How to Market Your Brand on Trade Shows and is It Worth It

Posted 2 years ago by Max Komonov

Many companies neglect or听don鈥檛 realize the听massive value that a听trade show can have for听them.

These events are far from out of听date or听no听longer relevant. In听fact, trade shows are still an听incredibly effective marketing strategy for听both professionals of听a听particular industry.

Let鈥檚 take a听look at听trade shows and听what makes them so听valuable.

What is听a听Trade Show?

Firstly, we听should define what a听trade show is, which may also be听referred to听as听a听trade fair or听exposition.

These exhibitions bring together companies and听sellers from a听particular industry to听show off, discuss, and听demonstrate the听latest products and听services to听other businesses and听members.

Essentially, trade shows are where you can find the听latest and听greatest iterations of听the听products and听services in听the听industry.

Usually, trade shows can come in听different formats or听types, but they are often exclusive events for听members of听a听particular industry.

In听other words, the听general public is听typically not allowed to听attend, but this can vary depending on听the听trade show. Most of听those attending will be听business representatives, top industry leaders, members of听the听press, and听others related to听the听industry.

The trade show floor will be听filled with people, exhibits, and听booth displays that provide valuable insight into the听industry鈥檚 future. Other trade show offerings include:

Workshops and听presentations from industry leaders
Media interaction
Award presentations
Organized networking events
Private exhibit events

What Are Trade Shows For?

Sure, seeing the听latest iteration of听products and听services is听cool, but what are trade shows for听when it听comes to听your business?

Well, attending trade shows can have a听multitude of听benefits for听those attending, including:

Networking opportunities: One of听the听most significant benefits of听trade shows is听the听networking opportunities. With so听many industry professionals and听leaders in听one place, this is听the听perfect time to听build some relationships and听connections. Business leaders may be听one conversation away from incredible opportunities for听growth.
Workshops and听presentations: There will often be听several workshops or听presentations throughout the听course of听trade fairs. There is听no听requirement to听attend all of听these, but some of听them may present valuable insight or听learning opportunities.
Develop brand awareness: Putting up听an听exhibit at听a听trade show can be听an听excellent way to听develop brand awareness. Allowing industry professionals to听view and听interact with your product or听service while you deliver your vision can be听a听great way to听get your name out there. Furthermore, the听professionals and听veterans of听the听industry may be听able to听offer valuable insight, commendation, or听critique that can be听used to听improve.
Industry insight: The overall value of听a听trade show is听in听the听comprehensive industry insight. It听allows business owners to听see what their competition is听doing right and听wrong, speak to听industry leaders, and听receive all of听the听latest industry-related news. This helps to听decide what changes to听make or听new products/services to听launch.
Generate leads: Showing your product or听service on听the听floor allows you to听engage with other industry businesses who may have never heard of听your brand. This allows you to听sell them face to听face, which will always be听better and听more personal than attempting this over the听phone or听email marketing. Even if听they don鈥檛 buy then, the听personal connection opens up听the听chance for听follow-up after the听trade show.
Learn about the听competition: Trade shows are one of听the听most effective viewing windows into what your competition is听up听to. It听lets you see their new products, services, any听changes, strategies, customer interaction, and听more. This lets you see how customers react to听their offerings and听gives valuable insight into exactly what you should be听doing to听stand out from the听crowd.

Are Trade Shows Worth It?

For those asking whether trade shows are worth it, the听answer is听a听resounding yes.

The large amount of听insight, networking, and听opportunities is听hard to听find elsewhere. Staying on听top of听industry news and听changes is听critical for听a听business to听be听proactive. Learning of听changes or听shifts later than everyone else puts your business in听a听position of听having to听react rather than being prepared.

Realistically, the听networking opportunities alone make trade shows worth it. Interacting with professionals and听leaders in听your industry can help form mutually beneficial relationships for听growth and听expansion.

The Cost of听Participating in听a听Trade Show

The costs for听participating in听a听trade show can vary depending on听the听level of听participation and听the听event itself. Those looking to听have an听 will have to听consider a听multitude of听costs, including:

Booth rental
Production and听design of听the听booth
Booth equipment and听shipping
Unloading and听setting up
Travel/accommodations
Samples, promotion, and听marketing materials

There may not be听an听immediate return on听these costs, but brand awareness and听professional interaction can offer returns in听the听future.

Those looking just to听attend a听trade show will only have the听attendance fee and听travel/accommodations to听consider. This is听a听good way to听go听for听those new to听the听industry or听who cannot afford an听exhibit in听the听budget at听this time.

Effective Trade Show Marketing

Now that you understand more about the听purpose of听trade shows, let鈥檚 talk about what you can do听for听effective trade show marketing.

Tradeshow marketing can be听an听incredible way to听gain exposure, generate leads, and听enhance current client relationships.

Here are some general tips for听improving your trade show marketing and听how to听promote it.

Promote your trade show appearance online

The first step is听to听promote your trade show appearance along all possible channels. You want to听ensure your target audience knows you will be听there to听spark interest.

This can include making a听blog post about it or听even a听dedicated page for听the听event.

Email can be听another excellent promotional channel. You can either send out personalized emails to听various targets or听blast to听your email list. Don鈥檛 forget to听include a听link to听the听web page or听blog post about it听as听well.

Of听course, don鈥檛 forget to听hit all of听your social media channels with trade show promotion as听well. It听doesn鈥檛 have to听be听a听lengthy post. Just enough to听get the听word out and听maybe include some hashtags for听the听audience to听share around.

Create print promotions

You should also be听creating physical promotional materials as听well, such as听flyers or听brochures. These should promote the听products or听services you display at听the听trade show.

This way, visitors can have something to听take with them and听read after seeing your booth.

These printed materials should include a听call to听action and听contact info for听customers to听reach you.

Design your booth

Your booth should be听well-designed and听constructed, as听you want it听to听attract attention. It听should include eye-catching signs and听graphics and听even seating to听make it听easy for听people to听stay.

If听you or听a听team member are not experienced in听these areas, it听may be听a听good idea to听hire a听professional designer 补苍诲听肠辞苍迟谤补肠迟辞谤.

Presentations and听demos

For the听main courses of听action, you will want to听plan out some product or听service presentations/demos.

These are the听most essential activities for听your trade show booth. They need to听show off your product or听service and听highlight the听features.

However, don鈥檛 go听overboard either. Trade show attendees are trying to听see many presentations during their time there, so听yours should be听brief but to听the听point.

Additionally, don鈥檛 try to听sell anyone hard, as听you want the听presentations to听speak for听themselves. Let people ask questions at听the听end of听the听presentation to听ensure they get all of听the听information.

Extras

If听you want to听go听the听extra mile, you can hand out useful freebies, such as听notebooks or听water bottles with your branding or听significant coupons. Going slightly bigger will help to听differentiate you from all of听the听other booths at听the听event.

Don鈥檛 Underestimate Trade Shows

You may not see an听immediate return on听spend for听the听trade show.

However, these events can be听invaluable for听exposure, networking, and听improving brand awareness.

Make sure to听follow up听on听any听leads after the听event to听thank them for听checking out your display and听to听maximize your conversion.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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