Events and trade shows are a great way to network with multiple businesses in all sectors, learn from your peers, get some great brand exposure and even sell your products and services. Many organizations rely on trade shows as a way to promote new products, educate prospects and take advantage of face-to-face meetings. In order to get the most out of your trade show experience we’ve compiled a list to help you make sure your next event or trade show is a success.

Goals And Objectives

Similar to any other marketing strategy it is important to have clear goals and objectives prior to attending a trade show. Having a set plan will help your team be more organized and get the greatest ROI from your attendance.

Stellar Team

Having an awesome team to help you with every aspect of an event is pivotal. It is true you can’t and shouldn’t do everything on your own. Delegate tasks and ask for input from the team you plan to bring. You want everyone to feel helpful and comfortable going into a big event. Put some thought into who you’d like to send. This will largely depend on the focus of the conference and what your objectives are. When selecting who should attend, you may want to take into consideration possible sales opportunities as well as a chance to train future marketers or salespeople.

Booth Design

Your booth should be easy to spot and showcase your brand. Branded banners, tablecloths and signage should be included but not overdone. Some key items to consider are your available space, number of attendees, product placement and presentation materials.

Featured Products

Knowing your audience and their specific pain points is integral when determining which products to feature in your demonstrations. If you are attending a specialized event, determine who you’re selling to and focus on solutions that will fit their needs. If the event is not specialized, make sure your set up will cater to all of your target demographics. If you have specific companies or individuals you would like to connect with you may consider creating personalized content. This can be anything from a pdf download to a microsite built specifically for them. High-level personalization will show your prospects you are serious about doing business with them and believe the relationship is a good fit.

Gathering Leads

If you are not directly selling at events, then it is important to gather contacts and leads to nurture into customers. There are a few exciting and easy ways to gather contacts at events like this. You can use business cards, QR codes, or even host a giveaway. Making it easy for your leads to provide their contact information will encourage more people to participate.

Giveaways

Small branded items make a great way to expand the reach of your brand and even garner the attention of attendees if it’s impressive or unique. Items that can be used in everyday life are especially effective as your brand will be in front of them well past the show. Some examples include zip drives, t-shirts, key chains and miscellaneous office products.

Special Offers

Promoting free trials or discounts available to event attendees only can help get your foot in the door with key accounts and help to build relationships with those you may already be nurturing. Carefully consider your offers to ensure they fit the needs of your audience and budgetary limits.

Leverage Social Media

Social media can be used to promote your attendance before, during and after an event. This will help to build a buzz around your presentation and can also help to improve social media engagement metrics.

Founded in 1990, Winn Technology Group is a leading provider of global, multi-channel marketing solutions for the technology industry. For both direct and channel sales, Winn supports demand creation, account-based marketing, channel management, digital marketing, social media, teleprospecting, lead nurturing, event marketing, database services, and inbound response management.