Marketing lessons from the tradeshow floor
May 18th, 2011 § 1 Comment
As you can see—and I hope you have noticed—I have been less than diligent in my postings for the last month. It’s not that I have forgotten about you all or that I have nothing to say about branding, but quite simply that I have been busy. I know, I know, lame excuse. We are all busy. So, to make up for my lack of insight, I have decided to write a post incorporating what I learned while I have been gone. This way you won’t feel so left out. For the past several weeks I have been on the road exhibiting at tradeshows for my company. These shows, alongside running our regular marketing initiatives from the road, have given me incredible insight into what everyone already knows: sometimes the simplest things are the easiest to forget. So in honor of keeping it all in perspective, I am going to offer you three pieces of wisdom straight from the tradeshow floor.
Make your message accessible: We all know that in order to gain our audiences’ attention we need to make a splash. A strong overall marketing plan brought to life via engaging visuals and copy will take you a long way (refer to several of my old posts Brand Audience: Bored or Floored, for example). However, catchy will get you nowhere if your material is not read. As marketers, it is our job to ensure that the message and the WAY in which we present the message are consistent with how our audience will be gleaning the information. For instance, if you know your audience is being inundated by emails, DO NOT email them. Send them a mail piece that contains a call to action. I used a plastic card they can swipe at my booth to win a prize—giving them a reason to stop and a reminder in their pocket at the show. No matter what your content is, it will not be effective if it is not received. This article sent to me by my friend Sarah made this point into a more humorous light.
Keep it simple: This speaks for itself. On the tradeshow floor, much like when your recipient opens an email or mail piece, your time is limited. Tell them what they need to know, and no more. Make sure your message is easy to digest. Didn’t get the whole message across? That is OK. All you need to do is give your audience a piece of the puzzle—let them know the most pertinent piece of information. Leave them wanting more. This tactic is a natural fit for catchy writing, and when they know what you are about they will follow up if it interests them.
Save your breath: Let’s face it, not everyone is a good fit for our products, services, or places. Some people just don’t want to vacation to Des Moines, Iowa, no matter how hard I sell its wonderful qualities. So stop forcing information on uninterested parties. Thank them for their time, tell them you’ll be around should they change their mind, and move on. Spend your time talking to people who are interested in what you have to say. They may be fewer and farther in between, but that is the nature of the beast. Targeted marketing ends up working wonders, as the days of spamming success are dead and gone.
Hopefully as you read this post, you said “Duh, I already knew that.” However, I hope that even though you knew these points, that tomorrow when you get back to your desk and start your next marketing campaign you stop to think about the basics. Because ‘back to basics’ is an age old mantra for a reason—it works.
I love the idea of having them swipe a card at your booth for a prize!! I might steal it
Good post.