What You Need to Know About Trade Show Marketing

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | What You Need to Know About Trade Show MarketingThe First Impression

In a world of e-commerce and online activities, trade shows can be overlooked; however, this offline alternative is far from being unimportant. Contemporary trade shows offer the opportunity for an entire industry to put their best foot forward, attracting potential investors and customers. A myriad of competitors shall be vying for trade show revenue, and the first impression of a trade show stand can make or break a sale. Naturally, the first step in creating an engaging and approachable stall is to have sturdy pop up stands; nothing is more uninviting than a collapsed stand.

Modern trade show stall formats tend to utilise open curved fabric stands as they are approachable from the front, right, and left, rather than the conventional booth or cubical format. The open format permits the engagement of more potential customers, because it’s generally more inviting and interpersonal, as customers are free to come as they please without the barrier of a booth between the salesman and the customer.

The Display

The fascination with a stall begins with what observers can passively see before they decide whether or not to further engage with the stall. Images and brand names are conventional passive marketing materials. A projected video or slideshow, however, tends to generate more interest as it allows observers to passively view a demonstration of a product or service. Passive marketing materials are designed to generate interest and proffer brand awareness, comparable to a giant advertisement.

Gimmick style materials, such as pens and caps, are popular and can be used to promote brand awareness outside of the trade show; however, these should only be handed out after a customer engagement as a reminder of the brand.

Active marketing materials then advance the cause of passive materials and commonly constitute leaflets, business cards, brochures, booklets, and even interactive displays. These materials are designed to engage potential customers on a deeper level by:

  • Building customer relationships,
  • Establishing the expertise of a company or business, and
  • Delving into the question of ‘why’ a company or business is better than its’ competition.

Active marketing materials contain the information a potential customer needs. Interactive kiosk displays and tablet devices generally have higher levels of engagement; however, leaflets and booklets can be taken home for consideration in an environment outside the exhilaration of a trade show.

The Continuation

Trade Shows are merely an entry-point for customers and the attained sales leads must be developed into business. A resourceful method is to categorise sales leads into different priority groups, for example:

  • Group 1 – Very Interested
  • Group 2 – Somewhat Intrigued
  • Group 3 – Hesitant

Each group must be treated differently as resources ought not to be wasted by attempting to convince hesitant customers and allowing interested customers to slip away. Naturally, very interested clients ought to be contacted first for any follow-up processes, followed by group 2 and then group 3.

The Strategy

Prior to committing to a presence at a trade show, a marketing strategy must be created. While potential customers are seeking business, a stall must still outrank its’ competition, and the mere presence at a trade show does not guarantee engagement, nor does it guarantee sales.

What are the primary and secondary goals of attending the trade show?

The objectives of trade show marketing can differ, for example, a business may wish to:

  • Generate sales or leads
  • Build business relationships
  • Build brand awareness
  • Reinforce existing leads
  • Promote recent developments for training opportunities

Attaining a sale or leads is generally the primary objective; however, during a trade show, this may encounter some resistance. As a secondary objective, for group 2 and 3 leads, consider promoting other avenues of engagement, such as email / social media subscriptions, or proffering brand awareness to increase direct engagement with the company when they are considering a business proposal.

Trade show stalls ought to create a lasting impression and a memorable experience.

This is commonly assessed within the first few seconds of an engagement, which is why the first impression is crucial. Sales scripts and pitches must reflect this objective and the different avenues a potential customer could be taken down should be mapped out. This will proffer a smooth experience and when combined with active marketing materials, shall greatly assist in achieving the stall’s predetermined goals.

Trade show events differ; choose one which matches the goals of the business.

Trade shows can be in the form of:

  • Networking events,
  • Industry events,
  • Seminars,
  • Conferences,
  • Sponsored events, and
  • Webinars, amongst others.

If the primary objective of the business is to increase brand awareness or build business relationships, then a networking event may be the most suitable.

Finally, assess the results.

Consider what factors constitute a successful campaign, what was popular and what was not.

  • Were the primary and secondary objectives achieved?
  • Did leads materialise?
  • Are people talking about the brand?
  • How many people subscribed?
  • How many are actively engaging with the company?

