How to Increase Brand
Awareness and Drive
Qualified Booth Traffic at
HITEC
Custom
Participant Learning Objectives:
By the end of this webinar,
you will...
1. Learn how attendee behaviors have changed and why you MUST effectively market your exhibit to be successful.
2. Discover the key differences between sponsorships and advertising, and four steps to maximize
sponsorships.
3. Walk through a proven-effective eight step exhibit marketing planning process.
4. Overview exhibitor marketing resources available. 5. See examples of a state-of-the-art exhibit marketing
campaign in action.
How to Break Through the Marketing Clutter
in Today’s Over Communicated Environment
1. Targeting
2. R___________________ 3. I____________________ 4. Repetition
5. Multi Channel Marketing
Circle each media you currently use as part of your event marketing strategy.
Four Things Effective Marketing Communications Must Do
1. I__________________ 2. E_________________ 3. E_________________ 4. O_________________
How Tradeshow Attendee Behaviors Changed
1. Sending _______________ teams with more authority. 2. Registering closer to the show.
3. Looking for more content and useable information. 4. Preplanning visit: _______% arrive with an agenda. 5. Stops at _________________ booths on average. 6. 50% of exhibit stops are pre-planned.
In spite of all this, less than ______% of exhibitors execute a well-conceived exhibit
marketing plan!
Sources: CEIR/Exhibit Surveys/Event Marketing Institute
Key Differences Between Sponsorships and Advertising
1. Sponsorships deliver recall and persuasion effects like advertising.
2. Sponsorships operate through different cognitive processes than advertising.
3. Advertising tends to influence perceptions of a specific _______________________. 4. Sponsorships tend to influence perceptions of the _______________________.
Research on How Sponsorships Impact Exhibit Performance
1. Booth efficiency increases 104% when a sponsorship is included in the exhibit plan. Source: CEIR
2. Event marketing offers the greatest ROI, followed by advertising, direct marketing, public relations, sales promotion, and Internet advertising. Source: MPI
Four Steps to Maximize Sponsorships
1. Begin with your business objectives
Introducing a new company name
Increasing awareness of company or merger /acquisition
Launching a new product/service
Positioning as thought leaders
Differentiating from competition
Driving exhibit and/or event traffic
Networking with key buying influences and key opinion leaders
Four Steps to Maximize Sponsorships
2. Select sponsorship opportunities that support your objectives
3. Effectively execute the sponsorship
Logo alone won’t deliver much value.
Add additional messaging like brand promise or unique selling proposition.
Use call to action, such as a question to pique the interest of attendees in discovering the answer.
4. Identify methods to measure sponsorship reach and impact
Determine number people who see, receive, attend or use sponsored item and/or event.
Calculate cost per attendee reached.
Track social media buzz.
Do interviews and focus groups .
Conduct participant survey to gauge awareness, attitudes, and behaviors. - Awareness of media sponsored
- Awareness of sponsoring company
- Changes in opinion of sponsoring company - Change in likelihood of purchase
- Purchase intentions - Brand perception feedback
State-of-the Art Exhibit Marketing: 8 Step Planning Process
1. Determine Corporate & Exhibiting Goals 2. Identify Target Visitors
3. Calculate EXHIBIT INTERACTION CAPACITY 4. Budget Enough Marketing Resources
5. Build Target Visitor Lists
6. Analyze & Select Marketing Media
7. Execute Integrated Exhibit Marketing Plan 8. Measure Results
Step 1. Determine Exhibiting Goals
1. What are you trying to accomplish?
a. Company/Brand Awareness & Visibility b. New Product/Service Introduction c. Relationship Management and Building d. Brand Positioning - Differentiation e. Educate
f. Lead Generation
g. Sales and Business Development h. Thought Leadership
i. Other?
Our Top 3 Exhibiting Goals:
1. __________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________
Step 2. Create Ideal Visitor Profile
Who do you want to interact with? - Business Type - Market/Industry - Job Title/Function - Geographical Region - Size - Other?
Relative to your products/services, what are their needs, issues and top-of-the-mind concerns?
Step 2. Create Ideal Visitor Profile
Identify Target Visitors
C/P/S Triangle
Step 3. Calculate Exhibit Interaction Capacity
Example
Participant
– Exhibiting Hours 15
15
– Booth Staff on Duty x 3
x______
– Total Staff Hours = 45 =______
– Interactions/Hour/Staffer x 3-5
x______
– Exhibit Interaction Capacity = 135-225 =______
Suspects
Open the Door
Prospects:
Advance to Next Step
Customers
Relationship Management - Opportunity – Change – Advocacy
Others?
