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Characteristics
of a Very Successful Trade Show Marketing Program
A client recently asked me to detail the characteristics of
the company’s trade show program that set
it apart from others in their industry. I was happy to oblige, as this client’s trade show marketing program is exemplary by comparison
to most programs in all industry segments.
Their differentiators are ones that most companies strive to achieve so
I am sharing these as a checklist that you might use to evaluate your own
progress and the sophistication of your program.
My
conclusions on what makes this program special and effective are based upon
more than twenty-five years of trade show observation and analysis, including
hundreds of shows and thousands of companies.
And, our expert knowledge of this client’s
program comes from supporting their program strategy, measurement and reporting
for the past five plus years.
This program demonstrates:
1. An extremely well-balanced mix
of business development and marketing communication goals and accomplishments
2. A very high degree of
executive visibility, participation and support
3. Direct linkage to sales
activity and accomplishment
a. Geographically aligned with
marketing and sales priorities
b. Sales team documented impact
on project proposal achievements and customer and partner relationship
management
4. Well integrated press,
advertising, PR activities
a. Superior results compared to
competitors at virtually every show in terms of the amount of press generated,
the priority focus and tonality of generated press results through trade show
participation
5. Maximum use of Brand
Development and marketing communications opportunities in the exhibit, venues
and show sites, as well as advertising and digital media expansion to the
broader marketplace.
a. Campaigns, properties,
demonstrations and digital and social media are exemplary in their integration
of branding and product and service promotion and marketing communications
6. Confidence among virtually the
entire team, including sales and executive participants who concluded the
combination of messaging, branding and key contact engagement environments
provided an effective marketing opportunity.
(Substantiated by Staff and Stakeholder survey results.)
7. A financially justified
measurement and reporting program that supports show and event results
reporting, event selection and “right-sizing” of budgets and resources to each show opportunity.
These accomplishments do not magically
happen as a program matures. It requires
considerable attention to improving and refining the approach over a number of
years. Executive perception of the value
derived from this program progressed from negative to positive, as demonstrated
by these results.
Use this list as a quide for assessing
your own programs weaknesses and strengths, and for setting goals or
improvement targets. You do not have to
have a large program to persue these goals. For example, even a small exhibitor
can make news and generate press if you have something interesting to say.
Please contact me if you would like to
discuss this or other aspects of your event marketing program.
Ed Jones
President
Constellation Communication Corporation
+1.770.391.005
edjones@constellationcc.com
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