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How effective is your pre-exhibition campaign?

06 January 2011 by

As the 2011 exhibition season approaches, it is a great time to reveiw your pre-exhibition campaign.

Many people underestimate the importance of this phase of their campaign strategy. However, ensuring that you get qualified leads visiting your show is vital.

Here is the Creative Solutions check list for really effective pre-exhibition marketing.

1. GET YOUR STORY STRAIGHT
What is THE most compelling reason people should visit your show? A new product or service, a new partnership, a really special offer, a theme, a launch of a project? What is your hook? Why are you exhibiting? What's your story? If you don't have one yet - dig deep: find the story. Make sure it is relevant to your target market, and in line with your overall brand strategy. Start telling this story in all your material - posters, flyers, invitations, online communications.

2. TIME TO INVITE
Don't wait for people to think about coming to you, send personal invitations to your show. Here's where you start telling your story... make the invitation look and sound so good, (the story engaging enough) so that no one will want to turn it down.

Look through the event registration list and select visitors that are your target audience

Go through your database and invite existing customers

Draw up a wish list of ‘we want to do business with you' clients - invite them all!

Make sure as many people are invited to your 'party'.

3. GENERATE BUZZZ
Set up a special landing page on your website dedicated to your presence at the show - include updates, schedules, a run up to the show/behind the scenes blog. Roll out more about your ‘story'. Post pictures of the team what will be at the stand - let people get familiar with their faces. Publish a diary of meetings with your individual team members that people can sign up to online. (follow these up with confirmation phone calls closer the time)

Get eye catching stickers made with words to the effect, ‘we'll be at (name of the show) on (dates). See you there.' Sick these on any mail or packages that get despatched from your office.

Add a tag to all regular correspondence, quotes, invoices, letters and emails letting people know about the exhibition - and your location at the venue (stand number)

Run a countdown to the exhibition campaign on your facebook page/other social marketing platforms

Contact the local/national media about your show. Letting them know ‘your story'.

Do a charity tie-in. Give x to a particular cause for every person that visits the stand and signs up to your newsletter.

4. INCENTIVISE
Run a direct mail postcard campaign to publicise a special price purchases only available at the show.

Segment your efforts drawing out different sectors by offering different packages on different days.

Get a deal with the organiser for half price tickets to the show that you can pass on to prospects.

Publicise the fact you will the first 100 visitors to the stand each day a gift.

Stretch your imagination to the limit in trying to think and source exciting and ‘different' giveaways. Give people a gift they wont forget. No one needs another branded pen or a cheap key ring... (more ideas about this later).

5. PICK UP THE PHONE
Make appointments with specific clients with a specific agenda. Remember business buyers will be planning their trade show agenda well in advance.

Make a follow up call to confirm the appointment a few days before the event. It is believed that people need around 7 exposures to the same sales information before they take action... surveys have shown that calling up to confirm appointments at a trade show significantly increases the numbers of people showing up.

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