Top 10 Reasons to Run a Social Trade Show

Trade shows have changed little over the years; aside from a bit more glitz and glamour, they more or less look a lot like they did during the past 100 years. Tables set up with a speaker behind it, perhaps a PowerPoint presentation has replaced the old cardboard display but in general, it looks more or less the same…at least from the outside. A few savvy small business owners have started moving into a subtle but oh so powerful tool that transforms trade show results into powerhouse business builders. Interested in finding out more? Keep reading to learn the top 10 reasons to run a social trade show…

1. Drive Traffic to the Booth. Many people think of social media as exclusively something that takes place in the virtual environment but the reality is much different. The same way that social media marketing has been shown to increase sales in the showroom, is now apparent the same takes place during a trade show. Social media promotions are able to increase interest before, during and after the trade show including driving more traffic to the booth during the big event.
2. Become THE Source for Industry Information. Using social media to promote your trade show presence has the added benefit of enhancing client and supplier perception by increasing awareness and generating active buss about your business. Show others that you are THE source for news, information and solutions to those issues important to your business or industry. By actively managing a social media presence, participating in FAQ’s and responding to other comments your social media presence is able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and expertise associated with leadership.
   
3. Join the Blogosphere. Having a strong social media presence for your trade show has another distinctive advantage; it can capture the attention of bloggers within your industry. Bloggers have become a powerful influence in nearly every industry across the nation (indeed, even the globe). By making it easy to interact with you and your business, you make the job of blogging easier! Rather than paying big bucks, imagine a small army of bloggers working to get the word out simply because you made it simply to share information, photographs and other pertinent content.
4. Engage Others. Trade shows are major networking events but so is social media. Parlay both into a dynamic duo by conducting audio and video interview before and during the trade show. It’s a fantastic way to share information with fans and friends while obtaining terrific content that can be used over and over. Scheduled video and audio events often work best but keep a camera and audio on hand for those impromptu sessions…you never know who will show up during a trade show! And don’t forget to include a few average people along the way…sometimes the most effective media is the least high tech and most earnest. Most importantly of all – simply have fun with it and allow others to have fun!
5. Stream it Live! Now, we will be the first to admit that live anything takes courage…anything can literally happen but that is also what makes it so fun and effective! Trade shows are increasingly costly in terms of attendance, meals, hotel and so forth but that doesn’t mean those that stay behind aren’t interested. Given them the opportunity to feel like part of all the fun by streaming the big even live. Allow others to ask questions, provide insight and take part in real time. It’s a great way to build excitement and interest while spending very little money.
6. Make it Mobile. Don’t even think about not putting up a great trade show without the help of mobile. Yes, it takes some advance planning but it is well worth the effort in terms of long term traffic and short term interest. Mobile is often overlooked during event planning but that is a huge mistake! Mobile users are more likely to store contact information, perform comparative shopping on the spot and…get this…spend more money than those that do not use mobile! Why? It’s simple. Mobile users are better informed and an informed client is a more secure client. Those that are not totally convinced about their decision-making process want to reduce risk and have a tendency to spend less. Those that have been able to compare, contrast, review etc are convinced the decision is best and therefore maximize their buying power.
7. Repurpose Content. Trade shows typically end once the tables are folded up and the guests all go home…but why? What if you could keep that momentum going for days or even weeks after the big event? Well it’s possible especially if you used a well formulated social media trade show plan. By repurposing content, offering follow-up specials and other tried and tested techniques, after show events may add up to as much or even more than the original event.
8. Connect, Expand & Amplify. Trade shows were originally designed to connect and network but what if you could build that same type of momentum before, during and after the big event both online and off? Well you can! Social media and trade shows are a natural way to connect with new clients, expand your reach and amplify results. Team up with other venders to cross promote with one another. Announce the upcoming show well in advance. Provide incentives for people to visit the booth in person. Share content and create a new list. Have sign-up sheets that clearly invites people to connect via social media and do the same online.
9. Measure those Metrics. Combing social media with trade show marketing makes for a powerful combination of metrics and measurements. Data analytic departments will delight with the potential opportunity to compare and contrast online and offline metrics. Research types will ooze responsiveness after carefully cultivating meaningful survey’s and satisfaction scores. Even the HR department is likely to put on a happy face. Seriously…measure those metrics and make the best of both worlds.
10. Cultivate Company-Wide Enthusiasm. Admit it. Most trade shows are either boring affairs where the short straw gets to fly (usually coach) to some traffic-ridden location, spend days shaking hands with sleep deprived travelers while answering the same question dozens (and dozens) of times and then playing catch-up once back in the office. To say it’s a less than desirable date might be the understatement of the year. All that changes when the entire company gets on board. Now, instead of forcing the unlucky employee to attend the trade show, everyone shares in the big event. From the social media staff to every employee down the line. Cultivate company wide enthusiasm and spread the word among online and virtual clients and customers.

(From our team over at Maximize.)