To make your expo, convention and trade show season a financial success you must pay attention to a marketing plan, whether it be one just in your head or a carefully planned out and written down strategy. When you are investing in trade show display booths you need to know where the money is and how you are going to get it.
So you need to have a marketing plan that has these seven marketing initiatives that are intelligently and creatively designed:
1. Offer a special discount offer for all orders placed at the show. I have seen offers like 10 per cent off for all orders placed and paid for at the expo. This encourages orders to be placed straight away as well as getting paid immediately - a big bonus. Have a look at what others are doing with discounts and special offers to get ideas on different methods, explore where the money is and what works best for your business as well as your customers.
2. Simple flyer with pictures of your products with your website, contact details, trade show exhibit booth stand number and call to action such as a trade show promotional product or discount are affordable to print and really valuable for communicating what you are about. I have a basic flyer template that has all the key information I want to give directly to customers. I can tailor it for specific expos and seasonal events and it is tested and regularly improved. I have color pictures of my jewelry designs, jewelry display stands and credit card logos so people know with a glance what I am all about. Yes, they can read all the information and my website address and locations are there but the pictures are vital.
3. Gather contact details of visitors who are potential customers by running a competition with prizes that your customers want. I run a jewelry gift voucher competition during wedding expo season where I give away three gift vouchers. This way I build my customer list for my email newsletter. So I get increase sales through out the year and make my bridal expo display booth rental expenses into an investment.
4. Invite your existing customers by sending out a post card showing your products so you are part of their spending budget. Make sure you have your website, contact details and stand location on the post card. Design the card with reuse in mind so it can be handed out at the expo so you can get the bulk printing discount benefits. You can make up stamps with your stand numbers on them so the printed post cards can be used at different shows.
5. The big glossy brochures and detailed price lists should be available for customers who are placing orders so the marketing budget pays for itself with the trade show orders. Do not give these costly investments to just potential customers, give them the flyer with your product and business contact details. Get everyone to go in the email newsletter competition.
6. Trade show giveaways can be great value as they keep moving around for years after the event with your marketing message all over them. Design the promotional giveaways so they are timeless and can be used at various shows. If there is a big show that is a corner stone to your marketing initiatives and you want to associate your business name (and contact details) with it then an investment in freebies for it should avoid having a year on them as that dates and seriously limits your use of them. Make your designs work for you in multiple places. So if you have a pen with your business name on it make sure it has your website address. This way you can use it in the shop as well as at expos as well as being able to send it out to customers as a thank you present with orders. Get your value out of your marketing budget.
7. Ask your customers what they want. Customer surveys can give you great ideas and insights with creative marketing initiatives. By implementing what customers suggest you can also build profitable business relationships with customers feeling valued and listen to. Customer loyalty comes from feeling a strong connection to the business and surveys are great for building this relationship.
Trade show marketing and promotional work is about building customer relationships, getting good orders, building your customer list and increasing your business profile. With some investment in time and money you can have a really effective marketing plan with affordable marketing tools that pay for themselves quickly and often.
Belinda Stinson is the designer and owner of http://CreativelyBelle.com - a popular and successful jewelry and earring holder gift idea store. Belinda also offers a range of business and marketing articles online published in the monthly email newsletter to help other businesses success.
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You can also see Belinda's designs and jewelry display stands at the Creatively Belle online store: http://CreativelyBelle.com/design
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