How Show Organizers Can Leverage LinkedIn to Boost Attendance, Booth Sales, and Show Floor Traffic (Part-1 of 2)

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Trade show organizers play a crucial role in ensuring the success of their events for attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors. To create a win-win situation for all stakeholders, organizers need to employ a range of strategies. In this first of a two-part article we'll explore 5 of the 10 ways show organizers can harness the potential of LinkedIn to increase attendee numbers, booth sales, and show floor traffic, ultimately ensuring a thriving trade show experience for all.

1.??? Optimize Your Personal LinkedIn Profile

Before delving into event-specific strategies, it's essential for trade show organizers to present themselves effectively on LinkedIn. Your profile should be professional, complete, and engaging, showcasing your experience and expertise in event planning and management. This builds credibility, which can attract both exhibitors and attendees to your events.

2.??? Create a LinkedIn Show Page

Your trade show should have a dedicated LinkedIn Company Page. This page is where potential exhibitors and attendees can find essential information about the event including a link to your event website. Use a high-quality profile picture of interaction on your show floor and a compelling headline that conveys your event theme and what your show will deliver for attendees and exhibitors. Write a well-crafted summary and add relevant keywords to make your profile more discoverable.

3.??? Promote Exhibitors on LinkedIn

Help exhibitors get the most out of their participation by promoting them on your event's LinkedIn page before, during and after the show. Share posts about their products, services, and what they're planning for the trade show. Keep in mind that the most powerful word in marketing is ‘new’. Also, the No.1 reason people attend meetings and exhibitions is to learn about and see what is new in an industry. Featuring exhibitor’s new products, services and technologies is a surefire way to boost conference attendance, exhibitors' booth traffic, lead generation, sales, and ultimately their ROI.

4.??? Engage with Exhibitors

Proactive communication is key. Keep open channels with exhibitors and encourage them to participate in discussions on your event's LinkedIn page. Offer assistance, answer their questions, and provide support to ensure they have a smooth experience, from the pre-show marketing to post-event follow-up.

5.??? Encourage Exhibitor Engagement

Motivate exhibitors to create compelling LinkedIn profiles for their companies and representatives. Encourage them to share content related to the show, such as teasers, product launches (new), or behind-the-scenes sneak peeks. This participation will pique attendees' interest and boost show floor traffic.

Part-2

In Part 2 of “How Show Organizers Can Leverage LinkedIn to Boost Attendance, Booth Sales, and Show Floor Traffic”, we’ll explore the second five tips and how to utilize LinkedIn to partner with exhibitors, attendees, and industry influencers to boost the success of your show. Also, I’ve added a Bonus Tip #11 that can increase the value of your show by helping exhibitors double their show sales and ROI.

About the Author:

Michael Hatch is a trade show technology and marketing veteran who has worked with industry leaders throughout his career including AT&T, Holiday Inns International, Verizon, a2z Inc., Salesforce, and over 100 of the top 200 trade shows in the U.S. He is currently VP of sales and business development for ShowCycle, the only event and expo management app built on the Salesforce platform: [email protected]

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