Trade Shows & Conventions: Convert Sales and Grow Your Audience
We discuss the value of person to person interaction between clients and consumers here at Modern Talent frequently, and for good reason–it drives sales. In a digital world, the importance of using traditional marketing tactics alongside online campaigns is still high. One of the most effective ways to get in touch face-to-face with your target audience is to hire a promotional modeling agency to promote your brand at Trade Shows and Conventions.
Live event marketing reaches fewer consumers for the cost than traditional advertising media, but the consumer’s perception of a product, service, brand, or company, is typically more influenced by an interpersonal client-consumer experience. It is unusual for companies to staff their own promotional models or team anymore, but there is plenty of qualified talent available to run your event. For example, each brand ambassador from Modern Talent has been trained on how to acquire lifelong consumers. Trade Shows and Conventions are great at attracting people to the area, but you still need to create an experience for your customers that will get them to purchase the product.
Models that are selected for your trade show promotion can be trained to provide consumer feedback and answer questions about services, brand appeal and products. Their responsibilities can be dictated by the campaign that you have outlined which could include: relaying core values, providing information, growing product awareness, sampling products or even handing out gifts.
The cost-benefit ratio of staffing and promoting businesses and products at trade shows has been questioned more heavily in recent years due to their expense compared to digital marketing, but there are benefits to be had from live promotional events that you just can’t get online. We support these six key benefits of having a marketing presence at trade shows, as outlined by Timothy Carter of AudienceBloom:
- They create lasting impressions if done right
- They are incredible face-to-face marketing events
- Lead generation opportunity
- Trade shows target audiences result in direct sales opportunities
- They are cost-effective networking and advertising
- They level the marketing field
First, we would like to highlight the importance of making sure the event is done right. The primary function of Trade Shows and Conventions is to feature an array of options for businesses and consumers to connect with one another. Setting up a unique and well-designed booth is the foundation of drawing consumer engagement, but in order to run a successful event you need to create a well-rounded experience to make sure you leave that lasting impression with attendees. Doing so requires hiring the right people to run your Trade Show or Convention booths.
Having highly trained and quality talent such as trade show models, spokesmodels and/or brand ambassador to execute your live event is a great way to gain an advantage over your competitors. They’ll know what to look for and how to approach attendees in an effective manner. Each one of our promotional models at Modern Talent gets general video training with a test as well as specific training on how to sell product in a variety of settings and every brand ambassador from our company has been trained on how to acquire lifelong consumers.
More tips for running a successful live event:
- Set clear goals
- Invest in brand signage
- Prepare thoroughly
- Work the crowds (don’t be passive)
Second, we’ve mentioned multiple times now that Trade Shows and Conventions provide extremely effective face-to-face marketing opportunities. It is difficult to find similar levels of consumer traffic for your business or product in alternative settings. These events also give you the opportunity to pitch your service or product in-person to prospective buyers and answer any questions they might have instantly. Compared to digital marketing campaigns, this opens the door to closing sales much quicker.
Coinciding with the high levels of face-to-face interaction is the opportunity to generate an abundance of leads. We generally strive for quality over quantity at Modern Talent, but quantity is a big reason to market at trade shows and conventions. Trade Show and Convention attendance levels can range from a few thousand to over 100,000 attendees depending on the size and duration of the event. This provides a great opportunity to gather contact info, business cards and grow your social media following. Of course, don’t forget to follow up on any and all new leads to maximize your ROI.
Third, one of the greatest benefits of Trade Shows and Conventions is that your target audience is flocking to you. You don’t have to go find them because they are right in front of you. Generally speaking, most trade shows and conventions have a specific theme or are targeting a specific niche market. For example, promoting your new spirit at a restaurant or liquor store can be effective, but you are competing with beer, wine and other cocktail consumers. A more effective marketing campaign might be to set up a booth at a spirit festival, convention, or trade show, where a large majority, if not all of your audience has some interest in your product.
“ALWAYS have something to sell at a trade show. It doesn’t matter if you only bring your latest products or have a wide variety of products to choose, the opportunity to generate sales shouldn’t be lost because you didn’t have something for them to buy. Don’t miss out on that sale!” – Timothy Carter, Director of Business Development for AudienceBloom
Lastly, despite seemingly high prep, design, staffing, and travel costs of running a Trade Show or Convention, the potential sales return and growth in brand awareness that can result from these events has the potential to greatly exceed your initial investment. The cost of running an online ad campaign will be much less up front, but the amount of money and time spent on converting sales is often less with trade shows and other live events because of the interpersonal interactions. Success with these types of events typically boils down to preparation. The more you plan and strategize ahead of time, the more likely you are to reach your goals.
Link: Are trade fairs and exhibitions worth it?
Relatively speaking though, the cost to get into a Trade Show or Convention is fairly low, and it’s typically the same for everyone. Trade shows and conventions level the marketing field because every business attending has access to the same audience. Everyone has the same opportunity to engage consumers and build relationships with prospective buyers. Small businesses struggle to compete in the digital marketing world because they can’t afford to place ads as frequently or on as many high-traffic websites as larger companies. At live events, the airtime is divided equally.
If you have a new product or service, or simply want to grow your brand appeal/awareness, Trade Shows and Conventions are a practical and low-cost opportunity to do so. We always recommend getting people, and more specifically promotional models, out in front of your business to start building the consumer-business relationships necessary to maintain long-term and loyal customers.
To learn more about Modern Talent and the services we offer please visit our website at: moderntalentusa.com. If you would like to book Modern Talent for your next event, please click here.
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