• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

M Source Ideas

Schedule a Free 30-Minute Consultation

  • HOME
  • SERVICES
    • Omnichannel Marketing
    • Positioning & Brand Strategy
    • Business Development Strategy
    • Competitive Analysis / Market Intelligence / Economic Trends / Feasibility Studies
    • Messaging & Copywriting
    • Digital Marketing
    • Campaign Management
    • For Foreign-Based Consumer Companies
  • INDUSTRIES & EXPERTISE
    • Omnichannel Retail
    • Non-Commercial Foodservice
    • Travel Hubs & Airport Retail
    • Hotel Industry
    • Other Retail Channels
  • CLIENT WORK
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • Books & eBooks
    • Video Library
  • ABOUT
    • Lionel Binnie, Founder & CEO
    • Speaking
    • Publications
  • CONTACT

4 Key Ways to Boost your Success at Trade-Shows

July 2, 2018

Are Trade-Shows and Industry Conferences Worth Attending and Exhibiting At?

If you’re selling to industry, (Business-to-business marketing) you may have wondered if trade shows are worth doing. Yes, no? Maybe?  My conclusion is, yes, they are, if you carefully pick the right ones and follow the four methods outlined in this blog.

There’s a trade show, and industry association with conferences, for just about anything.  They key is to find the right ones to participate in.  So do your research.  Here is a directory of all 8,000 U.S. trade associations that you can buy, subscribe to, or (cheaper) refer to at a reference library.  Like the New York Public Library, Science, Business and Industry Library.

Can you get a return on your investment?  Nielsen, the #1 Market Research company in the world, studied 40,000 marketing activities (digital, TV, print, outdoor, etc.)  and found that the average ROI was $.70 on every $1 spent.  In other words, a negative ROI on average.  Ouch!

So, will you be able to make a positive return on trade-shows?  In my modest, yet informed, opinion, yes, but only if you can do at least these four things well, which require money, time and expertise (ahem… we can help with all 4).

The 4 Ways:

1. Create an Attractive Booth Design

This one is fairly obvious. But I’ve seen some horrendous booths, so it’s apparently not obvious to everyone.  Design your booth consistent with your brand.  But it’s not necessary to go overboard.  Back drop, tables and chairs.  Video is good, even just on an iPad or small screen.

2. Communicate with Attendees, Before, During and After the Event

Do pre, during and after marketing.  Find ways to reach out to the tradeshow attendee list in advance… The trade show organizers will often provide you with a list of attendees.  Get people to come to your booth, don’t just rely on chance or a great booth design. Connect with them on twitter. Then email and tweet during the event, inviting them to stop by your booth.  And, of course, do follow up; both to the people that have visited your booth, and again to the overall conference list.

3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone – Talk to Folks!

Most of the industry conferences and trade shows have educational sessions and networking events like receptions and dinners.  Go to as many of them as you can stand to.  Get out of your comfort zone and talk to anyone.   Finding and connecting with the right people in the industry, both your peers and potential prospects is the best way of learning about the industry.

4. Do Them at least 3 Times

Do them at least 3 years in a row.  Trade-shows are not an opportunistic play.  Really, what is, in marketing? Industry prospects need to see you year over year. They want to see that you’re committed to their industry and have staying power.  It’s the only way to make an impression – do the right shows, at least 3 years, before deciding whether to continue or pivot to other shows.

Conclusion:

There you go, the 4 minimum things to do, for an effective trade-show and conference strategy. In the business-to-business world, industry conferences are some of the best opportunities for you to network, educate yourself and market and sell to your prospects.  Obviously, the key is to pick the right ones, so do your research carefully (we’d love to help!)  Again, this full list, is awesome.  See you out there!

Share the knowledge

You might also like:

  1. 3 Ways that Work to Get your Food Product into Stores
  2. How to Sell to the Hotel Industry
  3. Here Come the Robots
  4. 2 Smart Ways to Expand your B2B Prospecting

Filed Under: News/BlogNext: The Origin Story of the Enclosed Shopping MallPrevious: 3 Ways that Work to Get your Food Product into Stores

Primary Sidebar



Get in touch with us!











FREE PDF DOWNLOADS

  • A Quick-Guide to Airport Retail
  • Let’s Do Lunch: An Intro to Noncommercial Foodservice
  • The Business of Higher Education in the US: An Introduction

Footer

About Us

Lionel Binnie, Founder, M Source Ideas

Over two decades spent solving hard, B2B marketing problems in the food services and consumer products space.

Learn more about us and our founder.

Follow Us

Featured Client Case Study

foodservice go to market strategy for maury's hive tea

This innovative company developed a proprietary concept that incorporates honey crystals right in the bag along with high-quality, black or green, whole leaf teas.  MSource assisted with Maury’s branding as well as their go-to-market strategy for both foodservice (college and university) and grocery retail. We also helped them with their trade show and conference strategy, B2B […]

Read More Case Studies

The Latest from Lionel’s Blog

What Type of Marketing Software Do You Really Need?

Copyright © 2023 M Source Ideas · 4200 SW 107th Ave, #104, Beaverton, OR 97005. | (503) 985-6464 | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Sitemap