In reviewing some of our award-winning projects from years past, I realized that many of the best practices that made those exhibits huge successes are just as valid now as they were then. So here are some oldies but goodies—five trade show exhibit marketing best practices that supported award-winning trade show exhibits:
Best Practice 1: Social media works best for exhibit marketing when you truly make it social.
Example: Wizards of the Coast, winner of the 2012 EXHIBITOR Magazine Sizzle Award for Best Use of Social Media.
The social media activation we created to introduce new Dungeons and Dragons characters at GenCon drew participation from an impressive 35% of conference attendees. We attribute this success to the team play aspect of the activity: players selected a faction to support, then monitored their team's progress via Facebook and Twitter.
Best Practice 2: Mysteries draw attention and booth traffic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hU6oPqC0MU
Example: Accuray, winner 2013 Event Marketer Magazine EX Award 2013, Silver, Best Trade Show Campaign and BMA B2 Award, Best of Category, Live Trade Show Presentation.
Accuray drew the attention of hundreds of ASTRO attendees—as well as industry press—by draping its new products at show open—and then revealing them with a dramatic in-booth event. After all, everyone wants to know what's (or who's) behind that curtain.
Best Practice 3: The best way to obtain exhibit performance measurement is to combine technology with staff interaction.
Example: Dell Computer, winner of a Bronze Award in the 2011 Event Marketer Magazine Event Tech Awards for Best Use of Hand-Held Technology. Dell's custom app—run on its own tablets—did it all:
- Delivered hand-held interactive demos customized to each visitors' interests
- Collected contact and demographic information
- Tracked which visitors participated in which demos (indicated product interest)
- Recorded which rep met with each visitor and the length of time the engagement lasted.
- Fulfilled custom requests for additional information by automatic email.
- Enabled the booth captain to monitor the data in real time via an online dashboard—and use this information to make immediate improvements to staff performance.
Best Practice 4: Increase impact on the floor with a big presence off the floor.
Example: Jacobsen, winner of the BMA B2 Award 2013, Award of Excellence, Guerila Marketing and featured in EXHIBITOR Magazine.
Jacobsen utilized a guerila trade show marketing program, themed "Orange Everywhere," to communicate that its nationwide sales force delivers high-quality service to customers across the country. Brand ambassadors outside the convention center gave attendees a taste of service Jacobsen-style by providing concierge service and distributing orange-branded t-shirts and gifts. Add a fleet of Jacobsen-branded muscle cars and pedicabs and the result was true brand omnipresence.
Best Practice 5: Employ a visual metaphor to reiterate your message.
Example: Hill's Science Diet, EXHIBITOR Magazine Sizzle Award 2013, Integrated Program.
How do you let veterinarians know that your new prescription diet pet foods are proven to provide results—not just in a controlled lab setting—but at home? With an exhibit design that looks like a suburban home—of course.
What long-standing trade show exhibit design and marketing best practices do you use to build booth traffic?
