Trade shows offer a great means of networking, learning, creating brand exposure and even selling. B2B organizations have long relied 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, you should create a plan that is geared towards meeting a specific goal.

Goals And Objectives

Much like 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.

Who 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 include 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. Determine who you’re selling to and focus on solutions that will fit their needs.

Personalized Content

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.

Contact Capture

One of the most effective ways of gathering contact information of interested parties is through the use of scannable QR codes. This allows you to tailor your codes to hit personalized landing pages, special offers and targeted content.

Target Accounts

Prioritizing which prospects you would like to spend your focus on will help you navigate your next trade show efficiently. While you’re not looking to brush off any potential customers, attending trade shows can be expensive and maximizing your time with top accounts should be a priority.

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.