involved in. Don’t worry, though – interactive doesn’t have to mean fancy technology or expensive touch screens. Visitors love to handle samples and prototypes, try out products and services, watch demonstrations and play games. The more engaged they are at your booth, the more likely it is they’ll remember your business!

  1. Brand with High Impact Visuals

Sometimes in marketing, less is more. A trade show is not one of those situations. Your trade show booth visuals need to make a big, bold first impression, or you’ll never get to impress visitors with your products or services. Choose statement pieces that no one can miss, like an eye-catching back wall or brightly printed carpet, and customize these visuals to showcase your amazing logo (you have an amazing logo, right?). Custom printing costs more, but it is well worth budgeting for this valuable branding opportunity.

  1. Plan Your Pitch

The trade show floor is not the place to be honing your marketing pitch. Visitors will stop by many, many booths, and they don’t have time to watch you hem and haw about what exactly you have to offer them or how exactly you can fix their pain points. Practice your spiel and get it down to a succinct, compelling ‘elevator pitch’ that visitors will understand immediately, and remember after.

  1. Get Your Gimmick

Don’t fight human nature – gimmicks work, plain and simple. You need to draw visitors in so you can wow them with that perfect pitch you’ve been crafting, and gimmicks are a way to get the attention of passersby before they pass you by. Whether it’s a prize wheel, raffle, game, or freebie, anything tempting will boost new leads. Does the thought of a hokey gimmick make you shudder? Do some research and pick something that seems relevant to your brand or industry.

  1. Set Goals and Plan for Them

A crucial step that many first-time exhibitors and seasoned vets forget – attack every trade show with a specific goal, and plan strategically to reach it. Is your main goal B2C lead generation? Decide to focus on getting 200 new email addresses, and brainstorm a method to get there, like a raffle or free gift with mailing list signup. More concerned with B2B networking? The same strategy isn’t going to be your best bet. Tailor a plan that fits your goals.

It’s true that show-stopping trade show visuals will help you get noticed at your next event. But overall, truly effective trade show marketing is all about planning ahead. Thoughtful prep well in advance will allow you to maximize every opportunity that comes with attending an event, and crank up your trade show ROI exponentially.

This article was syndicated from Business 2 Community: 5 Key Event Strategies for Trade Show Marketing

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Radhika Sivadi