Promote Your Next Trade Show Event
One of the most important parts about promoting your brand at a trade show occurs before the trade show even begins. Pre-show promotions lets your loyal customers know that your company will be attending an upcoming trade show to show off new products and services. You want to let people know that they will be getting the inside scoop on your newest items. But how do let people know when and where you will be showcasing at this trade show? Here are a few tips.
Physical
After you have purchased an amazing trade show booth with even furniture and retractable banner stands, you need to make sure people know where you’re going. One great way to promote your upcoming event is through swooper feather flags and pre-show events. Creating feather flags to put at your store front is great for promoting your upcoming trade show, particularly if it is an annual event. Anyone that visits your location will be able to see your feather flag and may ask an employee about it. So make sure everyone is informed about the event. You can also have small pamphlets ready inside for anyone who is curious about the event.
Digital
“There are approximately 310 million people in the United States” who own a smartphone, says Henry Blodget from Business Insider. That’s 310 million people downloading apps, using digital calendars, and carrying a handheld computer in their pockets. This technology can benefit more people than those that own it. With the power of the internet at people fingertips, think about all the opportunities exhibitors have to promote the next trade show booth or event.
Photo Credit: NYT
Smartphones can connect with social media platforms, websites, email and much more. Smartphone are connected to the internet all day everyday. That gives exhibitors so many opportunities for marketing your upcoming trade show event digitally. Digital marketing is great for distributing trade show information to mass numbers of people.Not only that, but exhibitors are able to promote all upcoming trade shows with little to no cost! For example, anyone can create a Facebook page for free. Through Facebook there are options to post a status, image or event create an event. Many smartphones are able to view this information and even link calendars with Facebook. So if you create a trade show event in your calendar, that event will show in your followers’ smartphone calendars. To top is off, your Facebook trade show promotions are free!
The key to digital marketing for an upcoming trade show is to promote on every digital channel differently. Why? Well, if you were connected to APG Exhibits on Twitter, Google+ and received their newsletter, you would get tired of seeing the exact same message in three different forms. It would end up feeling more like spam. The last thing a company wants is for its messages to be viewed as spam. That’s why there needs to be added value that is different to each channel.
While each channel need to be different, it is important that no matter where exhibitors promote upcoming trade shows, all digital channels need to be accessible through smartphones. Your website promotions and trade show newsletters must be viewable on a small screen. Many people receive a significant amount of their mail through their phones. That includes newsletters. There are many different ways to format your website and newsletters to suit smartphones. For first timers, try searching “How to format my website for mobile.” There are numerous services available.