Let the numbers do the talking and assess the results. This shall determine whether another trade show should be attended, or whether other marketing avenues ought to be considered.

Are Trade Shows Still Worth Your Time?

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Trade Shows|Are Trade Shows Still Worth Your Time?Most small businesses today focus their marketing and networking online. They sell themselves online with a website and social media profiles. But they also find new suppliers and connections online. This has countless advantages, mainly that it makes launching a business a much more accessible prospect and it allows you to reach a wide audience quickly. But, with so much of today’s business done from behind a computer screen, face to face contact is limited.

Trade shows run all over the world, all of the time. Some shows focus on different industries, products, and niches. They appeal to different people. Some attract members of the public, others industry professionals only. Unfortunately, many small business owners are neglecting these fabulous opportunities in favor of online development. This can be a massive mistake, and taking part in trade shows can still be an exceptionally valuable way to use your time.

A Chance to Make a Personal Connection

People trust people. If someone tells us something face to face, we’ll believe it more than we would if we read the same thing online, where it would be surrounded by fake news and unreliable opinion. It’s easier to trust the word of a person when you can look into their eyes and read their body language when they say it.

That’s why personal contact will always be valuable and worthwhile in business. Getting out there at trade shows gives you a chance to meet people face to face. To tell them about your business and answer their questions. It’s also a chance to provide them with materials to take away. Tangible things that they can touch, and come back to, which will make a much bigger impression than something that they can scroll past online.

A Better First Impression

It’s thought that in person we have around seven seconds to make a first impression when we meet someone for the first time. Online, it’s much less. If you don’t immediately impress someone with your social media update or advert, they will scroll right past. If your website doesn’t load instantly, they will look elsewhere.

A trade show gives you several chances to make that all important first impression. People might see your stand from across the room and walk over. Then, you get an opportunity to sell yourself in person. You even get another chance if you give them something to take home, or they see your team later in the day.

StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Trade Shows|Are Trade Shows Still Worth Your Time?Time to Be Bold and Stand Out

Your stand at a trade show offers you a great way to attract a crowd and bring people in. By using your space to its best, you can really draw in a crowd and get noticed in a way that you might not among millions of other websites online.

Add x-stand banners, posters and props to your stand. Make sure if you sell a product, you’ve got it with you. Make sure your visitors can see any freebies or promotional materials without having to ask or search. When it comes to getting your stand just right, it’s often a good idea to keep things quite simple, with plenty of white space so that your products or informational materials can do the talking. But, using splashes of color, making the most of the height that you’ve got to work with and adding welcoming props, like plants and flowers can all help you to get noticed.

Remember, your stand isn’t the only thing that you’ve got going for you. Choose the team members that you take very carefully. You want knowledgeable people, but also charismatic people that are happy to talk to strangers and get stuck into a crowd. You want chatty people that get the point across well. The kind of people that sell well and are remembered afterward. Then, kit them out in promotional uniforms that stand out and set them apart.

Use Digital Marketing to Boost Trade Show Performance

Of course, nothing is stopping you teaming your digital media efforts with your trade show appearance for maximum benefit. Start a countdown to your attendance online. Use a hashtag and offer freebies to anyone that can prove they follow you online. Encourage your visitors to share pictures, videos, and updates on social media throughout the day and do the same yourself. Keep things fresh and exciting by sharing as much as you can on the day, and release previews of what you’ll be offering beforehand to create a buzz and peak interest. The two can work together remarkably well if you make the most of the tools at your disposal.

The Opportunity to Offer Extra

A trade show is your chance to come up with some great freebies that will get you remembered. Stationary, badges, notepads, tote bags and other branded materials often work well. Branded sweets and other accessories can also be fun. Try to make sure whatever you offer is in keeping with your brand message, and give everyone a cool tote to carry their freebies, for a bit of easy advertising.

A Great Networking Experience

Trade shows aren’t just a way for you to meet potential customers, give them information and sell your stuff. It’s also a fantastic networking opportunity. You’ll meet other people in your industry and get a chance to see what they are doing well, and what isn’t working. You might meet new suppliers and other people that can help your business to grow. Or you might just make new friends that become part of your support network.

