Driving Qualified Booth Traffic

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Driving Qualified Booth Traffic Webinar Workbook

Driving Qualified

Booth Traffic

How to Attract Enough of the Right

Attendees to Your IFT Food Expo Exhibit

Custom

Participant Learning Objectives:

By the end of this webinar,

you will...

1. Discuss how attendee behaviors have changed and why you MUST

effectively market your exhibit to be successful.

2. Walk through a proven-effective eight step exhibit marketing planning process.

3. Overview exhibitor marketing resources available.

4. See examples of a state-of-the-art exhibit marketing campaign in action.

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Focus on Critical

Exhibiting Success Factors

1. OUTCOMES: Set goals that support your company sales and marketing objectives and take advantage of the opportunities shows present.

2. ATTRACTION: Develop marketing processes to identify and attract enough of the right people to your exhibit.

3. EXPERIENCE: Deliver a high-quality visitor experience that secures a commitment to a next action step with all qualified visitors.

4. FOLLOW-THROUGH: Follow-up to convert visitor commitments to action, ideally purchasing, and measure and report results.

How Have Tradeshow Attendee Behaviors Changed?

1. Spending fewer number of ___________ at the show.

 IFT attendees spent an average of 8.6 hours at the exhibits, spread over an average of 2.3 days.

 43% of IFT attendees have not been to any other show in the past year. 2. Sending _______________ level personnel.

3. Preplanning visit: _______% arrive with an agenda. 4. Stopping at ______-______ exhibits on average. 5. 50% of exhibit stops are pre-planned.

 In spite of all this, less than ______% of exhibitors execute a well-conceived exhibit marketing plan!

Experience

Follow Through & Measure

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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. Lead Generation

f. Sales and Business Development g. Thought Leadership

h. Other?

Top 4 Reasons Why Attendees go to the IFT Food Expo:

1. 79% - Seek out new products

2. 61% - Meet with current suppliers

3. 59% - Find new suppliers

4. 44% - Obtain samples and product testing

Our Top 3 Exhibiting Goals:

1. __________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________

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Step 2. Create Ideal Visitor Profile



Who do you want to interact with?

1. Company Type

o

33% Food/Beverage Manufacturer/Processor

o

27% Food Ingredient Manufacturer/Supplier

2. Products Produced

3. Job Title/Function

o 46% R&D/Scientific/Technical job functions

4. Size

o 16% small businesses (less than 20 employees)

o 35% medium businesses (20-499 employees)

o 49% large businesses (500+ employees)

5. Geography

6. Role in Buying

o 42% select/approve/buy

o 16% specify

o 58% suggest/recommend

o 28% determine the need for products/services

7. Product Interest & Buying Plans

o Please see question #24 in the 2013 Attendee Statistics Report

for specific product interests and buying plans.

8. Other?



Relative to your products/services, what are their needs, issues and

top-of-the-mind concerns?

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The C/P/S Triangle

Step 3. Calculate Exhibit Interaction Capacity

Example

Participant

– Exhibiting Hours 18

18 – Booth Staff on Duty x 3

x______

– Total Staff Hours = 54 =______

– Interactions/Hour/Staffer x 3-5

x______

– Exhibit Interaction Capacity = 162-270 =______

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

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Step 4. Budget Enough Marketing Resources

Example Participant

Total Show Investment $50,000 $_________

% for Exhibit Marketing x .15 x_________ Exhibit Marketing Budget $7,500 $_________

When to increase? Big show, small booth, location concern, importance of show –

allocate more!

IFT exhibitor avg. space 15-20%

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Step 5. Build Target Visitor Lists

 Best Tradeshow List Sources: 1. Pre-registered attendee lists

 Will be available June 1 for a fee. 2. Previous or post-show attendee lists

 2013 post-show attendee list available through the Exhibitor Only site under Additional Visibility & Promotions for a fee.

3. Company database

4. Previous show 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.

4. Creative Frequency: Land at least ____ direct hits leading up to show time.

Five Key Considerations for Media Selection

1. Show ____________ 2. Budget

3. Capabilities

4. ________________

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Step 6. Analyze & Select Marketing Media

General Marketing Media Options:

1. Print & Display Advertising

* Show Specific, Industry Specific and At-Show Visibility Media 2. Public Relations

* Media List, Press Releases/Kits, Press Room, Conferences 3. Electronic Media

* Internet, Email, Voice Broadcast 4. Direct Mail

* Letters, Invitations, Postcards, Brochures 5. Personal Contact

* Rep Visits, Telephone Calls

The 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: Facebook/Twitter/YouTube/Linked-in

 Please see the social media tips and tools available on the Exhibitor Only site under Additional Visibility & Promotions.

7. Blogs 8. QR Codes

 Through IFT’s mobile app, you have the ability to create QR codes for your marketing materials in your booth.

