Using The Right Trade Shows In Your Marketing Mix

[Cindy Clemens]

Using trade shows as part of your marketing mix can be a great way to get in front of a massive number of your ideal prospects in a short amount of time and for a small amount of money if done correctly. If you are planning on using trade show marketing as a piece of your marketing mix, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning your event in order make it as successful as possible.

First off, you need to find out who the audience of the trade show really is. Is it for consumers and the general public or is it actually geared to other businesses like yours?

I see a lot of businesses spending huge amounts of money on trade shows that only cater to other businesses in the same industry. Let's ask a simple question. Are the other businesses in your industry, maybe even your competition, your ideal customer? Though they may be good partners for cross promotion and that's great, they aren't your ideal customer.

If you are in a consumer market and the majority of your business comes from home owners then an Industry trade show that doesn't market to home owners as attendees of the trade show, isn't going to do much to bring you in business. I see a lot of trade shows that cater to others in the industry. If that's not your target market, then it's going to be a waste of time. You want to find trade shows that market to bringing in those home owners that ARE your target market.

Spend a little to make sure your booth looks professional and stands out from the crowd. The great thing about trade show booth presentations is that if you do it right, it can be a one time investment. You might spend a couple hundred dollars to get a great display board and banner to hang on the front of your table but keep in mind to design it so it won't need to change for years. Don't put pricing on your display boards. Be sure that everything you use is evergreen. I've designed presentation displays that I've used for 5 years and never needed to change.

Use bold colors and styles that make you stand out. Many trade show booths are all going to look the same. You can easily stand out from the crowd with the right use of colors and design on your display boards and banners.

Be sure to include plenty of take away materials. You need to have postcards and/or brochures or flyers that people can take with them when they visit your booth. Again, make them stand out. You want people to remember you after they leave. If they have an interest in your products or services, you want to make sure that your materials don't get lost in a back of stuff they picked up from 200 other booths at the event. Use the same bold colors and design that you used for your display board. This helps build your branding and makes everything match.

Trade show marketing can be a great marketing idea for your business as long as you plan ahead. Make sure that the show is geared to your target market and that you are prepared to stand out and make a great impression for the attendees of the trade show and the trade show can pay for itself many times over.