Trade Show and Event Marketing: Plan, Promote, Profit

Chapter 1 Introduction to Trade Shows and Corporate Events

The Focus of This Book
Defining Our Terms
The Trade Show and Corporate Event Industry Today
Trends in Trade Show and Corporate Event Marketing
The Marketer versus the Business Event Manager

Chapter 2 Trade Shows and Corporate Events as a Business Marketing Tool

Trade Shows and Corporate Events in the Marketing Mix

The Strengths of Trade Shows
The Weaknesses of Trade Shows
Best Applications of Trade Shows
The Strengths of Corporate Events
The Weaknesses of Corporate Events
Best Applications of Corporate Events

The 10 Essential Principles of Business Event Marketing
Challenges and Considerations in Business Event Marketing Strategy

Sales versus Marketing: Who’s In Charge Here?
How Marketing Connects with Business Events
Leads versus Branding: Which Are We Doing Here?
Events versus Other Elements of the Marketing Toolkit

Strategic Approaches to Event Marketing

Business Event Planning Based on the Customer Life Cycle
Business Event Planning Driven by Product Life Cycle
Business Event Planning Around Customer Value
Business Event Planning Based on the Customer’s Buying Process
Business Event Planning Tied to Sales Objectives
Business Event Planning by Target Audience
Business Event Portfolio Planning
Where Agencies Play

Chapter 3 Prior Planning: Do It Right The First Time

Setting Objectives

Choosing Your Objectives
Objectives Checklist
Connecting Objectives to Metrics
Calculating Realistic Goals
Calculating Return on Objectives
Setting Objectives for Trade Show Staff Participation
Trouble Spots in Show Selection
Show Selection Criteria
Evaluating Competing Shows
Regional Shows: Think Small
Case Study: IBM’s Federal Command Center Shifts to Targeted Trade Shows

Budgeting

Tips for Successful Budgeting

Partnering with show management

How to be a Great Client of Show Management
Cost-Saving Planning Tips
Exhibitor's Timeline

Chapter 4 All About the Trade Show Booth

Booth Location, Location, Location
Booth Types
Booth Selection Process
Booth Size
Booth Layout

Attraction Strategy
The Product or Service Being Promoted
The Activities Planned for the Booth

Live Presentations

Booth Design and Accoutrements

Competitive Differentiation
Brand Image
Booth Design Types
How to be a Great Design Client
Booth Design Elements
Themes are Popular—and Dangerous

Booth Sourcing Options
Signage and Literature

Signage That Makes Visitors Do All the Work
Where Can You Put a Sign?
Sales Collateral

Tabletop Shows
Final Booth Considerations

Chapter 5 Trade Show Booth Management

Staffing and Recruiting

Staff Selection
Staff Recruitment
Motivating Sales People to Work an Event
Goal Setting

Training

The Benefits of Staff Training
Staff Training Agenda
Case Study: Handling Problems at tbe Booth: Murphy Was Here

Scheduling

Managing a One-Person Booth
The Show Handbook
Special Booth Roles

Pre-Show Preparation

Pre-Show Staff Meeting

Great Boothmanship

Booth Behavior: Do’s and Don’ts
Booth Behavior: Do’s and Don’ts
How to Engage and Disengage
The Five-Step Engagement Process

Step One: Engage
Step Two: Qualify
Step Three: Discuss or Demonstrate
Step Four: Capture Information
Step Five: Disengage

Daily Staff Meeting

Booth-Based Sales

Staff the Booth with Closers

How to Annoy your Prospects

Chapter 6 Event Promotions: Before, During, and After

Business Event promotion strategy

Target Audiences
Budgeting for Promotions

Pre-show Promotions

Multi-Touch Promotions
Pre-Show Promotional Tactic Checklist
A Pre-Show Promotions Database Strategy

At-Show Promotions<>

The Bottom Line on Premiums
Promotions at the Booth
Case Study: What Not to do at the Booth
Promotions around the Show

