Six tips to turn tradeshow attendees into customers.

Posted by Anya Sleezer << back to blog

Last Updated on December 26, 2022

With the pandemic mostly (and thankfully) in the rearview mirror, tradeshows and exhibitions are picking back up. In 2019, the B2B tradeshow market was estimated to be worth more than $15 billion. While pandemic lockdowns led to it collapsing to $5.6 billion in 2020, tradeshows are expected to come roaring back to $14.5 billion by 2024.

Tradeshows can be a huge opportunity for your brand to generate leads and connect with customers — but only if you have a solid strategy or a tradeshow marketing agency who knows how.

Here’s how to maxmize your ROI and turbocharge your results for your tradeshow marketing!

What is a tradeshow?

First things first, what is a tradeshow? If you’ve never been, NBD. Tradeshows are pretty straightforward. Essentially, firms within an industry network (O&G, healtcare, finance, etc.) come together to connect with vendors, customers, competitors and suppliers to learn about and present new items, services, trends, and more.

You know why almost every big hotel has a giant banquet hall? It’s not just for weddings; it’s for tradeshows.

Tradeshows help you connect with customers you might never meet in person, or who may never have heard of you otherwise. But tradeshows aren’t just great for generating sales and leads, they’re also hugely beneficial for networking, forming B2B relationships, and meeting suppliers.

Make no mistake, tradeshows can cost a lot of money, effort, and time (you’re missing work, after all), but are totally worth it … but only if you have a plan going in.

Don’t know where to begin? Here are six insider tradeshow marketing tips!

Decide on your goals and key performance indicators. You can’t hit a target if you don’t have one, right? Or to put it in “marketing speak,” you won’t know if the trade show was worth the time, money, and effort unless you set goals and success metrics. Some KPIs you can use to measure your success include:

Audience size and engagement at presentations or events
Booth attendance and participation
Engagement on social media
Media coverage and endorsements
Engagement and participation in pre and post-show marketing efforts
Number of meetings, appointments or bookings
Net sales

Your goals will determine your focus. If this is your first tradeshow, we recommend keeping your expectations in check. Hitting record-setting numbers on each of these KPIs during your first time at bat isn’t realistic. Besides, trying to hit too many targets at once may even cause you to miss out on the most valuable ones.

Decide on your level of participation. There are cheaper ways to spend four days in Orlando than going to a tradeshow, so you’re going to have to put in some effort. How much is up to you, your budget and your goals. Don’t want to spend a ton, but just want to meet and mingle? You could simply go as an attendee. Have goods and/or services you want to show off? You could set up a booth. Want to make a splash and get your name in front of as many people as possible (without having too much fun at the afterparty, of course)? Become a sponsor of the event or present as a keynote speaker, panelist, or lecturer. The most successful brands select the options that best meet their needs and couple them with the tips below.

Market before, during, and after the show. Tradeshows may take place on certain days, but tradeshow marketing starts weeks or even months before attendees arrive. Think of it like a movie; it wouldn’t be very smart if the studio just dropped a $200 million blockbuster in theaters one day without promoting it, right? Same here. So start early. If you’re allowed to market to the attendee list, absolutely do it (be sure to check with your trade show rep first). Make all of your tradeshow marketing timely, relevant, and creative. Some ideas include:

Email marketing
Invitation mailers
Digital advertising and geotargeting
Social media
Guerilla marketing
Events, parties, and networking opportunities
One-on-one meetings
Banners
Collaterals
Booth
Hospitality suite
Multimedia touchscreens and AI
Interactivity
Videos
Product displays
Branded swag and bags

Make your space the talk of the trade show. Develop a creative concept that fits your brand and stands out. Think outside the bootth and design something that will attract people to your space. Research past trade shows in your industry, or even outside of it, for ideas. Brainstorm concepts and get creative (we can help with this). Make sure your concept can scale to the entire tradeshow experience. Some ideas include:

Hire entertainment or play music (keep it clean, though)
Prizes, drawings, or games
Cool free swag
Activities, events, or ways for people to engage with your space
Good lighting
Food and drinks
Showcase your goods or services
Multimedia touchscreens, videos, and AI
Selfie opportunities
Staff your booth with team members who can answer questions and close the deal

Be a memorable presenter or panel leader. One of the best ways to build brand recognition and customer relationships is to position yourself as an industry thought-leader. And one of the best ways to do that is to become a panelist, speaker, or presenter at a tradeshow. Not only is this a relevant audience, but they’re also there to hear from you. Reward them with quality content. Ditch the sales pitch and deliver a message that is relevant and valuable. Even if you don’t ever say “Buy ____ from me,” you’ll plant the seed in the attendees’ mind for future sales.

Follow through and follow up. This is where most companies fall short. They spend a lot of time and money before and during a tradeshow, but never follow up with the leads they worked so hard to get. That’s like having the perfect date, having an awesome time, but never calling afterwards. A relationship isn’t just going to magically happen; you have to go for it. So have a plan before the tradeshow for how you will follow up after the tradeshow. Ideas include texts, emails, gifts, marketing materials like one-sheets or brochures, or even follow-up meetings or lunches. Timing is everything. Follow up a few days after the event, then again in a week or two. Be persistent, but not a pest. Just know that as with most marketing, sometimes it takes multiple interactions to get engagement.

Try these six tips to make your tradeshow the best it can be. But you don’t have to go it alone. As an experienced branding, marketing, and tradeshow marketing agency, we can develop tradeshow campaigns that fire on all cylinders and make every aspect fit within your overall brand and marketing strategy.

Whether you’re attendeeing, putting together a booth, sponsoring the event, or giving a presentation, level up your tradeshow experience with Levo!

Anya Sleezer

Anya Sleezer is the owner of Levo, a full–service marketing agency, focused on helping companies from all industries who are concerned with their marketing results, traffic, branding, advertising, or websites.

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