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Before, During and After Trade Show Marketing

For many industries, trade show marketing is a viable way to communicate with existing customers and to attract new customers. It is not enough just to attend a trade show. You have to develop a plan of attack and execute that plan. This plan should include a budget and timeline for each initiative.

One of the first segments you will want to hit is your current customer base to tell them you will be at the show. With any direct response marketing, your response rate will be compromised of three different areas: who you promote to, the offer you use and the creative used to promote the offer. Eighty percent of your response rate is evenly split between who you promote to and what offer is used. Only 20% of your response is the creative to promote your offer. Obviously, you will spend most of your time on 80% of the response rate.

Since we are initially targeting the customer base, it is likely that we will get a decent response rate. What is more challenging is developing a compelling offer. It is not enough for a customer to learn about a new product or service. You want to provide them with knowledge to perform their job better or give them something tangible for stopping by the booth. You can even test different offers to different groups to see what works better.

Determine which vehicles you want to use to reach your customers. Many of your customers may be more email oriented whereas others still prefer snail mail. Reinforce your promotions with internet and industry publication advertising. The more types of promotions you use, the more likely you are to increase your response rate.

Some of the same methods will be used to reach new customers at the trade show. You may be able to access the previous year’s attendees as a possible list or even a list of this year’s attendees depending on what is available from the trade show. Be sure to test different offers to these groups to see what works best and track your results in order to demonstrate their validity. Requiring customers bring a copy of the communication is a great way to determine how they heard about you. This is also ideal for recording response rates of different offers.

Many trade shows offer different vehicles to promote your products. You may find they have sponsorship opportunities, space advertising, promotion possibilities just outside the show entrance or even in the entrance bags handed out at the show. Some businesses hire event companies just outside the show to promote their products and get people to visit their booth.

One of the most neglected areas is the post-show follow-up. It is imperative that you provide whatever was promised to potential customers in a timely manner. If the prospect wanted product/service information, be sure to provide exactly what was requested. Your correspondence should include a letter referencing them visiting your booth.

You should also consider contacting the prospect when you send the information to them so that they know it is on the way. Follow-up with the customer in about a week to ensure that they received the information and ask if they have any questions. You will also need to develop a plan on how you will market to them on an ongoing basis. This plan should take into account the information that you have acquired on this prospect.

The only way to have a successful show is to have a detailed plan of attack. Your marketing efforts will pay-off if you give your potential customers exactly what they want and need.

Article by Michael Kotyuk