If you’re not using social media marketing to improve your trade show success, then you’re missing out on big opportunities. Follow these four social media trade show marketing tips to boost interest, create buzz and keep people interested in your business ideas.
Make as Many Connections as Possible
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Social media makes it easier for you to connect with others. Easier, however, doesn’t mean “effortless.” You need to put effort into forming connections to build a hive of interconnected colleagues.
Make a professional profile for yourself on LinkedIn and create profiles for your business on:
- Google+
Use these sites to branch out to other people and organizations in your industry. Don’t feel bashful about sending a friend request. They want to connect with you for the same reasons you want to connect with them.
Incorporate Social Media Into Your Blog Posts
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Ideally, you already have a blog that draws in readers with compelling content. If you don’t, then you need to get on that as soon as possible.
If you have great articles, videos and infographics, people will want to share your content with others. Honestly though, they will only share your blog post if they have an easy way to do so. Include buttons that let readers share your posts immediately on G+, Facebook and Twitter.
This lets them share your ideas without exerting any effort.
Create a Buzz Before the Show
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Use your social media connections to generate buzz before your trade show. The more people you can attract, the more people you get to influence with your presentation.
How do you create buzz?
Those social media connections will come in handy as will your content creation skills. Video content typically creates a lot of buzz. Exciting music, interviews and demonstrations can make your ideas more engaging. You can also mention contests and giveaways to motivate people with free stuff.
This is an essential step in the marketing process. If you don’t have an in-house video producer and director, then you should consider farming this part out to a local business that can help you. It will cost a bit of money but the potential returns are great.
Make More Connections at the Trade Show
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Social media marketing can increase attendance at your next trade show exhibit, but you shouldn’t think of that as your end goal. Consider how you can use this event to build a reputation, make more connections and attract a bigger audience to your next event.
How do you make more connections at the show?
Put tablet PCs on a table and ask people to sign up for a drawing by friending you on Facebook or sharing one of your posts.
As important as social media is, you also have to use your personality to work the crowd and meet new people. Smartphone apps such as Bump make it easy to share contact info with the people you meet. Always carry business cards for people who haven’t caught on to the smartphone revolution.
What are some of the best social media marketing strategies that have gotten you to visit a trade show?
Good tips, Tim, especially about creating buzz before the show. That matters — a lot. Yet I am surprised by how few shows bother with the advance buzz on Twitter etc.
– Anita
I agree with Anita; it’s a shame more people aren’t using social media to create buzz before the show. It’s a great way to increase the turnout of the show, exposure and potentially increase your profits.
Ti
Buzz is such a big part of the social media world, it’s a shame so many companies forget about the buzz and just try to drive other things, like sales. We all know direct selling is not the way in social media.
I totally agree about creating a buzz before putting up the show. Not doing this is like you’re having a concert without audiences. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
“Make more connections at the trade show” is definitely something I tend to miss out on with so many exhibitors and new products / courses. Thanks for that tip, will add that to my to-do list for events!