Channel Partners - Media – Shareholders – Key Opinion Leaders
Staff – Vendors – Lobbyists
Step 4. Budget Enough Promotion Resources
Example Participant
Total Show Investment $30,000 $_________ % for Exhibit Marketing x .15 x_________ Exhibit Marketing Budget $4,500 $_________
When to increase? Big show, small booth, location concern, importance of show –
Step 5. Build Target Visitor Lists
Best Tradeshow List Sources: 1. Pre-registered attendee lists
Pdf attendee list available for FREE. 2. Previous or post-show attendee lists
Post-show Excel attendee list available for FREE. 3. Company database (C/P/S model)
4. Previous show(s) booth visitor lists 5. Recent inquiries
6. Distribution channel partner lists 7. Trade publication readership lists Success Tip:
o
Try to make your list at least ____-____ times your Exhibit Interaction Capacity.Step 6. Analyze & Select Marketing Media
Four “C’s” to marketing success:
1. Combination of show, industry and direct contact media. 2. Captivating message and _____________ design theme. 3. Communicate four specific messages:
1. What you do.
2. Why they should care. 3. Who you are.
4. Where and how to find you.
Step 6. Analyze & Select Marketing Media
General Marketing Media Options:
1. Print & Display Advertising & Sponsorships
* Show Specific and Industry Specific Media 2. Public Relations
* Request Media Contact List, Submit Electronic Press Kits 3. Electronic Media
* Internet, Websites, Social Media, Email, Voice Broadcast 4. Direct Mail
* Letters, Invitations, Postcards, Brochures 5. Personal Contact
* Rep Visits, Telephone Calls
Latest Marketing Media Options:
1. Personalized Postcards
2. Personalized URL’s (PURL’s) 3. Audio/Video Email
4. Voice Broadcast
5. MicroSites with Survey & Appointment Enablers 6. Social Media: Linked-In/YouTube/Facebook/Twitter 7. Blogs
8. QR Codes
Evaluate Exhibitor Marketing Opportunities
FREE Exhibitor Marketing Opportunities
1. Company listing with company description on show website for attendees to search. 2. Company listing in onsite Show Guide.
3. Direct mail brochure.
4. Qualified buyer show passes.
5. HITEC web link, banner, logo for placement on your website. 6. E-mail invitations to send to your customers and prospects. 7. New Products Showcase.
8. Access to registered press list, online distribution of press kits, and press release distribution.
Evaluate Exhibitor Marketing Opportunities
PAID Advertising & Marketing Opportunities
Advertising:
- Online: Website Banner Ads
- Mobile: Mobile App Ads
- Print: Program Guide, Buyers Guide, HITEC Special Report, Technology
Guide
Marketing:
- Pre-registered attendee list rental in Excel format.
- Exhibitor Tutorials and Technology Showcase
PAID Sponsorship Opportunities
1. Conferences & Education: Education Bootcamp, Keynote Sessions,
Concurrent Education Sessions
2. Activities and Take-Aways: SCANvenger Hunt, Daily Beverage Services,
Program Guide, Tote Bag Insert
3. Banners & Signs: Exhibit Hall Aisle Signs, Exhibit Hall Floor Plan Map,
Banner Space
4. Exclusive Sponsorships: Digital Den, Reusable Water Bottle Station,
Registration Pens, Badge Lanyards, Conference Tote Bags, Shuttle Buses,
Create Your Own Custom Sponsorship
5. Onsite Signage: HITEC News Flash Newsletter, HITEC News Blast
E-Dailies
For questions or help, please contact
Jennifer Lee – Jennifer.lee@hftp.org
Brittany Guilbeau, brittany.guilbeau@hftp.org
Step 7. Execute Marketing Campaign
Sample Exhibit Marketing Campaign: Small Exhibitor
• Booth Size/Space Cost: 10 x 10 in-line/$3,790 • Show Budget: $11,370 to $18,950 (3-5x floor cost)
• Goals: Market Visibility/Awareness, Lead Generation/Sales • Media:
o Execute C/P/S strategy with sales reps and distributors o Promote Show Participation in Relevant Social Media
o Write Attention Grabbing Company Description for Online and Final Show Guide o Use HITEC E-mail invitation program to invite customers/prospects
o Acquire and Distribute Buyer Show Passes
o Obtain Pre-Registration List and Mail Invitation or Postcard
o Obtain Post-Show Attendee List and Mail Information to Profile Matches
Sample Exhibit Marketing Campaign:
Medium-Large Exhibitor
• Booth Size/Space Cost: 20 x 40 space/$31,120
• Show Budget: $93,360 to $155,600 (3-5x floor cost)
• Goals: New Product Intro, Market Visibility, Lead Gen/Sales, Thought
Leadership
• Media:
o Execute C/P/S Strategy with Sales Reps
o Access Media List - Do Press Releases to Industry Publications o Promote Show Participation in Relevant Social Media
o Obtain Pre-Registration List and Mail Invitation or Postcard o Place Product in New Product Showcase
o Print Ad in Final Show Guide
o Online Banner Ad on Show Web Site o Sponsor Keynote or Conference Tote Bags
Step 8. Measure Exhibit Marketing Results
1. What media did we use?
2. When was each media deployed? 3. How many were distributed? 4. What was the cost of each media?
5. What was the number of impressions and/or traceable response? 6. What was the response rate to traceable media?
7. What worked? 8. What did we learn?
9. What will we use for our next show?
