Today’s post is about how to better plan your business events and trade shows. We have 10 very helpful tips to share with you. Below you will see tips 5 to 10. To see tips 1 to 5 please read our previous post, click here.
Events can be an incredibly powerful platform when it comes to boosting your business’ image, creating awareness of your brand and building, nurturing and maintaining relationships that are nutritious for your bottom line. There are, however, essential ingredients to getting the event recipe right. If these ingredients are not included in your event cook-up, you should prepare yourself for some brutal post-event lament! Below are five of our ten tips that you should keep in mind if you want to avoid the dreaded event fail.
6. Promote for Influx!
If you have the opportunity to promote your event prior to the event date, use it! There are many platforms available for promoting your event that can help to propel your target market in the right direction, towards you!
Here is a sample:
• Email Marketing
• Social Media
• Signage
• Your Website
• Exhibition Website
• Networking
• Trade Show Booklets
Contact your target market with:
• Deals, promotions or free gifts which are only redeemable at the event.
• Event Reminders.
• Helpful Information: Think about what your target market would appreciate.
- Directions to the event or other helpful tips?
- Industry related information?
If you have access to a database of registered or previous attendees, you can use it to make several points of contact with your target market and position yourself for event success before the event even begins.
7. Logistics: Expect the Unexpected.
As many who have ever run events will know, logistical issues can throw a very large spanner in the works. There is nothing worse than waiting for someone or something to arrive at the last minute before an event and them (or it) not arriving! Don’t make the mistake of assuming that all your deliveries and manpower will be on time and get to the right place. Things happen: road blocks, illness and miscommunication being a few examples.
What to do:
• Communicate: Even if you are one of the fortunate few who have managed to find reliable delivery, manpower and transport options, remind, check and remind again!
Communication with all key contributors is one path to avoiding ‘road blocks’.
• Take extra precautions where you can.
• If you are able to get event goods delivered early, do so.
• If you are able to have extra manpower on call if needed, do so.
8. Giveaways for Return!
Resist the temptation to waste money by aimlessly throwing all sorts of freebies and branded items at people. An expensive trap is thinking that people buy into the notion of ‘if I give you something surely you’ll give me your time and ear in exchange’. Pressure often repels people and rubbish bins are often full to overflowing with unwanted show-bags, brochures and
other bits and pieces that cost money.
That being said, giveaways do have their place. A well aimed giveaway at a member of your target market can be effective. You could create awareness amongst your target market through providing them with samples of your product or other branded items. You could position yourself by providing free ‘inside advice’ or industry tips. Always refer back to your objectives to ensure that the giveaway is well-targeted to hit the right notes with the right people.
9. Get Engaged!
Today’s conference and event audiences are hungry to be engaged and involved in the experience. At your event, find ways to engage your target market and create a valuable experience that draws them to you.
You can do this in many ways:
• Demonstrate your product’s attributes where possible. A demonstration is non-invasive in that the audience just has to observe. This can be highly engaging.
• Don’t be shy. Interact with your target market at every opportunity. Put your best foot forward and be confident (After all, you are the solution to their problem)!
• Ensure that your physical event surroundings are as attractive as possible. At trade shows and exhibitions this will also help you to stand out from the crowd.
• Hold Competitions: Competitions get people’s attention as most people love the possibility of getting something for nothing. This also plays on the competitive nature of most people.
10. Follow-Up, Follow-Up, Follow-Up!
Post-event, it is absolutely crucial to stay in contact with your target market attendees. It is therefore essential that during the event, you ensure that you have a method to collect contact information from your attendees (for example by collecting business cards). Maintain relationships with those that know your brand well and continue to nurture relationships with those that are still new to your brand through regular contact. This is a delicate process and careful planning should be given to your follow-up strategy. You want to engage your target market, not annoy them.
There are a number of ways to stay in contact with attendees post-event:
• Thank them for attending the event (via email, phone or mail)
• Invite them to your next event
• Send them your latest news or blog post, video or industry article (something of value to them!)
• Invite them to join you on your social media pages.
• Send them promotional emails with incentives or offers.
Now that you have the essential ingredients for avoiding epic event fails, cook-up something that satisfies!
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Low-quality giveaways and things that nobody wants tend to be a stable of some bad trade-shows. Sometimes the value visitors place on these items is actually less than zero, and you are better off not giving them away. Instead you should focus in other areas or higher-quality giveaways
Hi Jeff and thank you for your comment. Can you suggest any effective giveaways you have tried?