Lunch&Learn
Using Social Media to Boost Trade Show Engagement
What We’ll Cover
• Getting started• Strategy• What works• Influencers• Pre-show • At-show • What’s unique• Post-show & measurement
Some Stats
• 1.6 Billion people use social media• 2.3 Billion projected by 2017• 81% of small-medium size businesses use
social media!!!
- Digital Marketing Ramblings
Some Stats
Some Stats
Getting Started
• Research• Follow• Establish a guide• Train staff• Content is king• Best practices• 80/20
Strategy
• Measurable goals and objectives• Generate traffic: How much? • Build awareness of product: overall
activity online • Get buyers to booth: How many & sales
goals• Brand awareness: number of times
retweet etc.
Strategy
• Define audience• Connect pre-show • Develop a plan pre-show• What photos to take• What content to post• When to post on what social networks
• Reasons to come by the booth
Listen
• Who’s talking? • Google alerts• Advanced Twitter search
Target Influencers
• Who are the major players in industry? • Brands• Individuals• Other exhibitors
• Get noticed by influencers• Follow• Share / retweet / post on blogs • Engage
What works
• Photos and Video • 63% of social media consists of images
- Citrix• Facebook photos: 53% more likes & 104%
more comments• Twitter images: 150% more retweets
- Hubspot
• Engaging, valuable & relevant content• Shared content
Pre-show
• What an attendee will learn/gain from YOU• Teaser about games, contests or give-aways• Product demos• Blog posts • Staff sharing excitement• Suggested hot spots at event location• Pre-show preparation tips• Integrate into pre-show marketing campaign• Advertise
At Show
• Booth activities: attendees, contests, demonstrations, having fun
• Messages from team: welcome, schedule updates, how dinner was, how the breakout session was, show news, stand-out moment of the day
• People: celebrities, keynotes, quirky barista• Locations: city landmarks, restaurants, quiet
place to hang out• Sights & sounds: slot machines, sun rising
At Show
• Booth Activities • In booth branded photo sharing• Contests: • Works well for FB, Twitter, Instagram• Twitter mentions, photos posted with
hashtag, most likes, text or social trivia, share for discounts
• Polls / Questions• Be creative - sharable content
At Show
• Measurable goals + objectives = Tactics• Generate traffic: contest • Build awareness of product: photos/
product demos, videos• Get buyers to booth: discount• Brand awareness: fun interactive
games
What’s Unique
• All about fun - show some personality • Facebook Events• Contests• Targeted ads
• Hashtags• Contests• Promoted tweets
What’s Unique
• Photos AND video• Hashtags & geotags• Contests
What’s Unique
• Join industry group discussions• Join trade show / event group discussions• Create your own group• Advertise• Facilitates employee participation
What’s Unique
• Never ignore the giant
• Unique audience: • 94% of activity is female • 3x more moms
• Blogs are the most popular click-thru destinations
What’s Unique
• Most well known video site• Can upload any and all videos to share
now, later, on website etc.
• Content is king• Sharable, reusable content resource
Post-Show
• Follow up• Keep the momentum
Measure
• Measurable goals + objectives = ROO• Generate traffic: how much • Build awareness of product: overall
visibility of product• Get buyers to booth: how many? $ Sold• Brand awareness: reach, retweets,
mentions
Measure
• Hootsuite - or other ROI tool• Reach• Retweets• Mentions
Resources
• The Trade Group Info Center • ExhibitorOnline.com / Exhibitor Magazine• Event Marketer Magazine / Online• IAEE: Int’l Assoc. For Exhibitions & Events• CEIR: Center For Exhibition Industry Research• Hubspot• Marketo
Questions