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Tag Archives: trade show marketing
So You Want To Be An Industry Thought Leader….
This is a lofty goal and one many organizations aspire to achieve. The identity of some brands as prolific or high tech product innovators may serve to naturally position them as industry thought leaders simply due to the nature of their corporate structure. However, there are still opportunities to raise awareness and establish a leadership role for a company that is not widely known as the glitzy industry golden child.
1. Identify a specific topic or group of topics to home in on. Even Apple is not an expert in everything. The key is to recognize a core area of expertise in which the company excels and truly is an industry leader. If a competitor has already staked a claim, look for ways to gain traction with expertise on niche but important topics. Choose a knowledgeable spokesperson and then build an outreach strategy to focus on telling your unique story.
2. Get visible. Many companies attend and even exhibit at industry trade shows. But there are myriad opportunities to apply for a speaking position at industry events. Shows, conferences, industry panels, meetings, round tables, workshops and even milestone celebrations are all excellent venues for establishing your brand as an expert on your focused area of expertise. Also, think beyond simply presenting at peer-to-peer shows. Vertical market events offer an opportunity to connect with potential customers.
TIP: Secure more speaking opportunities and deliver more engaging presentations by avoiding commercial messaging. Deliver meaningful, educational content that event attendees can use and will associate with your brand.
3. Dust off the old typewriter. With the current state of the publishing industry, many trade publications (and increasingly consumer publications) are constantly seeking good content from a fresh perspective. Using your established focus as a pitch topic, reach out to leading industry and vertical trade publications to pitch a bylined feature article. Like event presentations, think about how your article can educate a magazine’s readership about a certain topic affecting the industry. If you can offer a new perspective to readers, editors will be excited to help tell your story.
4. One is never enough. Do not settle for one speaking engagement or feature article placement. Within your focused area of expertise, consider all angles and side to the story, as well as how certain industry trends and events affect constituents and vertical markets differently. Refocus your main topic to address multiple angles and you can still deliver exclusive content to each show or publication you work with.
5. Consider developing a corporate sponsored blog. If you want to be a thought leader, continuous and current content is key. A blog provides a simple channel for communicating opinions and predications as changes occur. Moreover, consider how you can use social media to further expand your blog reach.
6. Compete for professional awards. Whether for new product launches, professional leadership or even something as simple as safety, competing in award competitions can raise a company’s profile as a thought leader. Many competitions are actually sponsored or hosted by industry publications – resulting in built in media coverage for winners. And for those that aren’t, publicity and media relations can be implemented to effectively raise awareness for awards.
5 Ways to Maximize Your Case Studies
A case study detailing the specific results of how your company or product helped overcome a unique or difficult challenge can be a powerful marketing tool. Since developing case studies is often time consuming, be sure to maximize their use.
Here are our top five tips for getting more value from your case studies.
1. Secure Media Coverage: You can achieve media coverage for your case studies one of two ways. First, you can develop a news release detailing the situation and high-level results of the successful project, and distribute/pitch to media as a story with a spokesperson available for interview. Or you can also offer key non-competing media the full case study to run as a bylined article; media are always looking for good content focused on real world applications.
2. Develop Engaging Blog Content: Divide your case study into several smaller segments and post a blog series on the project. Ensure each post leaves readers with a reason to come back for the full story.
3. Secure Speaking Opportunities: Use your case study as a way to secure a speaker at an industry show. Most industry shows/conferences are looking for good examples of how attendees can apply new/existing technology in their field. Ask your client to present with you as a team. The show is more likely to select presentations that include peers talking to peers and do not seem like a sales presentation.
4. Video Development: Consider documenting end results and customer testimonials on video. A video version of your success story can easily be incorporated into your website, online advertising, social media, email marketing, mobile marketing and even media relations strategies.
5. Advertising Campaign: If you have several interesting case studies with impactful results, consider structuring your next ad campaign as a series of testimonial stories focusing on applications and results .
12 Tips for Planning Trade Show Activities and Budgets
Exhibiting at key industry trade shows can be a very effective marketing strategy. However, trade shows require more than just a booth and booth space. Following are 12 considerations when planning and budgeting for trade shows.
1. Trade show strategy: It is key to develop a strategic plan that identifies pre-, at- and post-show marketing, measurable goals, positioning, messaging and budgets. Do you have staff internally who can mange this or do you need external support?
2. Management: Someone (either internally or externally) will need to manage and coordinate every aspect of the trade show strategy from making the exhibit space deposit to determining post-show booth storage.
3. Exhibit space: Exhibit space costs differ by show and of course by the amount of booth space you want. Also, check to see what else the booth space includes. For example, does it include carpeting and drayage?
4. Booth: Will you rent, purchase or build your own booth? Who will design the actual booth messaging and graphics? Also, plan for the details including booth and equipment shipping, drayage, graphics, signage, furniture (tables, chairs, counters, screens), literature racks, free-standing kiosks, lighting, audio-visual, computers and other technology on site, designated lead retrieval, floral arrangements, etc.
5. Manage set up: Determine the labor required to set up your booth. Will you need utilities, electric/compressed air/gas, carpet, cleaning services, water/plumbing, rigging, special effects or security?
6. Booth staffing: Which personnel will run your booth? Decide now and plan airfare, hotel, local transportation and budgets for food and other expenses early to secure the best rates.
7. Pre-show promotion: What per-show promotions will you do to increase foot traffic to your booth? If you conduct direct marketing, you’ll need to account for invitations, customer/prospect database and postage. Do you plan to conduct pre-show publicity, or advertising?
8. Show/booth promotion: How will you generate excitement and activity at your booth? Booth giveaways, demonstrations, a hospitality suite/booth, literature, show sponsorships, interactive video?
9. Special events and speaking engagements: Most trade shows put out a call for speakers or presentation months in advance. Review the opportunities available; if you have an interesting expert or a great case study to share, consider applying to speak. Also, trade shows typically offer sponsorships that might range from being a show sponsor to sponsoring recycling bins or water coolers. Or, do you plan to conduct booth demonstrations, press conferences or presentations at your booth?
10. Deconstruction and storage: Account for booth deconstruction, drayage, shipping and booth storage.
11. Post-show promotion. How do you plan to conduct follow up with existing customers, prospects and media who expressed interest during the show? Will you use telemarketing, email marketing or direct mail to encourage sales?
12. ROI analysis. Document your results and compare against your strategic plan. Did you meet your goals? What results did the show yield? Was the cost worth the investment?
Need help planning for your next trade show? Contact kayleigh (at) sweeneypr (dot) com or 440.333.001 ext. 105 to get started.
