Trade shows are hugely important because they deliver a huge amount of brand awareness to a highly engaged audience.
The only issue is, there are so many trade marketing strategies out there to try. What works in a trade show environment?
A giveaway could well be the best solution.
Why is a trade show giveaway so powerful?
Well, at a basic level, everyone loves free stuff.
But successful giveaways are about more than just price.
There’s something powerful about being able to physically put a product into a person’s hand.
It’s lead generation, but with a difference: the product does all the talking [if it’s good enough, of course].
There’s no need for sales patter.
If a manufacturer has created a product that the market wants, what could create more of an impact?
Giveaways get people talking. They make brands become memorable.
Trade show giveaway tips
It doesn’t matter which type of marketing strategy you’re executing, one thing always rings true:
Planning is everything.
To have a successful trade show giveaway, you’ll need to know your product and market inside out.
You’ll also have to be very aware of who will be attending the trade show and what their needs are.
The giveaway will have to float their boat, not yours.
Remember that the best giveaways always carry some sort of branding.
But good giveaways are unique.
As this article says, it’s best to look beyond the pen. Branded pens are old hat.
[And actually, if you giveaway something boring that’s been done a million times before, you could end up doing more harm than good.]You should also be wary of cost.
Whilst pens and business cards have their foibles, at least they’re cheap. The last thing you want to do is spend huge amounts of cash on a giveaway that doesn’t deliver.
Work through the numbers. Discover how much a lead is worth to you and plan accordingly.
Great giveaways are also relevant.
You could giveaway free iPads. That would certainly get tongues wagging. But if you sell double-glazing, it’s not going to do much for your business.
There’s too much of a disconnect.
The trick, if there is one, is to find a giveaway genre that’s relevant and adapt it for your own use.
If a business wants to quickly establish trust and credibility, then a trade show is the way to go. And if it wants to create a buzz around a product, then give away free samples.
Trade show giveaways work… but they must be fully thought-through.
If not, then they can burn through your budget, ruin your ROI and leave you wanting more.
