Trade Shows and Post Trade Show Marketing

Trade shows are about so much more than just showing up. A successful trade show requires plenty of pre-show research and marketing, a presence that makes an impact, and plenty of post-show follow-up. It’s much, much more than just two days at a convention center. In fact, it can make the idea of having a successful trade show seem a little daunting. But there’s no need for it to be: SOULO is here to help.

Why SOULO?

It’s simple. We have the full range of resources to help make the most out of your trade show. 

Advance Marketing

Long before you start setting up your booth, you need to set up your audience. Promote your appearance at the trade show with a smart marketing campaign. Whether it’s purely digital through social media, your website, and digital ads, or a clever direct-mail campaign (perhaps taking advantage of variable data printing), or a mixture of both, you can let the world—and the trade show attendees and exhibitors—know that you’re going to be there. A smart teaser campaign in advance can set your booth up to be the center of attention at the show.

Advertising

You don’t have to buy the inside covers of the trade show catalog or be a flagship sponsor, but some smart spending here can pay off. It might not have to be spending, either—maybe your organization can trade services for sponsorship billing or ad space. Just make sure that your message is part of a cohesive whole that works with your brand, your booth, what’s in the booth, and with the pre-show marketing you’re doing.

Booth Design

Your trade show booth is the first thing attendees are going to notice at the show. It’s your first impression, and you don’t need a big booth to make a big impression. The booth should be welcoming and draw people in. Pop-up banners are great, but not if they form a wall to keep people out of your booth.

Then there’s design. A trade show booth is not the spot for a detailed accounting of the full breadth of your organization’s services. Now is the time for direct, clear, simple messaging that intrigues people and makes them want to learn more. You can bring out the details when the attendee says, “Tell me more about what you do.”

Collateral

What are you going to hand to people after you chat them up, to help them remember the details of your organization and the charming experience they had at the trade show?

Brochures, catalogs and sell sheets are all items that can support your trade show efforts. You might already have these materials, or you might want to create something that is specific to the trade show. Either way, how are you going to get them into people's hands? A pile on a table that will last 3 minutes before it's shuffled like 52 pickup? A hidden stack from which you hand them out individually? We’ll help create a solid process that maintains the excellence and reputation of your brand, but also gets information to your potential customers.

Swag

At a trade show, nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. Another great way to do that? Giving away things people want. What makes sense as a giveaway can vary a lot by the industry and demographics of your show, but we’ll help you choose something people will want, and will want to hang on to.

Post-Trade Show Marketing

When you’ve packed it all up and gone home, have a plan for reaching out. You want to be back in front of the same audience you targeted before the show, but now you need to add everyone you met during the show, too.

Your message at this point might be a little different depending on your audience and where they are in your sales funnel, but the overall theme should be consistent with everything you did leading up to and during the trade show.

A successful trade show isn’t something that happens in one day, but SOULO is here to equip you with the tools to make your next trade show a smashing success.