Be Honest
Some companiees will hint at it. Then there are the ones who are honest. They simply don’t understand trade show marketing. That’s not surprising. It’s rarely taught on the undergraduate or graduate level. At best, it’s mentioned in passing in a marketing textbook. I know. After earning an MBA, I went to work for an trade show exhibit builder. On Day 1, I was clueless about marketing for trade shows.
I’d love to say that trade show marketing is marketing but that’s not entirely true. It’s odder, less compact, and more unpredictable than other forms of marketing. And, depending on the company, it can be more difficult to measure results. That doesn’t mean you should toss everything you know about marketing, but don’t assume your recent social media campaign will be just as successful at a trade show.
3D vs. 2D Marketing
Marketing has traditionally been 2D: print and television, brochures, websites, etc. It’s also been static and somewhat controllable. Trade show marketing or face-to-face marketing is as much about human interaction as the message or the branding. It’s about creating conversations, before, during, and after the show. Then there’s the booth design. That’s outside most marketers’ comfort zone and the dollars involved make it even scarier. It’s easy to panic when the costs begin to hit six digits for even a modest island exhibit. Don’t panic. Do your research and work with an exhibit professional.
ROO vs. ROI vs. Business Cards in a Fishbowl
Unlike print, television, or web ads, there are no standards or no reliable source for subscriptions, ratings, or clicks. Counting leads works, but it’s a crude measurement. More sophisticated exhibitors track pre-show promotions, leads, and sales through the entire sales channel, but they are the exception.
Your Competitors
Trade shows are truly a competitive sport when it comes to marketing. It’s the one time you and your competitors are all in the same room, all vying for the attention of the same audience. You see what they’re doing… and vice versa. Use that opportunity to your advantage by studying them. Not just the booth and the graphics, but how they’re pre-show marketing and how they engage with attendees in the booth space and throughout the trade show.
Uncontrollable Variables
No one likes unpredictability when it comes to their marketing campaign and implementation. Yet, despite one’s best efforts, trade shows can be chaotic. Freight doesn’t arrive on time. Items are broken. Flights are cancelled. An exhibitor on the far side of the exhibit hall is giving away beer and sandwiches. The exhibitor nearest you has their music so loud you can’t talk to potential clients without shouting. You can’t anticipate every variable, but you can ask questions about what to expect. Smart, savvy marketers grill their exhibit house about what they’ve seen at past shows and what are the “gotchas” that will undermine your success.
Unfamiliarity/Knowledge
Most medium-sized companies participate in two to five trade shows per year. Some as few as one. That makes it challenging to become an expert quickly. Plus, each show may not only have a different audience, but also different rules, layout, and resources. Too often, when the internal “expert” understands how to maximize the company’s trade show efforts, that person is assigned to other responsibilities. Then someone new has to start fresh.
It’s a Team Effort
All too often, companies assign one person to handle their trade show efforts. That’s a mistake. Trade show success takes a team effort from marketing, sales, customer service, engineering, and even finance. The more people who have that knowledge the less likely you’re starting from scatch each time.
Before, during, and after a trade show, sales and marketing must be partners at dance. Face-to-face marketing requires sales skills and marketing expertise perfectly choreographed. And no matter how much sales and marketing claim to play nice, there’s always a wall at most companies. It’s that wall that dooms most exhibitors from fully benefiting from their trade show program.
Become an Expert at Trade Show Marketing
- Go to trade shows as often as possible as an attendee. Ask questions and listen to what works and what doesn’t. Plus, be willing to take classes at industry events about trade show marketing, even if you goal isn’t to become a trade show certified manager.
- Rely on your local trade show professional. If they only know how to sell you a display, but not how to succeed at trade show marketing, then find someone else.
- Tap into industry consultants. These folks know how to avoid the potholes and the meandering paths so often taken by trade show exhibitors. You can find them in LinkedIn, Google, or by simply asking your local vendor.
- Plan to succeed. Create a comprehensive plan that targets pre-show, show, and post-show marketing and put specific goals in place for each one.
- Talk to other exhibitors. Every exhibitor wants to share their frustrations and successes. Take the time to tap into their knowledge. Believe me. They’re eager to tell you about what works for them and where they’ve made mistakes.
Ultimately, trade show marketing expertise isn’t achieved by just executing events; it is earned by mastering the tension between high-concept creativity and brutal logistics. Anyone can design a beautiful space, but an expert ensures that space ships efficiently, sets up within union guidelines, commands attention within three seconds, and captures measurable revenue data.
About Classic Exhibits
Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, rental, and custom exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.