Some things are better done in person. Even after COVID, corporate events like trade shows remain an excellent opportunity for B2B brands to get face-to-face with their audience and execute effective top-of-funnel marketing. The right messaging and presentation can significantly boost brand visibility and, potentially, sales.
At The Think Tank, we’ve helped business software experts IRIS showcase its solutions with creative displays at several trade shows in recent years, helping to generate buzz on the day and grow brand awareness in the long-run.
To get a better idea of what makes for a successful trade show exhibition, let’s take a look at some of the lessons we can learn from IRIS’ success.
Lesson 1: Do the groundwork
Firstly, it’s important to pick the right event. With hundreds of shows each year to choose from, some with thousands of visitors, you need to carefully consider which ones best suit your niche.
Think about the people who are going to be turning up. What industry are in? What sort of job titles will they likely hold? Where do they sit in their business’ decision-making hierarchy? What are their biggest concerns, frustrations, pain points? These are just some of the questions you have to answer if you’re going to find and appeal to your desired audience.
Lesson 2: Define your messaging
Speaking of appeal, there’s not much point rocking up to a trade show if you don’t know what you’re selling. The exhibitors most likely to cut through the noise will have a defined offering and a carefully-honed core message. Get that right, and you have a launching pad for any number of head-turning displays.
For example, in 2022 IRIS headed to Accountex London off the back of the launch of its new suite of products, ‘Elements’, with an established core message: that its products bring together different accounting services to make something powerful. That inspired us to put the periodic table at the heart of the display, giving IRIS an instantly eye-catching stand that visually drove home its pitch to businesses.
From there, IRIS’s brand ambassadors had a platform to go into more detail about its value proposition and explain to exhibition attendees how their business could benefit.
Lesson 3: Be bold with your display
With all those other brands vying for attention, trade shows aren’t the place for subtlety, especially if you’re not a household name already– the less well known you are, the harder you have to work to draw people in.
A big, bold display is best placed to generate interest and linger in the memory. And it’s a great excuse to have some fun as well.
‘Mission: Possible’, for instance, was the concept we ran with when IRIS headed to the CIPD ACE (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s Annual Conference and Exhibition). Drawing on the film franchise of (almost) the same name, we played with high-tech spy imagery to demonstrate how IRIS’s innovative HR solutions could simplify complex recruitment and admin challenges.
Our team came up with dynamic visuals of vaults, fingerprints and eye-scanners, which served as a fantastic visual hook and set IRIS’s exhibition apart from its surroundings. More importantly it was a conversation starter, enabling IRIS’s brand ambassadors to speak to key decision makers within its target audience.
Beyond captivating visuals, exhibitors can attract a crowd by incorporating experiential activities into their exhibits. Interactive elements such as games, competitions, and activities aligned with your messaging can effectively engage the audience. Consider incorporating features like photo booths, quizzes, or product demos to create a memorable and interactive experience for attendees.
Lesson 4: Bring it all together with an integrated marketing strategy
A powerful exhibition display can help you achieve a range of aims: introducing your brand to new audiences, boosting awareness, starting sales conversations and moving the buyer journey along to conversion. Performed in isolation, the above measures might achieve some, but not all, of these aims.
True success at trade shows relies on a holistic approach where messaging, positioning and creative strategy all come together. To maximise the impact of your presence, an integrated strategy that incorporates digital, social media and PR channels is crucial. This will also facilitate cohesive messaging across all of your marketing platforms – so every potential buyer understands what you’re offering, no matter how they learn about your brand.
In the run-up to the show, teasing the theme of your exhibition with digital ads, social posts, email marketing or even out-of-home marketing can drum up interest and anticipation. Or, for example, if you’re using your appearance to launch a new product or service, it only makes sense to promote that asset across digital channels post-show.
Leverage expert support
As an integrated marketing agency, we’re well accustomed to executing multi-channel campaigns which draws on the in-house expertise we have here at The Think Tank. Inside and beyond the trade show hall, the campaigns we produce for our brilliant B2B clients ensure that they get noticed and stay front of mind amongst their key audiences.
Whether you need a hand bringing your next trade show display to life, or are looking for support to execute a big idea that will capture the imagination of your targets, get in touch to see how we could help.
