You would have to be living under a rock to never have heard of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or, dare we say, Snapchat. For some reason, however, social media marketing has been slow to take off in the exhibit and trade show industry, and it could be because many executives are not typically millennials. But even if you use social media solely for listening, that puts you light years ahead of companies who have no interest in the medium. The first thing you need to accept is that it is a real thing that isn’t going away, and if used right, it can be very beneficial to your company. If abused or not used at all, well… we hope that works out for you. Following are some tips Exhibitors Service Network has devised to assist with your trade show SM Marketing:
- Devote some time to actually develop a plan of action to use social media marketing to your advantage. A list of goals and a timeline can be incredibly beneficial, just like with any other project. Gather input from all the members of your team on what people might find engaging.
- Plan for before, during and after the show. You aren’t going to create buzz by sending out a few Facebook posts or Tweets the day before the event. Look up who your target audience is, and work out how to specifically engage with the major players. Figure out who’s in charge, so you can avoid any of “I thought you were going to do that” throughout the show.
- Don’t treat it like just another advertisement. Droves (or, should we say, drones) of people send out Tweets with the show hashtag encouraging attendees to stop by their booths and register to win something or other. Try pointing out some sessions you want to attend, or a great place to get sushi in the show city. When you start engaging in real conversations with people, then it’s appropriate to ask them to stop by your booth.
- Don’t overdo it. Tools like Buffer are a good resource to schedule posts throughout your day, but it can also make you seem like a robot. Ironically enough, one of the biggest reasons people turn to social media is to make connections, and feel social. Use a real person.
- Do some research. It’s easy to write off social media when you aren’t gaining followers or friends, but you might be looking at it the wrong way. If your goal is to gain 100 new Twitter followers before a show, a better goal may be to gain 20 followers who are senior-level executives in your industry. Also note that members of the media are most likely the ones most attentively watching their social media feeds before, during and after a show. Meet the press! Take them to lunch. Become their best friend. Who knows? You might get an additional write-up on Facebook from them!
As always, Exhibitor’s Service Network is your valued trade show partner. We understand: “It’s more than just an Exhibit, it’s an experience.” ™
