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Bob Sperber, Editor, Branded Content
When you exhibit at a trade show, you face the daunting tasks of driving traffic to the booth and obtaining high-quality leads to ensure your investment pays off. Planning your strategy before, during, and after the big show is key, and the use of trade media can play an important role in achieving your goals.
A case in point: Informa Markets – Engineering (IME) researched data from the IME West conference and exhibition in Anaheim, CA, last year to uncover an important finding:
On average, exhibitors who participated in marketing services and advertising programs with IME Media in advance of the show were shown to generate 73% more leads than those who did not.
This finding underscores the significant benefits of leveraging trade media opportunities that are free of charge as well as those that offer results through cost-effective digital marketing solutions. Below are five tips, tactics, and solutions that you can use, starting with actions you can take that are free of cost and continuing with paid programs that can drive booth traffic and leads—and even improve your booth position and ROI.
1. Identify attending or sponsoring media brands by visiting the event’s website, contacting the show organizer, or exploring the official exhibitor portal. Then, contact those media outlets and editorial staff to learn about gaining free inclusion in pre-show coverage or guides. Make sure to highlight if you’re launching a product at the show.
2. Extend invitations for booth visits to attending industry media editors. Leverage this face-to-face interaction to find out about additional show-related editorial opportunities, which may include on-site or post-show coverage. Plus, have a subject matter expert on hand for an on-site interview or pitch other content ideas that could be a good fit and position your company as a thought leader. Trade shows present an invaluable opportunity to establish or maintain relationships with credible media brands serving your target audience. (Related reading: “How to Earn Editorial Exposure and Get Noticed.”)
3. Tap into event programs specifically targeted at registered attendees. These are possible in special cases when the trade media company is also owned by the event organizer, as is the case with Informa Markets. Event-related products vary between media outlets, but can include pre-show, onsite, and post-show newsletter series deployed to registered attendees; digital event guides sent to registered attendees highlighting your company, product, or service; special FastChat video interviews; and more.
4. Run branding and awareness campaigns on influential trade media websites and in industry newsletters in the weeks leading up to an event to remain top of mind. Taking advantage of banner advertising alongside reputable industry content can add extra visibility and drive interest in attendance, especially when linked to your best, show-related messaging.
5. Leverage lead-generation campaigns to motivate greater booth traffic; generate leads pre-show and at the show by bringing more visitors deeper into the selling cycle. Email copy can promote the event as well as your lead-generating product — such as a webinar presentation, eBook, or white paper. (For content guidance, read our white paper, “Rules of Engagement.”)
A show-specific media advertising package can vary depending on the products offered and the items you select for your program. All in all, partnering with trade media brands on free and paid opportunities can increase your booth traffic, leads, and ROI. As an added benefit, spending with Informa Market – Engineering media brands also counts toward your Priority Points for our industry-leading events, helping to elevate your status and booth positioning.
As a B2B marketer, you face considerable challenges to your time and resources. Regarding trade shows, however, the opportunity cost of not using the best, targeted marketing techniques to promote your brand is too great to ignore.