Outdoor advertising is a great way to capitalize on earning additional revenue, and is something that big corporations and small business both take part in.  Convention participation is a marketing strategy that that many companies across the country employ to promote their business and bring prospective clients to the table.

Getting ready for a convention, however, takes a lot of planning and a dedicated staff of employees who are willing to travel and represent the company.  During the summer months it isn’t uncommon for the event venue to be held in the great outdoors, but if you plan on taking your business outside, there are a few things to consider first:

1.  What size of space will I be working from?

The area that you have to work from largely determines the kind of displays and equipment that you can reasonable use.  If you end up reserving a smaller space, don’t think that you can’t make an impressive statement.  Event tents, banner stands, and even executive chairs can be designed to fit your space beautifully and create an impression that won’t soon be forgotten.

2. What are my outdoor display options?

When an event takes place outdoors, the sky is the limit. If you can dream it, a display company can accommodate for it.  Of course there are lots of options when it comes to outdoor displays, some of the more popular choices that big corporations and small business make include:

• Event Tents.  These can be made to fit a variety of spaces.  Generally they are made in a canopy style fashion which makes them easy to assemble and comfortable to do business in.  Some display companies even make full and half sidewalls so you can divide you space in an attractive and functional way.

• Outdoor Banner Stands.  This is a light, yet extremely durable product that can be set up in seconds.  Mesh fabric is custom dyed according to the customer’s design needs and complete with impressive graphics and details.  To keep the system stable and in place, the base can be filled with water or sand.
  

3. How long will my displays last?

It may surprise you that displays are made to be used and reused over and over.  It’s not a one-time-use expense, but rather an investment that will last for a number of years.  Displays for both indoor and outdoor events are made from durable materials that are as beautiful as they are functional.

Getting ready for your next outdoor event is easy when you employ the services of a reputable display company.  Plan ahead to ensure the items you want can be made and ready for your next event.

Timeline For Planning An Outdoor Marketing Event

There are as many different reasons for renting a booth at an outdoor marketing event as there are different types of marketing events. It is a great way to attract new customers, introduce new products or services to existing customers and position your company as experts in the industry. Tradeshows and other outdoor marketing events also allow you to keep a close eye on what your competition is doing. It takes more than just a few weeks to successfully plan and execute an outdoor marketing event, however. Here is a general timeline to help you stay on task.

One Year Out

Establish a budget for both indoor and outdoor marketing events. Decide which industry events will be most beneficial to attend, allocate the necessary funds and mark your calendar.

Six Months Out

Determine what your objectives for attending the show will be. You can then rent the space necessary to meet those objectives and design your booth accordingly. If you are promoting a series of webinars, you may want to incorporate a large screen monitor that streams some of the highlights. Or, if you are peddling fitness apps at an outdoor retailer show, it may be more beneficial to create an interactive iPad station where customers can really get a feel for what you have to offer. Either way, you will want to make arrangements to rent or buy all of the necessary elements for your booth. These may include:

• Tents
• Digital signage
• Tables
• Chairs
• Counters
• Kiosks
• Electronic equipment
• Flagpoles
• Flooring

You will also want to decide on any pre-show promotion vehicles that you may want to use.

Five Months Out

At this time you should select targeted publications for pre-show publicity and promotions. Begin writing press releases, purchase advertising space in trade publications and select your lists for e-mail marketing.

Four Months Out

Incentives and promotional products are a huge part of tradeshow marketing. Now is the time to select and order such items. Be sure that they complement the overall theme of your booth display and brand your company.

It is also a good idea to secure hotel reservations for those who will be attending the outdoor marketing event if it is in another city. Hotels near the venue tend to fill up quickly.

Trade shows are a time for businesses to market themselves, gain new clients, reveal a new product and to just have a good time with like-minded individuals. Not everyone has the same objective in mind when they attend a trade show, but there are a few fundamental ideas that should be kept in mind in order to have a successful trade show no matter what your reasons are for attending.

READ MORE

Read our trade show article this month on All Displays section of our site. We give advice on hiring professionals to work at your trade shows, getting the correct size display, engaging attendees and other helpful trade show tips.

Ideas for trade show booths

Your booth display is one of your most powerful weapons at a trade show, so you’ll want to make sure that you wield that weapon wisely. A booth display draws the eye before a trade show attendee even sees the person at the booth. It’s not unusual for companies to spend thousands, even millions of dollars on a modular display, truss display or tension fabric display. Before you devote your entire budget to an expensive display, take a few minutes to think of other things you can do to make your booth display more effective at a trade show.

Use the Past as Your Prologue

Look at the types of booth displays that companies similar to yours have done in the past to get an idea of what’s effective and what’s ineffective. Don’t attempt to copy their ideas, but instead take note of what made the displays so effective and recreate a similar effect for your table display. Some of the most successful booths have used multimedia presentations, so think of incorporating those with your displays. Computers, televisions, music and projects have also been proven to be effective booth display tools.

Read the rest of the article here…

Whether you have a relatively new business or an established business, it is essential that you understand who your target audience is if you plan to direct your marketing towards that audience. This is especially important if you are getting ready to set up a marketing display at a trade show or for some other event. A successful company is one that has a clear understanding of who its target audience is and how to appeal to that target audience through marketing and product development. Here are a few ways that you can figure out how to pin down your target audience and successfully market your products and/or services to that audience.

1.       Figure out the gender and age of the people who use your product

You may have to do a little guessing on this first step, but if you really want to learn more about your target audience you should consider surveying your consumers. You can also attract a desired consumer base by developing products that appeal to a certain age and gender. You will almost always have some overlap, but you should be able to uncover a noticeable trend in the general age and gender of those who purchase your products the most.

2.       Find out the average income level and education level of your consumers

If your target audience is a relatively poor college and high school crowd, then you will want to produce at least some products that they can afford to purchase. You will also want to market your products in a trendy and eye-catching way. Our modern-looking truss displays are incredibly appealing to a younger and trendier crowd and can set you apart from your competition. If you are appealing to a more sophisticated and wealthy crowd, then you may want to develop products that appeal to a wealthier crowd and can be sold at a higher rate. Our 10×20 Hillcrest Truss Backwall marketing display is the perfect fusion of both sophistication and boldness and will appeal to your more mature customers. Our sleek and simple panel displays are also a great choice for a wide variety of target audiences.

3.       Notice your target consumers’ marital status

Pay attention to the marital status of your target consumers and their stage of life. Are they mainly single or married? Do they have kids or grandkids? Consumers often spend differently and are drawn to different types of advertising depending on the stage of life that they are in. Parents with children can be a lot of fun to market to, because you can set up marketing displays that appeal to both kids and adults. Our modular displays are unique and eye-catching, and our truss displays come in simple or complicated designs that can be set up in interesting and dynamic 3-D shapes. We even offer completely custom marketing-displays that you can design to attract your unique target audience.

4.       Compile all of the information into a demographic profile

Once you have gathered as much pertinent information as you can about your target audience, compile it into a demographic profile that will help you to figure out exactly how to choose a marketing display that will attract your intended audience. With the many different sizes, styles, and types of marketing displays that we offer you will be certain to find one that will appeal to your audience and will fit into your budget.