how to engage your audience to engage theirs
DESCRIPTION
Learn about tools your exhibitors can use to enhance their presence before, during & after the event Communicate options to your exhibitors to help advertise their participation. Tell your exhibitors why they want to engage their audiences pre-show to have a better trade show experience.TRANSCRIPT
How to Engage Your Audience to Engage Theirs
Tracy Garcia, CEM, Director of Exhibits, IFTAngela Carr, VP Professional Services, a2z,
Inc.
Welcome!
Learning Outcomes
ā¢ Learn about tools your exhibitors can use to enhance their presence before, during & after the event
ā¢ Communicate options to your exhibitors to help advertise their participation
ā¢ Tell your exhibitors why they want to engage their audiences pre-show to have a better trade show experience.
What do exhibitors want out of your trade show?
Why do attendees attend trade shows?
Perspective
Why exhibitors exhibitā¦
Source: Red 7 Media Research & Consulting
Why attendees attendā¦
http://www.expoweb.com/article/why-attendees-attend-and-exhibitors-exhibit#.UfGNtb7D8dU
Source: Red 7 Media Research & Consulting
#1 Reason ā The Show Floor!
What are other events doing to attract attendees?
Attendance Acquisition and retention tactics with the worst returns:ā¢ Direct mail (67%)ā¢ Generic mass emailā¢ Telemarketing effortsā¢ Social mediaā¢ Lowering registration ratesā¢ List rental/acquisitionā¢ Print advertising
What are other events doing to attract attendees?
http://www.lippmanconnects.com/files/ts_best_practices_2013.pdf- 64% of respondents give exhibitors tools to
invite their attendees- 27% are offering a hosted buyer program
#1 Reason ā The Show Floor!
Utilize your Assets!
Tools for Exhibitors to Engage their Audience and Enhance their Experience
How?ā¢ Provide Attendee Acquisition Toolsā¢Ask your exhibitors to include your event on their website.
Make it easy!ā¢ Provide event logo for their marketing materialsā¢ Provide email signature containing the event informationā¢ Provide complimentary exhibit hall only registration for their
customersā¢ Provide canned marketing campaignsā¢Make available the eventās attendee marketing emails that the
exhibitors can download & send or so they can review the highlights
How?
ā¢Capitalize on word of mouth ā social mediaā¢Provide the exhibitors with the event twitter hash tag
and the event Facebook page informationā Encourage them to postā Pull the feeds onto the homepage of your event website.
ā¢Provide rich content on your website so the exhibitors want to encourage their customers to visit the siteā¢Have exhibitors promote the event mobile appā¢Use all the media channels you can, both traditional
and emerging
How?
Attendee Acquisition Tools for Exhibitors
IFT AAW Infographic
Attendee Acquisition Widget Marketing Campaign
3/12 - 22% open5/9 - 19% open6/26 - 18% open
How?
Provide email signature containing the event
information
Exhibitor Email Signaturesā¢ Prior to registration opening
Plan to attend!2013 IFT Annual Meeting & Food ExpoJuly 13 ā July 16, 2013 Chicago, IL
ā¢ Once registration opens
Register now! 2013 IFT Annual Meeting & Food ExpoJuly 13 ā July 16, 2013 Chicago, IL
ā¢ After the event
āMiss something at the 2013 Annual Meeting & Food Expo?Check out IFT Live for news and videos!
How?
Create canned marketing campaigns
Marketing Campaign: Sample
How?
Rich content on show website
Rich Content: eBooth Sample
Rich Content: Product Showcase
How?
Have your exhibitors promote the mobile app for
your show
Mobile App Promotion: Sample
Tell your exhibitors why they want to engage their
audiences
Tell Your Exhibitors Why They Want to Engage Their Audiences
ā¢ Because tradeshows are the most cost effective way for face-to-face interaction
ā¢ Makes them look like a partner to their existing customers
ā¢ Average attendee doesnāt see every exhibit ā make sure you are one of them
ā¢ Overcome ābad booth locationā
Communicate Options to Your Exhibitors to Help Advertise Their Participation
ā¢ Getting exhibitors to listen and take advantage of the tools offered is always the biggest challenge. Year-to-year continuity is key. Start helping them with future show right now.
ā¢ Develop a program aimed to communicate the exhibitor attendee acquisition tools you have available and how they're best used.
ā¢ Guide them toward your show's most meaningful programs so they know what to promote.
ā¢ Enlist the direct feedback of your exhibitors. Ask them what will work.