Who Put All These Trees in the Forest? Making Pre-show Promotion Stand Out!
Who Put All These Trees in the Forest? Making Pre-show Promotion Stand Out!
Show participation must, for many exhibitors, generate a positive, demonstrable ROI if exhibiting is to remain a viable part of the marketing strategy. This means taking advantage of every opportunity to maximize the return on show participation: before, during, and after the show. Many exhibitors do a great job at the show, but lackluster or non-existent efforts prior to and after the event sabotage their efforts. For those marketing professionals who believe in the core value of exhibiting and the face-to-face relationship building that is part and parcel of exhibiting, this has placed renewed emphasis on the value of pre-show promotion.
Pre-show promotion is the single most valuable step any exhibitor can take to help drive traffic to the exhibit, up the percentage of high-value, qualified leads, and ensure a positive ROI. After all, to start and reinforce valuable business relationships, you have to have contact with the show attendees. They need a reason to visit your exhibit -- to pinpoint and find one booth out of the hundreds on the show floor. Pre-show marketing can provide that reason.
This isn't exactly news -- and although the vast majority of exhibitors aren't doing any pre-show promotion, those companies that are have been steadily increasing their efforts. How can your pre-show promotion stand out in a crowded environment?
Here are three effective strategies to consider:
1. Smart E-Mail
E-mail is everywhere: almost everyone checks their e-mail several times a day. Yet few exhibitors are making use of this tool to promote their tradeshow participation. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of.Use strategically timed e-mails to remind your clients and potential clients to visit your booth at the tradeshow. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of.
Timing is crucial. You don't want to send your reminder emails too early, as they'll be overlooked. Sending e-mails too late isn't any better! Aim for three emails, one a month before the show, one a week before the show, and one a day or two before the show.
Don't forget the signature line on your regular, everyday business email. Altering it to include a mention of your tradeshow participation is a subtle yet effective way to promote the event.
2. Trade Journal Inserts
Any time you conduct a direct mail campaign, you do so in the knowledge that the vast majority of your efforts go unseen. The lion's share of direct mailings are never delivered, much less read. Considered ‘junk mail', it winds up in the trash, where it doesn't do you nor your prospective attendee any good.
Industry journals, on the other hand, are almost always delivered. They're also consistently read at a much higher rate than most direct mail efforts. Some savvy exhibitors have begun promoting their tradeshow participation with trade journal inserts. These small postcard-sized advertisements are tucked into the journals before they're mailed, highlighting your organization's upcoming show appearances. This isn't a common strategy yet, so you benefit from being unique and targeted. A very cost-effective strategy!
3. Lumpy Mail
Lumpy mail has a funny name, but it's a powerful pre-show promotional strategy. Sending a mailing that is literally lumpy -- an envelope containing something -- generates curiosity in the recipient. One exhibitor actually sent potential attendees a message in a plastic bottle -- and got a great response rate. Consider what ‘lumps' you could send to your attendees!
One strategic use of the lumpy mail strategy involves including a premium item the prospective attendee has to bring to your booth to exchange for another, higher value item. A variation of this is to send an item that is useless on its own -- one glove, for example -- along with the message that the missing component -- the second glove -- can be picked up at your booth.
Who Put All These Trees in the Forest Making Preshow Promotion Stand Out - To learn more about this author, visit Susan Friedmann's Website.
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There's a lot of pressure on marketing departments today: a tightening economy and increasingly competitive environment means that every promotional effort must generate a positive return. Every decision has to be viewed critically, and that includes the decision to participate in tradeshows.
Show participation must, for many exhibitors, generate a positive, demonstrable ROI if exhibiting is to remain a viable part of the marketing strategy. This means taking advantage of every opportunity to maximize the return on show participation: before, during, and after the show. Many exhibitors do a great job at the show, but lackluster or non-existent efforts prior to and after the event sabotage their efforts. For those marketing professionals who believe in the core value of exhibiting and the face-to-face relationship building that is part and parcel of exhibiting, this has placed renewed emphasis on the value of pre-show promotion.
Pre-show promotion is the single most valuable step any exhibitor can take to help drive traffic to the exhibit, up the percentage of high-value, qualified leads, and ensure a positive ROI. After all, to start and reinforce valuable business relationships, you have to have contact with the show attendees. They need a reason to visit your exhibit -- to pinpoint and find one booth out of the hundreds on the show floor. Pre-show marketing can provide that reason.
This isn't exactly news -- and although the vast majority of exhibitors aren't doing any pre-show promotion, those companies that are have been steadily increasing their efforts. How can your pre-show promotion stand out in a crowded environment?
Here are three effective strategies to consider:
1. Smart E-Mail
E-mail is everywhere: almost everyone checks their e-mail several times a day. Yet few exhibitors are making use of this tool to promote their tradeshow participation. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of.Use strategically timed e-mails to remind your clients and potential clients to visit your booth at the tradeshow. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of.
Timing is crucial. You don't want to send your reminder emails too early, as they'll be overlooked. Sending e-mails too late isn't any better! Aim for three emails, one a month before the show, one a week before the show, and one a day or two before the show.
Don't forget the signature line on your regular, everyday business email. Altering it to include a mention of your tradeshow participation is a subtle yet effective way to promote the event.
2. Trade Journal Inserts
Any time you conduct a direct mail campaign, you do so in the knowledge that the vast majority of your efforts go unseen. The lion's share of direct mailings are never delivered, much less read. Considered ‘junk mail', it winds up in the trash, where it doesn't do you nor your prospective attendee any good.
Industry journals, on the other hand, are almost always delivered. They're also consistently read at a much higher rate than most direct mail efforts. Some savvy exhibitors have begun promoting their tradeshow participation with trade journal inserts. These small postcard-sized advertisements are tucked into the journals before they're mailed, highlighting your organization's upcoming show appearances. This isn't a common strategy yet, so you benefit from being unique and targeted. A very cost-effective strategy!
3. Lumpy Mail
Lumpy mail has a funny name, but it's a powerful pre-show promotional strategy. Sending a mailing that is literally lumpy -- an envelope containing something -- generates curiosity in the recipient. One exhibitor actually sent potential attendees a message in a plastic bottle -- and got a great response rate. Consider what ‘lumps' you could send to your attendees!
One strategic use of the lumpy mail strategy involves including a premium item the prospective attendee has to bring to your booth to exchange for another, higher value item. A variation of this is to send an item that is useless on its own -- one glove, for example -- along with the message that the missing component -- the second glove -- can be picked up at your booth.
Who Put All These Trees in the Forest Making Preshow Promotion Stand Out - To learn more about this author, visit Susan Friedmann's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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