Some might wonder why a digital marketing agency owner would write a blog about something as traditional (and non-digital) as Trade Show Marketing. 

Trade shows provide immeasurable value including brand exposure, showcasing of new products and services and the ability to check out the competition while assessing what’s hot in your industry. It’s deepest value however comes from face to face networking and lead generation.  

As a marketing professional who spends most of her day orchestrating lead generation strategies for her clients behind a laptop, I recognize trade shows as the lead goldmine they are and I look for ways  to harness this strategy for my clients. According to Statista  trade shows in the U.S. “still remain one of the most profitable business-to-business (B2B) media strategies, as they generate more than 12.8 billion U.S. dollars in revenue” annually.

Here are 5 trade marketing show tips to help you ensure you are reaching the right attendees and generating qualified leads at the events your participate in:

1. Make sure the show is a market fit:

Ensure the following:

• The decision makers (buyer profiles) you need to get in front of will be attending and not just influencers
• The trade show has a good track record
• Other businesses participating are in the same league as you

2. Set KPIS:

What goals do you want to fulfill? Choose these KPIS in advance of the trade show and ensure you have a strategy that will help you fulfill those goals. Some popular KPIS include:

•  Expected number of leads collected (name, email address, phone number, company name)
• Set number of meetings with potential customers
• Set number of meetings with potential strategic partners

3. Conduct Pre-show outreach: 

• Send out personalized direct messages on LinkedIn to reach attendees (and other exhibitors who may be strategic partners) to set up meetings in advance of the show
• Use the Event Targeting Feature in Twitter which allows you to create ads around events and trade show
• Leverage all relevant social channels to share the location of your booth and invite people to drop by or set an appointment
• Ensure you include relevant trade show hashtags in your post
• Share a link to valuable content like a blog or white paper

4. At show:

• Get invited to speak at the show which helps to position you as the expert in your space
• Ensure the marketing materials you share are memorable and helpful
• Have a contest for attendees at your booth
• Give away something useful at your booth and ensure your branding and contact info is super prominent

5. Post Event:

• Follow up quickly with a call to your hottest leads while your meetings remain front of mind within 2 days of the event
• Create an email template (in advance of the show) to send out to all leads post event:
  • Remind leads who you are
  • Let them know what unique services you can provide that will help them solve an urgent problem
  • Provide a clear call to action for a next step

I am super excited to be speaking and exhibiting at the DMIEXPO this coming November 24th and 25th at the Lago Conference Center minutes from Tel Aviv. The largest digital and affiliate conference in Israel, I’m excited to share next generation digital lead gen tactics that will increase your bottom line by 200%.  This two day event will feature talks from some of the leading digital & affiliate marketing professionals, executives, affiliates, partners and lead generation experts globally. The networking opportunities happen to be awesome too. Learn more or register here: https://www.dmiexpo.com/dmiexpo-registration/ or join DMIEXPO’s Morning Dough newsletter: https://www.morningdough.com/stories