Pre-Trade Show Campaign
- Pro-Branding
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
There are three tiers to attracting traffic to your booth:
Tier 1 – Encourage attendance at the event.
Tier 2 – Draw event attendees to visit your booth.
Tier 3 – Invite passing attendees to enter and interact with your booth.
In previous blogs, we thoroughly examined Level 3, focusing on establishing the appropriate booth, selecting suitable giveaways, and choosing and training the right staff.
Based on my experience, it is most effective to allow show organizers to handle Level 1 responsibilities. Convincing someone to take time off work to attend a show solely to visit your booth is challenging unless they already intend to be present at the event.
This blog addresses Level 2. Assuming the organizers have successfully attracted visitors to the event and your booth is optimally designed for engagement, how can you enhance the number of attendees seeking out your booth?
Ensure you respect your contact list's time by providing a compelling and personalized reason for them to visit you, rather than merely informing them of your presence at the show.
Presented below are several methods I have employed with varying levels of success. These are typically initiated via email, occasionally followed by a phone call, approximately seven to ten days before the event:
Offer a personalized gift – Even if it is one of the 2,000 giveaways you have ordered, presenting it as a personalized gift can attract attendees to your booth. Consider phrasing it like this: “Hello Bob, I will be at the Vegas show next week and have a personal gift I would like to present to you. Could you stop by on Monday morning at 11 am?”
Promote an exclusive VIP meeting – If your CEO or CTO are recognized authorities in your field, you can organize exclusive meetings with them to discuss insights, product roadmaps, and gather customer feedback. Avoid inviting attendees to “an exclusive meeting” with a salesperson, as it may seem too transparent. You might say: “Hello Bob, our CEO will be at the show next week and has only three available meeting slots. I wanted you to be the first to know so you could seize this excellent opportunity.”
Invite individuals to an exclusive, private demonstration of your latest product – This approach is effective for clients who consider themselves technologically advanced and early adopters within their industry.
Organize a cocktail event – Schedule it right after the show when attendees are still present. Invite them to an informal social gathering with drinks and snacks, providing a chance to relax after a long day. This is an excellent networking opportunity for your team. Ensure coordination with the trade show organizers to avoid conflicts with their events. Alternatively, consider hosting an early breakfast event before the show begins, provided the organizers are not planning one themselves.
When sending an invitation, ensure you specify the exact day and time you wish to meet your guests. A precise request such as, “See you there on Monday at 11 am?” is more likely to prompt a response compared to a less definitive call-to-action like, “I hope to see you there.”
Take Away Tips
Tip #1 – The primary objective of your pre-show campaign should be to attract attendees to visit your booth.
Tip #2 – Utilize your pre-show campaign to extend invitations to visitors for a personalized gift, promote a VIP meeting, exclusive demonstration, or cocktail event.
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