Intertwining The Physical And The Virtual at your Trade Shows

Is it just me, or is online marketing discussion starting to take on an odd Tao vibe? I’m talking about the synergy between real and virtual worlds, between trade show booths set up in the Las Vegas Convention Center, online marketing campaigns, and even virtual trade shows that takes place solely in the ether.ipad-trade-show-kiosk-selections-resized-600

We’re contemplating the ways in which we change our customers while they change us, fully aware we have to be more responsive to their needs… and all the while, trying to figure out how to track all these interactions which are impossible to directly observe. It’s little wonder that a lot of marketers who are used to only dealing in the real world, like salesmen and trade show directors, do their best to stay out of it.

Unfortunately, we’re no longer in times that a company – any company – can afford to ignore the Internet and the huge wealth of marketing opportunities it represents. Your trade show displays risk drawing less interest, unless you keep up with your competitors and embrace new technologies to leverage your trade show marketing techniques.

So, how can you make the virtual activities intertwine with your live exposition presentations?

Making The Real And The Unreal Collide At Exposition Halls

This prompts an obvious question: How are these things related at all? After all, it might seem that the Internet and a trade show display can never directly interact.

Well, the Internet has become even more fluid in the last few years. The World Wide Web is now only one section of the ‘Net, and it’s learning to move much faster too. Web pages are no longer semi-static repositories of information. They grow and shift and change in response to market trends just like any other official arm of a company.

Social media and Cloud technologies have greatly expanded the online reach, and seriously blurred the lines between worlds online and off. People take the Internet with them in their pockets, and it’s nearly as ubiquitous as air. Heck, people can now ask the phone itself how to get to a number of locations without ever speaking to anyone else.

Or, just like in the adverts, they really can sit in the same room and collaborate on shared documents, along with a coworker in Dubai who’s in their trusted network.

This practically begs for implementation in your trade show displays!

The Benefits Of Merging Your Online And Offline Efforts

This is a field where the dollar costs are low and the potential for success is great. That’s not to say social media-related events are a sure thing – rather, a well-implemented crossover effort will be able to show a huge return relative to the small amount it adds to the total bill.

  • Involve close contacts who are unable to make it to the trade show.
  • Open it up to the public via webcam, with chatroom and video linking the two.
  • Build brand loyalty through involving activities the want to bring their friends into.
  • Run promotions concurrent to the exposition.
  • Launch contests that bounce between the real and virtual throughout the exposition.

The key here is engagement. You want people active and doing things that involve your company and hopefully talking about it through social media at the same time. This is especially crucial during a trade show appearance, when you want every shred of publicity you can. These days, Internet promotions often become the hook you need to reel in more news coverage to your real world trade show exhibit.

Giving The Customer Promotions They Want

In the words of golden age ad pioneer Howard Gossage: “[N]obody reads ads per se. People read what interests them, and sometimes it’s an ad.”

He said this in the 1960s, but it’s just as true today. In fact, it’s the basis of Internet marketing: You put on display the things your customers most want to see. Today, that just means you have to be a bit more creative than a mail-in campaign.xpressions_monster_monitor_display

  • Know your customers’ other interests. What do they do that doesn’t involve your product? What are your offline interests, and are there any overlaps? Now, what can you do to insert yourself into those situations and contribute natually?
  • There needs to be an identifiable theme. Your Internet efforts need to have a reason for existing that directly relates to your message or, even better, your product in action.
  • The more participation you can invite while still keeping it under control, the better. Involving people in an experience, or an event, is one of the single best ways to build a loyal audience.
  • Your customers still want free stuff. Keep giving it to them. Even better, virtual materials have no printing costs!
  • Respond positively to feedback. In social media circles, it’s vital you come off as honestly interested in what your online trade show guests have to say. (Otherwise, well, did you see the week Microsoft’s been having?)
  • Follow through. If you pledge to do something, the customers will remember and hold it over your head for some time.

Now, I’m going to contradict something I said above, to make an important point. This is one of the golden rules of social media, in the exposition hall and ever where else.

You Will Never Have Social Media Under Control

Yes, really. Especially when Twitter is involved.

These social media networks are far too open, by design, for you to be able to really police them. The people actually responding to what’s going on will need to be nimble, quick-thinking and, at times, just able to bear a bit of embarrassment with some good graces.

Reputation matters online, at least as much as in the offline trade show world. You’ll do yourself no favors if you get angry with people on social media.

Make The Online A Part Of Your Real-World Trade Show Expositions!

The Internet has a true wealth of inexpensive -and often free – social media platforms for you. It’s a wide-open field. Right now, there are truly no limits in how you can engage your exposition display visitors with online\offline crossover promotions.

Learn as much as you can about your customers, give them promotions they want to participate in, and watch news of your trade show appearance spread far and wide!

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