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Evaluate Exhibitor Marketing Opportunities

FREE Exhibitor Marketing Opportunities

1. Free company name, product category, and description highlighted in the event mobile app. 2. Enhanced company listing on the event website including your logo and links, and in the

onsite show directory.

3. Free exposure in Food Technology magazine pre-show issue.

4. Unlimited Complimentary Expo-Only Passes through Traffic Boost to invite customers and prospects to the expo floor.

5. Free news postings on the event website.

6. Use of the official IFT event logo in your marketing materials. 7. Booth promotion widget.

8. Access to the media list.

9. Press room/media kit placement and free press conferences.

10. Increase your visibility through programs such as the What’s New! Product program and the Taste the Expo sampling program.

11. Access to the IFT Pavilions and Consumer Trend & Insight Pavilions.

12. Exclusive meeting and conference rooms on the Food Expo floor, available only to exhibitors.

13. Lead retrieval data.

For questions or help, please contact

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PAID Exhibitor Advertising & Marketing Opportunities

1. Exhibitor Promotional Videos

2. Annual Meeting & Food Expo Program and Exhibit Directory Advertising 3. Mobile Event App Ad

4. Food Technology Magazine Advertising: Pre-Show, At-Show and Post-Show Issues 5. IFT Live Advertising

6. IFT Live Event Preview E-Newsletter

7. Pre- and Post-Event Registered Attendee Highlights E-mail 8. Scientific Program Digital Resource & Live Stream

9. Cooking up Science – recipe demonstration on Food Expo floor

PAID Exhibitor Sponsorship Opportunities

1. Banners: Aisle, Food Court, Lobby

2. IFT Food Expo: Cooking up Science – Kitchen Sponsorship, Food Expo Forum, Food Expo Theater, Exhibitor Lounge

3. Inserts: Attendee bag 4. Carpet Decals

5. Item Sponsorships: Coffee Cart Sweetener Packets, Door/Escalator Clings, Recycling Bins, Short Course Tote Bags, Water Bottles

6. Show Floor/Convention Center Sponsorships: Charging Stations, Escalator Hand Rails, Event Navigator Kiosks, Shuttle Buses, Water Stations, Product Distribution,

Relaxation/Massage Station in Connection Center, Internet Hot Spots, Speaker Ready Room/Lounge, Student Lounge

7. Event Sponsorships: Booth Reception Party, Morning Coffee, Career Center, Division Connection Networking Event, Fun Run & Walk, IFT Photo Booth, IFT Headshot Photo Lounge, Morning Session Break, Opening General Session, Social Media Display, Sunrise Session Break, Welcome Reception, Diamonds & Donations: IFT Anniversary Celebration, Scientific Program Tracks, Poster Sessions, IFTSA Student Association Networking Party, New Professionals Mixer

For questions or help, please contact

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5 Tips for More Effective Marketing

1. Targeting/segmentation…Who are you trying to reach and what do they care about? - Match the message to the segment

- Blend micro-messaging with mass-messaging - Choose your channels with your audience(s) in mind 2. Speaking of channels…

- “Blending” is best

- What’s old is new again…the resurgence of direct mail 3. Frequency…Is more always better?

- Balance is key - Be relevant

4. Focus on benefits, not just features. 5. Take advantage of the free stuff.

Step 7. Execute Marketing Campaign

Sample Exhibit Marketing Campaign: Small Exhibitor

• Booth Size/Space Cost: 10 x 10 in-line/$3,195 • Show Budget: $9,585 to $15,975 (3-5x floor cost) • Goals: Market Visibility/Awareness, Lead Gen/Sales • Media:

o Execute C/P/S strategy with sales reps and distributors

o Place show logo and booth promo widget on website, email signatures, all outgoing correspondence

o Distribute Expo Only passes to customers and prospects o Free mobile app listing and ad

o Rent pre-reg attendee list, mail invitation or postcard o Exhibitor promotional video

o Med/large ad in Food Technology magazine

o Med/large ad in the Program and Exhibit Directory o Attendee bag insert

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Sample Exhibit Marketing Campaign:

Medium-Large Exhibitor

• Booth Size/Space Cost: 30 x 30 space/$28,755

• Show Budget: $86,265 to $43,775 (3-5x floor cost)

• Goals: New Product Intro, Market Visibility, Lead Gen/Sales

• Media:

o Free news postings on the event website

o Access to media list

o Execute C/P/S strategy with sales reps

o Place show logo and booth promo widget on website, email signatures, all

outgoing correspondence

o Distribute Expo Only passes to customers and prospects

o Mobile app listing and ad

o Rent pre-reg attendee list, mail invitation or postcard

o Exhibitor promotional video

o Med/large ad in Food Technology magazine

o Med/large ad in Program and Exhibit Directory

o Sponsor an item, exhibit hall and event

Step 8. Measure Exhibit Marketing Results

1. What media did we use?

2. When was each media deployed?

3. What was the response rate to traceable media?

4. What was the cost of each media and number of impressions and/or traceable

response?

5. What worked?

6. What did we learn?

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