Fantastic Experience for Your Team

As a small business, you might have a relatively small team with little experience. They might not have been to shows before, and their experience with the public might be limited. Taking them to a trade show can give them a great experience. It can help to boost their confidence, improve their knowledge of your company and their skills at selling it, and give them a chance to see how other businesses are doing things. It can be valuable training for your team, which could help them both now and in the future.

Market Researchers Must Master Storytelling

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Market Research|Market Researchers Must Master Storytelling Market research is an essential tool in developing and differentiating brands and services But the research business is rapidly being disrupted by the encroachment of SaaS competitors, emerging methodologies, lower pricing and easier consumer access.

Change creates opportunity

The insights industry is clearly at a crossroads. We know that while disruption poses threats to business models, it also creates opportunity. The research and insights function has the opportunity to grow, though it must transform itself to thrive by improving communications, positioning and sales processes to demonstrate its organizational value. Therefore, we need to rethink the paradigm of the 150-slide Power Point data dump. Instead, brand stewards should focus on delivering compelling, contextualized, clearly elucidated and actionable insights that inspire rather than provoke. To be all those things, our work must tell a story.

To tell better stories researchers and marketers must optimize it use of media by thinking differently about delivery formats. These three paths to can begin your journey.

1. Think differently about presentations

Too many research presentations employ a narrative structure that focuses on the process, rather than the objectives of the research. A preferable approach is to focus on key objectives, putting calls to action, and takeaways, front and center. With a narrative approach, a deck might include a table of contents and a topline of insights followed by pages of dense data. In contrast, a deck with an objective-based structure outlines objectives and relevant insights/solutions. A well-crafted, objective-based deck organizes and curates data in support of those points as succinctly as possible.

2. Think differently about video

Brand stewards should consider how video formats are calibrated to the nature of the research messaging. Relevant formats to consider, include: movie trailers and documentary films. The choice should depend on what type of message is to be delivered. If it is a sales message, you want to inspire action and a movie trailer style may be preferable. That would ideally be quite short (:60 or less), with quick cut editing, dramatic music, and much less data and text. Alternatively, when you want to inform, a documentary style may be optimal.

On a completely separate note, one underutilized tool is sprinkling in video clips with actual consumer insights sessions. One method to consider is short excerpts of 1-2 minutes that bolster key points, problems to overcome, and opportunities. These video clips should be well edited, with a strong narrative structure. And, if you can capture actual footage from consumer sessions, it will enhance the impact of your videos.

3. Think differently about experience

Experiences are the other main distribution channel for research/insights. While share-out events are important, insight professionals often give short shrift to the experience and audience profile. One should experiment in both areas to maximize learnings and maintain audience attention. To heighten the experience, a variety of formats should be explored, whether styles of presentation, event formats, or otherwise. Brands might consider using actors to pose as target consumers, or feature articulate, charismatic consumers themselves.

It’s worth the effort to explore new event formats, such as live, “fishbowl” style events, in which consumers sit on a panel in real time, along with business people; then have the audience and speakers swap places. Unfortunately, when it comes to telling stories, we often neglect the consumers of our work. Oftentimes research socialization events have different audiences. Whether marketing, senior management, strategy/insights, sales or other constituencies, each event should be formatted and experiences calibrated to the motivations and level of knowledge of each audience.

As the market research industry continues to be challenged by disruptive business models and ever evolving consumer habits, presentations must change in profound ways. We must continue to improve our ability to communicate, to strategically position, and sell our work. To succeed, we must optimize media formats that communicate our deliverables and the marketing stories we tell.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Kory GrushkaKory Grushka is the founder of Stories Company, a creative agency that helps business leaders tell critical stories through presentations, video/animation, infographics and dashboards, among other tools. Kory is a creative director, strategist, business development executive and former corporate lawyer. He has extensive experience in a variety of industries, having managed brand strategy, innovation and design projects for Fortune 500 companies ranging from CPG to technology.

