Marketing Opportunities
Now that you have signed up for a booth, take the next step to get noticed by marketing and promoting your participation. Below is a list of marketing opportunities for YOU to perform in order to secure the largest possible attendance — and gain the most value out of your investment.
Some of these ideas may seem pretty basic, but by creating a trade show strategy and following an integrated show promotion plan, you can generate tremendous ROI by securing a wealth of new business leads.
E-Communications
Buyer Invitation – Request a customized buyer invitation from Show Management that includes your company name and booth number. Ask your staff, strategic partners, distributors and international agents to distribute the PDF to clients and prospects. Contact Amber Lane at 972.536.6329.
E-blast – Send an e-blast to your customers and prospects that contain your booth number, floor plan link, products and services you will be showing, and/or any show specials or new product announcements.
Email signature – Add a registration button under your email signature to encourage your customers to register for the show; the link that should be embedded behind the banner is http://ow.ly/8F31f.
E-blast contests – Send an email that contains an offer for a contest that awards the winners with various prizes – gift card, iPad, discount on your product, etc.
Brochure – Email a PDF of the show brochure to your customers and prospects.
Faxes – If you use fax cover sheets, add a blurb about your booth and booth number.
Website
Website page – Create a special page on your website dedicated to your booth at the show. Include where your booth is located on the floor plan, products and services you will be showing, any show specials or new product announcements you will be making at the show. If you are presenting a demo or clinic, include the title, date, time, description and benefits.
Web Banner – Place a FREE web banner on YOUR website, as well as LinkedIn and Facebook profile pages.
Seal – Place the official exhibitor seal on YOUR website, as well as LinkedIn and Facebook profile pages.
Advertising
Advertisement – Purchase an ad in a trade publication that promotes your booth and link to registration: www.TheRoofingExpo.com/attendee.
Show Program Ad – Purchase an ad in the Show Program that promotes your booth.
Direct Mail
VIP invitation – Send a personal invitation to your customers and prospects about your booth. Keep it brief, but include your booth number and it would benefit them to come see you.
Postcard – Create a postcard to mail to your customers and prospects about your booth.
Envelopes – Print or stamp a message about your booth on your company envelopes.
Invoices – Include booth number and information in communications you are already sending, such as invoices to customers.
Social Media
Facebook – Add numerous status updates on your company’s Facebook page promoting your booth. Engage your followers with info about your booth by posting on the IRE Facebook page. www.facebook.com/RoofingExpo
Twitter – Promote your booth by making numerous tweets on your company’s Twitter page using the #RoofingExpo hashtag. www.twitter.com/RoofingExpo
LinkedIn – Add a discussion on the IRE group page that promotes your booth. www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1963938
Blog – Start a blog for your company and write about exhibiting at the show.
Media Relations
Press Release – Write a press release about exhibiting at the show and distribute to the roofing industry media [list available upon request to Amber Lane at 972.536.6329]. Also, submit the release to Amber so it can be placed on the 'Exhibitor Press Releases' page of the IRE website.
Press Conference – Introduce your company's products to the industry media in person by holding a press conference at the show; offer editors exclusive interviews with your company’s top executives. Contact Amber Lane at 972.536.6329.
Press Kit – Create an electronic press kit that includes company information, product photos, press releases or marketing collateral; upload to your website. Also, drop off hard copies of the press kit at the Press Room at the show.
Press Clips – Monitor the trade media to see if your company got any press; if so, email the articles to your customers and prospects.
Special Events
Special Events – Generate on-site buzz by hosting a special event at the show.
Live Demonstrations – Host a demonstration on the show floor.
Telemarketing
Hold Message – Mention exhibiting at the show and your booth number in your telephone on-hold message.
Phone calls – Call your best clients and prospects to personally invite them to the show and your booth.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships – Sponsorships offer your company a wide range of benefits that span beyond a successful show, as exposing your brand does not end with buying an exhibit space. Looking for that perfectly matched sponsorship has never been easier with our online Sponsorship Gallery. Now you can jump to a specific sponsorship section based on your marketing target and view a visual example of each available sponsorship. Even better -- you can add sponsorship items to your invoice right from the gallery!
Sponsorship Specifications – If you've already purchased your sponsorship, click here to find out deadlines and specifications.
CONNECT
CONNECT – Use your complimentary message credits to send a message to attendees through the CONNECT Network program. Additional message credits are available for purchase if needed. Contact Charlia Owens at 972.536.6437.
Online Product Preview [Booth Profile] – Post a blurb in the “Online Product Preview” section of your Booth Profile with your company name, booth number, product description and web address. Contact Charlia Owens at 972.536.6437.
Miscellaneous
Show Specials – Take advantage of this FREE opportunity to promote your show specials to attendees! Show specials include discount on-site pricing, contests/giveaways, drawings, food samples, celebrity/ special guest appearances, and/or any other activity in your booth. Send the show special description along with your company name and booth number to Amber Lane.
Coupon – Provide attendees a coupon that can be turned in at your booth for a free gift/promotional giveaway. Consider providing a premium gift targeted to your best customers or best potential prospects.
Discounts – For those who attend the show, provide special show pricing that will not be available at your business the following week.
Lead Retrieval – Send all the attendees who stopped by your booth an email AND a letter after the show to thank them for attending.
Hands-on contests – Various contests can be held where attendees will dismantle and put it back together a piece of equipment, etc.