Use Your Event Planning Expertise to Tap into Trade Show Success

APRIL 15, 2019| SpeedPro Chicago Loop

Even in the digital age, trade show marketing is still one of the most effective B2B lead generation strategies.

These conventions are strong revenue builders in any vertical, especially as more businesses expand their trade show marketing budget and turn to event professionals to optimize their ROI.

In other words, this year’s trade show season could be your biggest and most profitable one yet.

We at SpeedPro Chicago Loop specialize in fast event graphics; located just 3 blocks from McCormick Place, we’ve come through for presenters, vendors and event coordinators during countless last-minute event graphic emergencies. We also make it convenient to plan ahead for safe transportation to the venue to circumvent shipping issues.

Here are three tips to win the trade show circuit, while maximizing your clients’ investment and setting them up for trade show success:

1. Engage with Audiences ahead of Time

Before a trade show, many exhibitors focus solely on travel and event logistics, and they only interact with prospects during and after the event.

However, engaging with attendees and prospective leads before the show is also crucial. After all, attracting visitors to your client’s booth is one of the biggest challenges at trade shows – as well as the first step in the whole lead generation process.

By leveraging social media, you can help your client interact directly with attendees for weeks before the actual event. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are generally the best channels to engage with trade show attendees and organizers.

Learn and leverage the event’s Twitter hashtag, and encourage your clients to post what they’re promoting and giving away. This will generate brand awareness, foster relationships with attendees, spark their interest and drive more people to your client’s booth.

Your clients can also follow the trade show organization’s Facebook page for important event updates and additional opportunities to interact with attendees. Uploading teasers, asking questions and engaging with other posts generate brand awareness before a trade show.

2. Partner with a Print Solutions Provider for an Eye-Catching Booth

You know better than anyone that pulling off a successful event – or even an impactful trade show booth – is harder than it looks. Marketing departments often spend months just mapping out brand messaging and booth design.

Designing a booth, while juggling your other responsibilities, is overwhelming. Instead, make things easier on yourself – and your client – by leaving that to the experts. We at SpeedPro Chicago Loop coined the term Surface Impact Ⓡ to describe our strategy of maximizing the visual influence of every surface to achieve the greatest branding and monetary potential, and trade show booths are an ideal situation to make the most of your space with creative large format printing.

Look for a vendor that works directly with you or your client to fully understand the brand, business objectives and trade show marketing goals. They can then develop a cohesive, professional and fully-customized strategy and design to help your client achieve those goals with each trade show display.

Plus, these wide-format printing vendors typically have all the technology and expertise to create and install each eye-catching visual and interactive element in-house – making their studio a one-stop-shop for everything booth and display-related.

By leveraging professional graphics expertise and execution, you can provide clients with an impressive and cutting-edge display that’s optimized for form and function.

3. Host a Killer After-Party for Conference Attendees

Your client’s booth doesn’t have to be the only place they interact with prospects at trade shows. Consider organizing an after-party, cocktail hour or other post-trade show social event for your client to host.

After-parties give exhibitors an additional opportunity to engage with attendees and create less formal networking opportunities. These events can also attract attendees who missed your client’s booth, putting their brand in front of even more prospects. They can also gain additional traction from trade show leads by following up with booth visitors at the after-party.

Throughout the event, make sure to incorporate strong branding, graphics and signage that promote your client’s business. This informs guests of the event host, while fostering positive brand perception for your client and reinforcing their marketing messages.

A step and repeat banner with your client’s logo makes the perfect photo backdrop for guests. You can incorporate branded pop-up displays, retractable banners and table coverings and toppers to creatively spread brand elements throughout the venue. All these options are also easily repurposed, so your client can reuse them at their next event or trade show.

By going the extra mile for your client, you maximize their trade show ROI.

Standing above the Crowd at Trade Shows and Beyond

Trade shows help businesses put their brand in front of new prospects and engage in-person with existing clients.

You can tap into the segment’s strong demand and profitability by coordinating hassle-free and impactful trade show experiences for clients.

From capturing attendee attention via social media to presenting clients with an awe-inspiring, interactive display and buzz-worthy after-party, there are countless ways you can rock the trade show circuit this year. And, by partnering with a wide-format printing vendor, you can make things easier on yourself at the same time.

To learn more about the other ways SpeedPro can benefit your business, check out our trade show booths and displays.