9 Ways to Effectively Market Your Exhibition Attendance

Marketing your exhibition attendance is important. If your no one knows you're exhibiting, how will attendees know to find you? 

Increasing the visits to your exhibition space depends on who knows you are exhibiting. Below are some great tips to increase awareness of your exhibition presence. 

1. Using the right social media – determining your potential reach can be an effective tool. Research where you can find your target audience and establish where they market themselves or where they turn to for information. If your target audience primarily use Facebook for education, product analysis or marketing, there is no point you exclusively using Twitter to announce you'll be exhibiting, your target audience won't see your announcements. Understanding the difference between the different social media platforms will allow you to create a more successful marketing campaign. It will ensure that you are communicating to the right audience that you'll be exhibiting and they should come find you at the exhibition. 

2. Invite your database of potential leads to the event. A personalised email will strengthen relationship bonds and continued trust from your clients to continue purchasing your products. Ideally you should establish an email marketing campaign for an extended period before the exhibition. Be sure to include educational resources as part of your email marketing plan. This helps continue any trust you have built with your database and helps them view you as industry leader. 

3. Take advantage of the marketing efforts of the exhibition organisers. Organisers put a lot of effort into increasing attendee rates, their business is to keep your exhibition sales high. If they’re offering marketing opportunities take advantage of their connections. It will enhance your audience and increase the potential customers aware of your brand and the fact that you’ll be exhibiting.

4. Utilise the materials available to you. If you can afford AV hire, hire a TV and produce a standout presentation of why your brand does what you do. Usually attendees can quickly deduce what you do, but they often are unsure why you do it. That is the difference between them knowing your brand and loving your brand.

5. If your exhibition organiser collaborates a publication for the event, ask to contribute. It could be an article that you’ve written on the industry or your products, or you could ask to place an ad. It may seem expensive to do, but it will provide a good opportunity for attendees to know about your brand and seek you out during the exhibition.

6. Consider an interactive element on your exhibition stand. This could be linked to a competition that you can promote on social media before you exhibit. There are many different interactive games and activities, so you’ll be able to find one that suits your brand.

9. The best way to assess how you should market your exhibition attendance is to see how other exhibitors do it. By seeing how other exhibitors market their exhibition attendance, you’ll see features you like and others that you don’t. It can be worthwhile to observe an exhibition that is different to your industry to get ideas and inspiration that are really outside the box.
10. Harness your point of difference and allow that to speak for you with your marketing efforts. The world has moved to a digital landscape, but that opens up so many new opportunities for your business to distinguish its point of difference. Once you know what this, whether it’s the creative newsletters you put together each month, or a fantastic blog where you can feature your exhibition attendance, use what you are already doing to your advantage.
11. Consider giving away free gifts. This can be expensive, but it can leave a lasting impression with the exhibition attendees. There are some fantastic gifts that have moved beyond the free pen or literature. You will be able to find great products that align with your brand and leave lasting impressions with the attendees. A bonus is establishing an idea that is interactive and could be a free gift, such as having visitors who attend your stand design and personalise an item that they can take away and use outside of the exhibition. This could a reusable travel mug, a cover for a tablet or phone or a resuable drink bottle. This point is that they'll remember interacting with your brand, and that will create a lasting impression that exists after the exhibition is over.