Trade shows are a versatile and effective way of marketing your brand and introducing new products to the market. Face to face marketing is unrivaled. It gives you the chance to interact with your potential customers and build personal relationships with them. When combined with digital marketing, it can be a goldmine for generating leads. Keep the following tips in mind for your digital marketing trade show.
Before the Trade Show
Take advantage of digital marketing opportunities before the date of the event. Use them to create anticipation for the event and improve your brand awareness. Create an e-forum where trade show attendees can schedule a meeting with you. Find the official hashtag of the event and attach it to your posts on social media.
If the trade show has official social media accounts, engage them, and stay up to date with changes. Build a good rapport with other exhibitors. With a good social media campaign, you can find out the most relevant social media platforms to target your customers.
Email marketing is great. Even though it is old-fashioned, it can help you target specific customers and build lasting relationships.
During the Event
You don’t need to stop promoting your brand on the day of the event. Use digital platforms to retain the attention of your visitors. Remain active on your social media platforms and share your experiences. Use videos and photos to draw traffic. Those who didn’t attend the show should feel like they were present.
The photos you post should represent your brand. You may include photos and videos of your products, members of staff, and display. Consider displaying the unique URL of your content on cards. Offer the cards to the attendees and ask them to visit your website. When visitors come to your booth, give them a chance to download exclusive content.
After the Event
You can continue to market your trade show and brand when the event is over. The actions you take after an event determine the success of future vents. A common mistake that many exhibitors make is laying down their digital marketing tools once an event is over.
The job is not done until you have qualified or disqualified all the leads you got. Communicate with your leads within 24 hours. If you wait too long, they may lose interest in your products and brand.
The best way to reach them is by sending a brief but clear email. Keep it five sentences or less, and avoid grammatical errors. Do not bombard them with too much information about your company’s goals or mission. The purpose of your email should be to;
- Remind them of your brand
- Thank them for showing an interest in your company or products
- Remind them about the value you offer
- Include a simple but clear call to action. Do not use it as a chance to make significant sales
If email is not a good option for you, consider communicating with them on other platforms.
If you need help with your trade show marketing, consider working with ExpoMarketing. It helps you design booths that cater to the needs of your target audience.