The top 10 business promotional tools

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Marketing Strategy |The top 10 business promotional tools Every business should have a carefully-selected arsenal of promotional tools at their disposal. Investigating and researching each one is just one way of creating a smart and savvy marketing strategy that is tailored around their business’s needs. Some might be suitable for one business, whereas others may be completely redundant – and might even form a bit of stumbling block in their overall marketing strategy. With this is in mind, here are the best promotional tools to consider for your company.

SEO

Now infamously used to boost web pages up Google’s rankings, SEO is a technique that prioritizes relevant words (keywords) and links to similar pages (link building) to promote a website’s credibility. However, the playing field has gotten a little tougher over the years as Google has clamped down on pages that misuse these techniques. Using a company with expertise, such as this SEO provider will help you to avoid being penalized for overusing common SEO techniques.

Twitter

Twitter is a great middle-ground for businesses of all types: it’s a little bit creative, a little bit topical and its use of hashtags makes it ideal for promotion. If you’re looking to create a specific tone of voice for your business, using emojis and GIFs are a great way of adding humor and color to your page. It’s also a great way to conduct polls and interact with clients and customers to show a little bit of customer service.

Instagram

If you have physical products to offer or create eye-catching campaigns or designs, then you should absolutely be advertising your business on Instagram. In fact, the site claims that 60% of people discover a brand new product using their platform. Be sure to bring your A-game when it comes to high-resolution images: low-quality content will not get your business noticed for the right reasons.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is built for businesses and online networking, and so it really is worth putting your business on there to connect with other people in your industry. Not only that, but if you have job vacancies, you can use this platform to promote the job advert from in-house, so it will be seen by potential enthusiastic employees. However, just because it’s a business social media site doesn’t mean that your page should be uniform and basic. Make sure you fill your profile with videos, blogs, relevant content and update your picture and banner to branded imagery.

Facebook

If you have a physical shop of premises with opening hours, then you would be missing out on a trick by not using Facebook’s business page tools. Not only does it showcase your opening hours, but it also uses a messenger function to pre-empt frequently asked questions. It’s worth also noting that the Facebook algorithm prioritizes posts with numerous likes and comments – so encourage your visitors and followers to like and share.

Word of mouth

Never forget the old methods of promotion: good word of mouth. Your business should aim to be the ‘have you seen’ or ‘have you heard of’ on everyone’s lips. Offering customers a ‘recommend to a friend’ discount is just one way to encourage word of mouth, on top of delivering an excellent quality of service.

Networking

Yet another traditional method of promotion, networking works by offering a genuine personal touch. In the same way that many people would prefer to be called or visited rather than emailed, going out to trade fairs or out into the community to chat to like-minded customers or professionals adds a personal touch to your company’s name, stopping you from being just a faceless brand.

Customer service

Customer service should be in every business’s promotional armory, and yet it’s so often neglected. There’s nothing that damages a business’s credibility more than the knowledge that they handle customer queries and complaints poorly. Training your customer service team and anyone who might be answering phone calls to interact with customers efficiently and with a friendly manor will do wonders for the aforementioned positive word of mouth. At the very least, perhaps installing a chatbot to your website will give the illusion of a full customer service team, as it will answer any queries that visitors may have.

A good website

Having a website that’s poorly maintained or clunky to use is like inviting a visitor into a messy building. Nowadays people exist more virtually than ever, which means that your website should uphold your business’s image and branding just as much as your premises would. Investing in a web designer to create aesthetically pleasing page furniture, a site map and an appealing and helpful ‘about’ section will be brilliant for visitors who want to know a little bit more about what you have to offer. As with any social media page, it should be full of eye-catching imagery and interesting content about what you have to offer. If you have the capacity to do so, it might be wise to upload a video about your business using Make Web Video, and maybe introduce the team who are behind it.

Also be sure to make sure your website is optimized for mobile use. Most online users browse the web using their smartphones, which means a clunky and PC-only website will make your business look out of date, as well as inaccessible.

A blog

If you want to show your expertise and passion as a business, then a blog is a great place to start. Writing regular industry posts will showcase your knowledge as a brand, and prove your ability to deliver accurate information about your profession. Not only that, but high-quality content is far more likely to get shared by online users, which means your company will get a big promotion in the process.