Post-Event Follow-Up

Chapter 7 Business Event Marketing Beyond the Trade Show Booth

Optimizing the Trade Show without Exhibiting

The Bare-Bones Exhibit
Hospitality Suite
Demonstration Room
Entertaining at Meals
Parties
Focus Groups
Trade Show Event Sponsorship

Corporate Events

Prospecting Events

Road Shows
Customer Events
User Groups
Client Conferences
Partner Conferences
Single-Customer Events
Educational Seminars
Executive SeminarsCase Study: The New York Stock Exchange Provides a Big Wow
Webinars
Entertainment Events

Problems in Corporate Event Marketing

Chapter 8 Lead Generation and Qualification

The Semantic Problem: What is a "Lead," Anyway?
Contact Capture at the Show
What Information to Capture at the Trade Show

Data Points

Capture Methods

Paper-Based Processes
Electronic "Lead Retrieval Systems"
PC-Based Systems
Contact Capture in a "One-to-Many" Situation

Lead Qualification

Qualification Categories
Standard versus Customized Qualification Criteria
Lead Scoring Systems
The Danger of Focusing on Qualification
Online Qualification Systems

Data Transfer
Staff Training

Chapter 9 Lead Management and Nurturing

The Value of Event Leads
Principles of Excellent Post-Event Follow- Up

Roles and Responsibilities
Planning and Budgeting for Post-Event Follow-Up
Speed is of the Essence
Sorting and Segmentation
Fulfillment Options

The Fulfillment Kit Checklist

The Lead Management Process

Post-Event Qualification
Online Qualification Strategies
Case Study: How TruLogica Got 100% of Its Hot Trade Show Prospects to Respond to Follow-Up Communications

Nurturing

Checklist of Nurturing Tactical Options

Inside versus Outsourced Lead Management
Other Post-Show Follow-Up Steps

Chapter 10 Press and Publicity

Business Event PR Strategy
Trade Show PR Execution

Working with Show Management
Press Appointments
Working the Trade Show Floor
Press Releases
Press Kit
The Press Room
Press Conference
The Trade Show Daily
Trade Show Issues of Trade Publications
Staff Preparation
Post-Show Follow-Up

Other Trade Show Publicity Opportunities

Speaking Engagements
Parties and Collateral Events

Publicity for Corporate Events

Chapter 11 Post-Event Results Analysis

Measurement Strategy: Objectives Drive Metrics
Case Study 11.1: How HP Classifies its Trade Show Metrics

Standardized Metrics

Post Mortem Meeting
Measurement Tools: Quantitative

Pre-Post Show Surveys
Exit Interviews and at-Show Surveys
Post-Event Surveys
Post-Event Lead Survey

Measurement Tools: Qualitative

Mystery Shopping
Staff Feedback
Key Account or Key Prospect Analysis
Competitive Analysis

Metrics

What Items to Include in Program Costs
Cost Per Lead
Cost Per Contact
Case Study 11.2: Custom Metrics
Expense to Revenue Ratio (E:R)
Activity-Based Metrics
Case Study 11.3: King Industries Case: Analyzing the Results of Trade Show Promotions
Business Event ROI

Tracking Leads to Closure

Closed Loop Systems
Did-You-Buy Surveys
Trade Show Specials
Data Matchback

Outsource versus Do-It-Yourself Metrics
Measuring PR Effectiveness
Measuring the Results of Corporate Events
Results Reporting

Chapter 12 Case Studies

XMPie: Eat Your Own Cooking
CAS: Creating a Big Buzz on a Small Budget
Lake Group Media: Competitive Differentiation through Booth Design
AIRxpert Systems: Leveraging PR for a Larger Splash
Hubert Company: Partnering with Non-Competitors to Enhance Your Sales Strategy
Apple Rubber Products: How a Hospitality Sponsorship Can Position a Small Company as a Big One
MTS Systems: An Annual Event to Promote Distributor Loyalty and Productivity
Woolpert: Integrated Event Marketing
The Broadmoor Hotel: Technology for Data Capture and Follow-Up
Saab Aircraft: A Fully Loaded Client Conference

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