The TradeShowMarketingBlog has some good insight into blogging from the show floor that I've passed along here. They say, and we know, Internet connections are everywhere. Smart-phones have made it easy to check em
ail, social networking sites, and surf the Internet no matter where you are, trade shows included. Smart exhibitors are taking advantage of this and incorporating Internet usage into their trade show marketing plan. One of the simplest ways of doing this is to add a blog to your trade show strategy.
Blogging Benefits
Adding blogging to your list of trade show marketing strategies can provide your customers with special insights into your business. Blogs can announce sales, discounts, and special events, or provide information and articles on your company’s industry. Many businesses use their blogs as a way to interact with their customers by encouraging discussions and welcoming feedback on the blog site. This is a great way to build relationships with your customers, which can, in turn, lead to increased business sales.
Incorporating a blog as part of your trade show marketing plan operates in the same manner. The idea is to use the blog to drive trade show attendees to your booth. Most companies and organizations that exhibit at trade shows spend loads of time and money marketing their trade show presence before the event even begins and then focus on their exhibit message or trade show goals during the exhibition.
Very few exhibitors consider how to reach their customers at the show. They wait for the customers to come to them, relying on their pre-event marketing to fulfill that goal.
How to Let Show Goers Know You’re Blog is Active
Blogging can fill this gap. When you live-blog, you can entice customers to stop by your booth. Many trade shows are multi-day events; this gives you an opportunity to market to clients who are at the show right now.
Potential and current customers who are attending the show are most likely going to catch up on their email or social media accounts during breaks or at the end of the day. This is your opportunity to grab their attention and drive them to your booth the next day. Perhaps you can post quiz questions on the blog and award prizes for the correct answer - but only if the answer is given in person at your booth. In cases like this cover all of your bases – post on the company Twitter feed, LinkedIn or Facebook page. Occupy as much real estate as you can.
In other cases, co-workers of the attendees, who are back at the office, can read your blog and send word to their exhibit attendees to head over to your booth to catch a certain promotion or deal. This type of blogging works especially well if your customers have subscribed to your blog and receive notices whenever the blog is updated.
Promote Your Promotion
If you have a special trade show promotion, your corporate blog is a great place to talk about it. Blogs can also be used to post video – providing insight into what’s happening on the show floor. With basic tools (like a Smarphone) you can easily record what’s happening in your booth.
Blogs are meant to be ever changing and dynamic - what better way to keep it fresh than to share the excitement of a trade show with your readers in near real-time?