It’s honesty hour (always) but especially right now: A majority of people in the industry aren’t following a framework for tradeshow success that makes them stand out and create an IMMERSIVE experience.
There, we said it. Don’t shoot the messenger. I know a lot of people are out there *trying* to create experiences. But there is a colossal difference between “I went to that thing” and “I just EXPERIENCED a thing”. Too many marketers rush the process and don’t consider their intent when planning out their event strategy.
When an event becomes something that we just go through the motions on and want to be over, that’s when you know you’ve failed. You aren’t going to resonate with your customer, because they can tell that all you want to do is leave. Why waste time at a booth that already feels like their time is wasted?
But here’s the thing: Everybody wants to create engaging and meaningful brand experiences- and the ideas for doing so are abundant. So why doesn’t everyone do it?
Honestly, it’s hard work. You need to implement a process, create the foundation, really ensure that you are creating exceptional brand experiences.
Which is how we came up with the 5-part framework for tradeshow success. People needed a road map, and we had all the tools at our disposal, so we drew it up.
#1: The Why
Understanding the ‘why’ of an event or trade show is the essential first part of the tradeshow framework to effectively engaging customers and achieving your business goals. Knowing the intention and purpose allows you to better tailor the experience for the right group, be it exhibitors attending a tradeshow, or sponsoring an event to create your own activations. Without knowledge of the ‘why’, events fall flat, leaving attendees and sponsors unsatisfied and unable to meet their goals. When the purpose is defined, everyone involved can maximize the potential of their time together.
#2: The Customer
At the core of any brand experience is the customer. Why? It’s simple: the customers are the ones engaging with the product, the service, and the overall brand; as such, understanding who they are, what their wants and needs are, and how you can help them is essential to creating a successful experience.
To ensure that your customers have the best interactions with your company possible, it’s key to understand what those needs are so that you can adequately meet them. This means you need to get inside the customer’s head and ask why they’ve come to your trade show or event; what goals do they hope to achieve? Keeping these questions at the forefront of your mind will help you focus on getting ahead of creating an experience that meets their every desire. You can measure current customer relationships by tracking growth over time and asking for direct feedback. It’s all about making sure your customers always come first.
#3 The Brand
Business trade shows and other similar events can make or break a brand, as the key to success is knowing how to differentiate yourself from the competition. Defining your brand position without being generic can be a struggle for lots of companies. Understanding the POV of your audience should be paramount. However, you don’t want to oversell the product or compare it to your competition; focus on highlighting the brands strengths and core competencies. To ensure success, take the time to understand what makes the brand unique and articulate it confidently.
A brand’s ability to build meaningful connections with its customers relies on the strength of the value proposition that they offer. Crafting the ideal value-proposition requires the precision of 10 words or less; it needs to be unique, catchy and vivid so the customer can easily recognize the brand and product. To keep their attention, the messaging should ask an intriguing question, which promotes further engagement. The visual and digital artwork should reflect the motivations and mission of the brand in order to create a cohesive logo.
Generating true brand loyalty can take time but having a purposeful strategy in place from the beginning will help reduce friction on the journey. Understanding what segments your brand serves, as well as developing appropriate messaging are the key elements to acquiring trust from your customers. Powerful brands know how to connect with their customers through meaningful exchanges inspired by both parties sharing similar values and interests – it always comes down to building relationships after all!
#4 The Engagement
After taking the time to understand your customer, their intent, and your brand values, engagement should be next on the priority list. To make engagement successful, you’ve got to know how customers want to interact with your company — it’s all about that personal touch! Interactive trade show displays, in-store demonstrations and social media engagement are great ways to stimulate conversation between customers and a business. And when crafted with thoughtfulness and care, brand experiences can give customers an emotional connection they won’t soon forget — leading to a effective & high engagement.
#5 The Goals and Objectives
Putting goals and objectives in place for your brand experience is essential for gaining the most ROI. Determining goals will provide a clear overview of outcomes you want to achieve, while objectives outline the actionable steps that need to be taken to reach those goals. Your goals should be realistic yet challenging at the same time—they are key to defining success. When these two elements are set, it’s easy to measure progress and ensure your team is all working towards the same outcome. Establishing measurable goals and objectives lays the foundation for an effective and profitable brand experience.
By following our 5-part framework for tradeshow success, you should be able to create a meaningful brand experience that will leave a lasting impression at your next event.