APE APE January 2020 | Page 24

MARKETING MATTERS 2. Make it a Team Goals Game Just because tradeshows are professional exhibitions doesn’t mean your company can’t throw some fun into the mix. Make your tradeshow experience a game for your team. Get competitive and have your booth staff set goals for the number of leads they wish to earn with a specific outcome in mind. It’s important for your team to set goals and know in advance exactly what they want to achieve. Winging it isn’t re- ally a good game plan: if you arrive empty handed, you’ll leave empty handed. If you want to walk away from the tradeshow with a bucketful of solid leads, have your staff arrive prepared with rehearsed pitches and questions that will further engage your pros- pects 3. Design your Booth with your Buyer Persona in Mind Don’t include things in your booth that have nothing to do with your business or the types of clients your business aims to attract. The way you design your booth should attract your buyer persona, not the trick-or-treaters attending for the freebies. Keep in mind that your goal isn’t to attract every attendee at the tradeshow but rather the people most likely to benefit from your services who may become future customers. 4. Have Cool Swag Offering cool swag is a great way to initial- ly get people to your booth. What you of- fer should be intentional and related to the products or services you offer as a business. Remember that not every ad specialty is the best choice for every business. If you’re a B to B company, it makes sense to offer potential clients a pen with your name on it that they can use around their office. If you’re a B to C company on the other hand, a refrigera- tor magnet or chip clip branded with your name would be useful around their house. The longevity of the product and it’s useful- ness at the event itself are other important factors to keep in mind when choosing your swag. For example, offering bottles of wa- ter branded with your company name on the label will definitely quench the thirst of the tradeshow attendees but may end up in the trash by the end of the day. However, offering a bag with your name on it that show-goers can use to carry around their freebies during the show and then also use around the house or at the grocery store will guarantee visibility of your brand even after the show is over. 5. Put Prospects to Work Once you’ve decided on the cool swag that will be most beneficial for your busi- ness, come up with a plan to make prospects work for the prize. Have them take a quiz or be part of a contest that ultimately leads to them sharing their contact information with you. Avoid simply luring people in with candy because if that’s the only reason they’re visiting you then they aren’t attracted to your booth for the right reasons. How- ever, knowing that trick-or-treaters exist and not everyone is a prospect, you may want to consider a low cost giveaway in addition For More Information On This Advertiser Please Visit www.CallAPE.com/e-inquiry www.callape.com [24] 1.800.210.5923