Not all of these promotional tools will be suitable for your business – after all, if you are starting up an accountancy firm, why would you use Instagram? Being selective and doing your research on your industry will ensure that any platforms or methods you take full advantage of will be used to the best of their ability.

The Dos and Don’ts of Using Branded Products for Promotion

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | Branding | Branded Products | The Dos and Don'ts of Using Branded Products for PromotionBranded products can be a great way to promote your business, and they have been used since forever. But they can also be a total waste of money when they’re not being used properly. The problem with a lot of businesses is that they just have a ton of useless products made and have no real strategy on how they’ll use them. But just like anything, you can’t just expect to have a few branded pencils laying around and expect them to do the work. In this article, we’re going to give you some of the dos and don’ts of using branded products to promote your brand and business.

Do: Give Them Something They’ll Actually Use

Look at your audience and see what makes them tick. See what kind of hobbies and interests they may have. If you’re a tech brand, then don’t give away calendars or clothing items. Besides, how many times have you seen somebody wearing any kind of branded company clothing unless they worked there?

Instead, why not give them something they might actually use, like a nice multiport USB charger, or a security strap for their iPad? These are all things they can use and might not actually have right now. These will not only be useful to them, but will keep your brand in the back of their mind every time they or someone else looks at them. If you want more examples of cool promo items you could give out, you can read more here.

Don’t: Give Them Cheap or Outdated Items

If you give your audience junk that breaks easily, then it will reflect poorly on your brand. Don’t give them some cheap USB drives that will run out of space the minute you put a few files on them either. Furthermore, once a promo item is broken, it won’t be able to perform its main function, which is to promote your business.

Don’t skimp on quality and give them something that will last. The longer they’ll be able to use it, the longer it will continue creating awareness for your brand. They’ll also have a higher view of you as a business.

Do: Catch Their Attention First

You could have a few items lying around at an event, but they will make much more of an impact if your get your audience’s attention first. If you’re at a trade event or expo, that means creating an experience and having items that stand apart from the rest.

The item, as well as the way it is delivered, will help create a positive connection with it. Make them feel like they’re actually winning a prize. If you want to give them to clients, you could give specific items after a certain purchase amount. Another way that you could help build a connection with your audience is to work with a street team and have them hand out promo items in public. Make sure they’re well informed so they can let the public know all about your brand.

Don’t: Rush Purchases

Take your time when ordering items to represent your brand. That means choosing them wisely, finding the right supplier, and making sure that you test different items and see how they work. One way that you could gauge the impact of your items is to have a custom URL printed on each one. This way, you will see which ones are actually working and bringing attention to your brand.

This also means planning well in advance if you think you’re going to need promo items for an event. Make sure that you get samples first so you can see the quality. Make sure that you speak with your marketing team and get their recommendations. Promo items can sometimes take a long time to make, so planning in advance will make sure that you get everything in time and fix any issue.

Do: Consider the Setting

Before handing out promotional items, you also have to take the setting in which you’re going to give them out into consideration. While your audience may appreciate getting a nice warm hoodie for the winter months, having to carry hundreds of hoodies to an expo might not be very practical. If you’re going to a trade show or expo, then you should pick smaller items that can be easily carried, like a thermos or power bank. Make sure that you’re well aware of the logistics first before you have any product made.

Don’t: Create Barriers

If you’re intending on giving out high value promo items at an expo and want to be able to get prospect information in order for people to get them, you have to make sure that the process is as seamless as possible. You don’t want to create any additional barriers that will make your item too difficult to get. If you do this, you might end up discouraging your audience and they’ll just walk away. If you’re going to get their information, make sure that you set up multiple tablets at your booth and make the form as simple as possible so you can get the information quickly and give them the item.

Do: Package Promo Items Together

If you can, you should also try to package your items together so you can create a general theme. Not only will it make a greater impact, but the items together will be more likely to be used over a long period of time and continue bringing awareness to your brand A nice beach bag or cooler filled with goodies will make a great impression. And don’t forget to have the packaging branded as well for greater impact.

Promotional items can be very efficient when used right, but you have to make sure that you plan properly and have a clear strategy on how to use them. If you follow our advice, you’ll be able to unleash their full potential and get tons of attention for your brand.