Keeping up with the times always requires effort and often expenditures. It is now common place to see a room full of people staring at their phones rather than talking to one another. In today’s internet integrated, technology infused world the job of marketers to build lasting relationships becomes ever more challenging.
Learn these 5 ways to make your brand more tech savvy, and begin to leverage modern devices to help you start the conversation the old fashion way. These simple but productive suggestions add technology to your exhibit marketing strategy, in order to attract more visitors, generate more leads and boost future revenues.
1. Tablets & Mobile Devices
Tablet brands like the infamous Apple iPad have infiltrated nearly every facet of our daily lives. Made popular by their sleek, ergonomic design and a loyal unwavering fan base, some savvy users tote their tablet around as routinely as car keys. Tablets have made surfing the web and wasting time on games easier than ever. But did you know that you can use your iPad for work also!
- Demonstrations – If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is video worth? Gone are the days of meticulously describing how a product works and hoping they are picturing the same. Now you can inform and entertain at the same time by sliding through product images and playing video of your value offer in action with just the touch of a finger.
- Lead Management – Trade Shows are a lot of work and can be a lot of fun; but few enjoy the post show necessity of cataloging the mountain of business cards your sales representatives (should) have returned with.
Utilizing your tablet allows you to take important notes and photos about your competitors as well as making use of idle time by getting started cataloging your prospects. Most tablets running on iOS and Android offer lite versions of Office where you can easily open a spreadsheet and begin organizing all those smiling faces you’ve met. - Attendee Information – It’s not always about you! Tablets have also empowered your prospects with the ability to seek out information on a company right on site. Watch for techy types and cater your message with this target group in mind. They’re often on the lookout for ways to interact with brands using their tablet.
If you really want to enable your booth visitors to interact with your brand, consider allocating some of your booth space and budget on a Tablet Kiosk Workstation. They allow the visitor to experience what you have to offer on their own time, learning about your benefits without dedicating booth staff to discuss with them. In this way your tablet stand acts as a huge beacon for your staff, stating “I’m looking for information, come talk to me!”
2. Digital Signage
The advent of LCD (liquid crystal display) technology has revolutionized digital signage. These screens are now used in everything from computer monitors to cell phones and TVs. LCD screens are thin and lightweight so they’re very easy to move, which is important considering shipping and storage costs between shows. LCD screens are also considerably more energy efficient than older screens so they can be used for long periods of time without a hefty power bill.
- Interactive Branding – LCD banner screens give you many display options to extend your brand to standalone totem style signage. They can be easily mounted in frames or placed on specially designed hangers. This gives your visitors an enhanced opportunity to check out what your brand offers.
- Stay Relevant – Have you noticed your competitors changing with the times, updating their display’s marketing message to fit a specific venue, buzzing trend, or latest products? Worse off has your company updated its website branding and left your exhibit display showcasing a faded early 2000s style logo? We know from experience that printing high quality graphics are not cheap. Purchasing a nice LCD widescreen isn’t either; but this one time expenditure allows you to update your branding and message to whatever fits the audience, venue, and product focus your company chooses. This allows you to keep your display booth looking fresh simply by turning on the set.
- Seminar Demonstration – Connect your LCD screen to a computer to display a slideshow or video to a larger crowd. Electronic signs are ideal for integrating all kinds of multimedia into your display like technical training videos, how-to guides, product specs, or general industry information.
3. QR Codes
Use these handy emblems to extend your brand onto the web. This promotes engagement with your prospects and customers, allowing them to feel part of an exclusive crowd that gets a discount or other promotion.
- Let the Games Begin – QR Codes allow you to post these cryptic emblems in your emails, website, and all around your trade show booth that allow attendees to interact with your brand and feel technology savvy at the same time. Now that you are prepared to engage with your attendees, you’ll want to have a logical next step in mind to send someone once you’ve peaked their interest. There are many clever ways to attract more attention toward your booth such as games, contests, and prize raffles.
- Message Synergy – An email campaign to your existing customers may offer a discount for attending the show that can be redeemed at your booth. This creates some urgency with attendees and a mental bookmark to visit your booth to redeem the promotion. This sends qualified traffic your way that comes to the show having a preconceived plan of companies they want to visit.
4. Newsletter Marketing
Let’s not forget the now traditional method of email marketing. Yes, because newsletters are difficult to differentiate from spam these can often be ignored as noise. However if you are targeting your existing client base and offering real value, you should be able to find an audience.
- Tried and True – This remains one of the most cost effective methods to establish your message and distribute it to the masses (potentially millions in fact). For the expense of an employee’s time spent planning, writing and encoding an email campaign you are able to reach many more leads than a billboard, for example.
- Timing is Everything – Newsletters give your prospects and existing clients the opportunity to review your information on their own time and better plan their trade show itinerary.
5. Social Reporting
Don’t forget that not everyone can spend the money and time to fly to a convention and attend. Many in the industry will be keeping track of developments with the official event #hashtag.
- All the World Your Stage – By dedicating some time doing an excellent job reporting on the latest news and insights coming out of a trade show, followers will begin to focus in on your updates like a stock ticker. Your Facebook or Twitter account can become the go-to provider of up to the minute “hot tips” coming out of the trade show. Make sure to include your posts to LinkedIn where you can leverage your efforts within your professional peers.
- Say Cheese! – For better or worse, social media enables anyone with access to the web and an account to be a star (or at least pine for attention). This can be a great way to jump start your company’s follower base and quickly become perceived as an industry contributor. This “thought leader” status is where your play by play reporting and even anecdotal commentary is a valued resource among followers of the event.
Have questions about how to best use technology with your brand? Our exhibit experts are always happy to discuss options and recommend the best display for your company’s needs.
The Monster Displays team can be reached at Sales@MonsterDisplays.com or call (888) 484-3344, we’d love to put our experience to work for you.
sales@monsterdisplays.com
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