Are You Hunting the Trade Show Side Effects?

…Or how to get the most of your investment in trade shows

?This is the third article of three articles about modern industrial trade shows.

The article is based on my experience, gained from working 20+ years primarily in industrial marketing, and international statistics.

In the first two articles, I have looked into why (or how) a company should consider a stand at a trade show and why trade show attendees still find trade shows relevant and a good investment of their time and money.

This article looks at some of the positive side effects, which are FREE.

We all like free marketing, so I'll encourage you to read and consider my thoughts.

Achieve Digital Impact from Trade Shows

Don't underestimate the digital boost a trade show can provide. According to tradeshowlabs.com, up to 92% of attendees visit trade shows to see new products. We have already established, in the second article, that the trade show attendees must do their research on exhibitors and products prior to the trade show, to secure they get the most knowledge from the time they spend on the trade show. This means, that it is prime time for press releases, social media campaigns, and other digital marketing efforts.

During significant trade shows, industrial news websites often see up to a 30% spike in readership. These spikes are your chance to capture the attention of those who need to learn about your company, products, and services.

In the digital age, the impact of your trade show participation extends far beyond the event itself. A well-executed digital strategy can amplify your presence, reach a broader audience, and generate a buzz long after the trade show. This increase includes leveraging social media, email marketing, and online PR to share your trade show experience with a broader audience.

American studies show that, with the right effort, your company can see a 20-25% increase in activity before a trade show, 15-20% during the event, and 10-15% afterward. Some companies even report boosts as high as 30 to 50%.

Imagine what that kind of lift could do for your business! If this sounds valuable to you, then plan to maximize it. Leverage every tool in your arsenal: industrial media, social media, trade show networks, and mailing lists.

Additionally, tracking and analyzing digital metrics during and after the trade show can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your efforts. This data can help you refine your strategy for future events, ensuring that you continue to maximize your ROI.

Get Editorials and Interviews

Another critical aspect is the media presence at trade shows. Industrial media know that trade shows are goldmines for content and information. Being featured in the media can significantly boost your visibility as an exhibitor. But here's where preparation is key.

Let me tell you a quick story: I've seen CEOs and other top executives shy away from prepping for media interviews before a trade show. They're busy, I get it. But walking into an interview unprepared can turn what should be a golden opportunity into a missed one, resulting in a vague editorial that doesn't quite hit the mark or sometimes bursting out company secrets because one is insecure and rambling. Imagine if your sales team met with a key customer without preparation, unthinkable, right? An interview is just another sales pitch to a much broader audience. While industrial journalists (usually) aren't out to make you look bad, they might end up crafting a story that completely misses the point, the very reason the marketing team worked so hard to set up the interview in the first place.

Avoid the wasted opportunity of editorial content by having an internal pre-meeting, agreeing on key points, and ensuring that anyone speaking to the media is well-prepared.

This preparation ensures that your company's message is conveyed accurately and positions you as a thought leader in your industry. Journalists are always looking for compelling stories, and a well-prepared interview can lead to valuable editorial coverage that money can't buy!

Remember that the media has a powerful influence on shaping perceptions of the trade show attendees. A well-crafted article in a respected industry publication can work wonders for your brand. In contrast, a poorly handled interview might fade into obscurity, making little to no impact.

Media training and thorough preparation should be non-negotiable parts of your trade show strategy.

Sponsor News and Use Known Contacts

By ensuring the launch of at least 1-2 new case stories or relevant industrial application notes you have an ideal foundation for a batch of mails towards already known recipients, many of these might not be active, but the curiosity for news is increasing when the news is related to a trade show.

Increased Engagement with Newsletters and SoMe

Statistics show that in the period leading up to a trade show, there's a noticeable uptick in engagement with industry-related content, particularly newsletters. For example, 92% of trade show attendees are explicitly looking for new products and innovations, which makes them more likely to open and click through newsletters that provide insights or previews related to the event.

Curiousness is natural, as many attendees, particularly decision-makers, have already budgeted and planned their spending for the show, they now need to secure that they bring home solutions to their companies.

