Having a booth at your industry’s annual trade show or at local expos and events is an effective way to market your company.
Face-to-face events offer the unique opportunity to meet new suspects and narrow in on your prospect list. Expos and trade shows are also a great venue for promoting new products.
Experiencing a successful event doesn’t happen on its own…
Successful vendors create a plan well in advance of an upcoming show. Print collateral pieces can be used to promote where you will be, educate attendees at your booth and follow-up with interested parties after your event is over. Planning your before, during and after is key in creating a return on your investment.
Before the Event
Navigating a trade show floor can be exhausting. Seasoned attendees map out routes of the key booths they want to hit. Make sure your booth is a target on their route by sending out postcards announcing when and where you will be. Offering an incentive for those receiving the postcard is a good way to encourage traffic to your booth.
During the Event
Having an arsenal of people working your booth is great when you have traffic. But how do people remember you and your product/service after they walk away?
Business cards are a great introduction piece. Business cards help break the ice and provide all the information one needs to follow up.
Rack cards can be a great alternative to business cards. The real-estate on a rack card can be your greatest asset. Make the rack card valuable to someone picking it up. Include tips, a calendar of events, or anything else that might encourage one to hang it on their fridge. Of course, include your business card information on the card as well.
Brochures provide attendees with an in-depth look at what you and your company do. Show samples and testimonials. Turn your brochure into a useful handbook to make it a must have from your booth.
After the Event
Once your event is over, the direct marketing begins. Having collected specific contact information you are now armed with the information, you need to grow the relationship.
Follow up with a phone call to thank them for visiting the booth within a business day of the event. Offer to send a customized product packet with items they may be interested in. This packet can include a company overview, catalogs or brochures of products/services, and samples of product.
After the event is another opportunity to send a direct mail postcard to attendees. This will be a smaller quantity than the initial before event postcard. Personalize this one with the attendee’s name and interests.
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