Pre show marketing and post show follow-up

For those of you waiting for the next installment in our much anticipated trade show 101 series, we are saddened to exclaim it ended last week. Should you desire to review or peruse one of the "todo importante" daily installments, please reference our trade show archives.

As for today, we're off in a new direction. Heading to a trade show without advance reconnaissance is in most instances a waste of time and money. Pre-tradeshow marketing is essential to informing potential customers about your booth wares. To get off on the right foot, try asking the show organizers for a mailing list of people signed up to attend the event. At the minimum, send an announcement of your hours and your booth number to attendees. Further, let them know what you're selling/promoting/pimping, etc.

Taking that a step further, implement a two-part promotion: Send out half of a prize in your initial announcement, then reward the prospective clients on your mailing list with a second prize when they stop in at your booth.

It's a classic promotional gimmick — but surprisingly... it works.

Don't forget the press either. A good press release can elicit media attention for your industry trade press — and it's a most useful way to contact clients and prospects. In fact, should you have the resources for only one pre-trade show marketing effort, a press release may be your most cost-effective option.

Post-trade show follow-up is also essential to maximizing your investment. Upon returning from the show, send follow-up letters to the entire mailing list. Next, send the qualified leads you garnered at the show a more robust follow-up mailing package.

Finally, in my opinion and the author's, there's no substitute for an old-fashioned telephone call. It's the most powerful post-trade show marketing follow-up, and you should be sure to call every lead contacted at the event.

A Smash Hit Displays finds the follow-up is the easiest way to attain new customers for MOST don't return phone calls or emails. Should you require the peripheral products to outfit your booth like a banner stand, pop up display units, trade show signage, an extreme truss display, or adding that bling to make yours stand out i.e. digital printed carpet, then look no further. Our products combined with your pre and post show marketing will no doubt boost your time and resources and aid in attaining new customers!