Industrial Media and Newsletters

It's not my experience that banners work well as part of a trade show campaign. Although they often provide traffic, it is just as frequently lost within 1-3 clicks and very few seconds. However, many industrial websites also allow the sponsorship of their newsletters, providing great placement of articles, which can be very successful exposure. ?

Studies suggest that industrial media newsletters can see open rates as high as 60% when they are timely and relevant. I find the number "too optimistic," but that said, the activity rate increases significantly in the weeks or months leading up to a major trade show (and after).

Moreover, sponsoring a newsletter allows your message to be delivered directly to an opted-in audience already interested in the content, leading to better engagement than more generic digital ads. Contrary to your mail recipients, this audience might not know you, and the increased activity suggests that these people are preparing for the trade show.

Industrial news websites typically experience a surge in website traffic in the months and weeks before major trade shows.

For example, websites related to Automation and robotics saw a 25% increase in traffic as a major North American trade show approached. Industrial professionals drive this traffic, looking for the latest news, product launches, and event details to plan their trade show activities.

The boost in traffic ensures that sponsored content is seen by more potential buyers, leading to higher click-through rates and better ROI.

Are Side Effects Worth Hunting?

Decades ago, I worked as a salesperson in photographic stores. I've sold many, many cameras in the days where you had to go to a store to buy a camera and film; those were the days... now, whenever we sold a camera, we actually made very few bucks, you already know, that what we made great bucks on was sell a bag, filters, and all that extra stuff… Participating in trade shows will provide you a fair ROI if you do it right, but the side effects are the bonus stuff - they might make the effort into good business!

Let me start by summing up some numbers from several different industrial statistics.

Well-run campaigning can increase your website traffic by 20-25% in the month before the trade show, 15-20% during the show, and 10-15% following the event.

North American companies reported (in 2019) an increase of 30-50% in lead generation during and after trade shows.

Companies can expect a 15-30% increase in new SoMe followers with a 20-40% increase in engagement.

And how about a 20% increase in newsletter subscribers?

To be fair, some of these numbers can be slightly outdated, as they are from 2019, but there is no indicator that the usage of SoMe or web searches for facts is lower today than before the COVID shutdown. ?

The numbers speak for themselves. I can't argue that a tradeshow is worth doing for the side effects, but the side effects can be extremely valuable if you hunt them.

You must prepare your stories for the media. If you are an executive, allow Marketing to facilitate interviews, make yourself available, and whenever you get something in the media, "share and comment" on SoMe.

I know this is basic, but too many people forget or neglect it because they are not using LinkedIn frequently or are simply too busy. They are too busy to create a new sales-related connection; if you are too busy for that, you must be genuinely wealthy!

On the tradeshow, you should actively promote your SoMe alongside the website and mailing list. For many attendees, it will be easier to subscribe to SoMe compared to the fear of receiving “a wave of emails”, but you'll get great and long-lasting exposure?

Also consider doing a live stream from the show. Live streams draw attention to the trade show and provide excellent traffic on LinkedIn.

EPILOGUE

Trade Shows are a Thing from the Past

This was all meant to be a one-piece article. I am sorry, but I got caught up in facts...

As I told you in the first article, I have had many debates and met many people who claim that trade shows are a thing of the past.

Well, they are a thing of the past, but so are ice cream, coffee, and international trade. We still love them, and they're still functioning!

My research shows that trade shows are most likely to provide you with a fair ROI. The time frame of the ROI will vary a lot, depending on your industry, but if you have a motivated team and a strategy for telling your story, or I should say, for becoming a part of your customers' story, then you're well under way.

Make sure you have a timeline of activities from 1-2 months before until 1 month after the trade show and monitor the leads. Trade shows are about planting a seed, and then you must work and nourish patiently before you can harvest.

One last thing: if you are feeling insecure about trade shows, OR if you know everything about trade shows because you've done them for 30 years now, I recommend you check out websites and companies that advise and educate on the latest trends and how to improve your outcome, for instance www.thetradeshowacademy.com

Knowledge is money well spent!

Enjoy your next trade show!