Today’s advertising specialists are faced with an overabundance of promotional options. The decision of where to invest precious marketing dollars can make or break a brand. The difficult choices involved in meticulously balancing online, print media, and face-to-face advertising can intimidate even the most seasoned marketing professional. These factors, combined with the necessity of justifying spending and tightening up budgets, can make a pretty complicated cocktail.
Event marketing, particularly business trade show attendance, shifts in popularity as the industry and economy fluctuate. Deciding how and where to cut trade show costs can be tricky. It is imperative to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate expenses and reductions associated with trade show involvement. Here are a few questions and suggestions for doing just that:
How do you define a successful event?
A clearly spelled out event marketing plan that includes definitive numbers (traffic counts, reaches, sign ups, facebook “likes”, new business leads, etc.) can help you regulate your event’s success and keep expectations realistic. These hard numbers, once refined, can then be attached to marketing budgets to determine the cost effectiveness of the entire experience.
How clearly defined is your target audience?
Does you ideal customer tweet? Are they social? Artistic? Conservative? Analytical? Emotional? Extravagant? Trade show gimmicks have proven highly successful; however, proceed with caution. The latest and greatest gimmicks, 3D technology or augmented reality for instance, can be great at driving traffic to and through your trade show booth. However, if they are not reaching and connecting with your ideal customer they can be a budgeting mistake. A game, a branded gift, a perfectly placed inviting graphic might be just what your consumer wants.
Have you enlisted the help of a design professional?
When downsizing line items this is one area worth your material investment. Your booth space can invite or deviate. A well-designed space is crucial to your event’s success. Most design professionals offer free evaluations of your current space and can make suggestions that will keep you within budget. It may be that your booth simply needs a little updating or a restructure to target your ideal customer more directly. Remember, you know your product, you know your target customer; design professionals know the trade show market. They can help you put the right tree in the right place in your forest of marketing.
How much time and effort can you realistically put into the planning and coordination of trade show events?
If you have never considered a trade show management company, now is the time to re-evaluate. In this case, a dollar can save you hundreds of nickels, literally. Electric service order forms, advanced freight deadlines, set up regulations that differ from show to show and state to state, coordinating giveaways, reconfiguring your exhibit to fit alternating booth sizes, storage options, broken or incomplete structures arriving on site, are just some of the headaches that can cost you time and money. Professional management companies are already familiar with navigating the paperwork and avoiding unnecessary costs and problems associated with late or incorrect paperwork as well as damaged or delayed shipments. Most offer a range of services from a-la-carte assistance to full show coordination.
Knowing where to cut, where to adjust, where to divert, and how to balance trade show dollars is not an easy task. We have watched industry trends come and go and there is one thing we know for certain: Face to face events, such as trade shows, are indispensable to most businesses. Never underestimate the power of a handshake and a smile. Don’t be afraid to invest in this manner of marketing, just choose wisely and under skillful guidance.