April 21, 2011 Presented by: Joyce McKee – Let’s Talk Trade Shows Tools for Marketing Your Show Presence: The Wow Tools You Forgot and the Ones You Didn’t Know About

Agenda Here’s what we will cover today: The value of tradeshows in the marketing mix Crafting your message based on the needs of your target audience Tools for reaching and engaging attendees before and during the show Post-show initiatives Copyright PMA 20102

Trade Show ROI More than half of business travelers surveyed stated that 5 – 20 percent of their company’s NEW customers were the result of trade show participation. For every U.S. dollar invested in trade show or conference attendance, an average return $4.00 to $5.99 is realized. 3

Poll Question How much does it cost to make an initial face-to-face contact with a potential customer? – Less than $100 – $101 to $500 – $500 to $1,000 – More than $1,000 4

The Answer 5

PMA Buyer Quality and Quantity There were record numbers of “buyers” at each of PMA’s 2010 events 86 percent of the attendees walking the aisles of Fresh Summit are QUALIFIED buyers (Source: Exhibit Surveys) 74 percent of Foodservice attendees are QUALIFIED buyers 6

Time Spent on the Show Floor Attendees spent more time on the Fresh Summit show floor in 2010 than 2009 – an average of 10.3 hours over 2.1 days 76 percent of Foodservice attendees spent 3 or more hours on show floor

Top Reasons For Attendance 8 Networking Strengthen Relationships with Existing Suppliers Identify New Products and Services

Pre-Show What message do you want to communicate? What are you doing to draw your target audience to your booth? How will you use opportunities for press coverage? What information will you include in your listing in the printed/online directories and mobile app? How can you use social media?

Is Fresh Summit Augmenting Your Marketing Plan? Have you determined: What messages you want to deliver? What are the 1, 2 or 3 most important thoughts you want your visitors to remember after they leave your exhibit? What is the “Big Idea” or positioning statement you are trying to communicate? 10

What is Your Message? Get inside of your prospect’s head and answer the question: What’s in it for me? 11

New Products and Services How and why does your product/service connect to your target audiences’ needs?

Pre-Show Marketing You have equal ownership with PMA to bring the right audience to this year’s events! So what pre-show efforts are you creating to draw an audience to your booth? 13

Poll Question How many of you send invitations to visit your booth at either show to existing or potential customers? – Yes, we send out only mail – Yes, we send out only s – Yes, we do both – No, we do not do pre-show marketing

A CEIR Statistic

Marketing Toolbox Arrange meetings BEFORE the show with strategic customers and prospects. Exposition Invitations E-postcards Directory Listing 16

Electronic/Printed Directories & Mobile App DON’T MISS THIS EXPOSURE! 17

Why Seek Press Coverage? Media relations can: Get your company/products mentioned in trade, business and consumer news outlets Generate interest among buyers Get your spokesperson quoted

Press Exposure: Pre-Show Have a plan: Define your message (s) Target your audience and respective media outlets Consider scheduling interviews prior to show 19

Social Media Tactics

Listening Posts

Facebook Buzz Update regularly Create a buzz for those not attending Provides an outlet for your fans to comment on their own experience with your brand by posting their own comments and photos on your Facebook page.

Twitter

Exhibitor Central – Blogging Opportunity

Maximizing Impact Onsite Refining your “pick-up line” Making your booth memorable Garnering Press Exposure Using Social Media Collecting Leads

What Is Your “Pick-up Line”?

Is Your Booth Memorable?

Using Tech Tools To Deliver Your Message iPads and other tablets: Can enhance the in-booth presentation Are mobile --you can have an impromptu “show & tell” They allow for easy information share Potential lead capture devices

QR Codes There are emerging opportunities for QR Code use with the proliferation of smart phones. Copyright PMA

Press Exposure: On Site Have a plan: Be newsworthy and avoid making sales pitches to reporters Tell a story – reporters LOVE stories Are You “Best in Show?” 30

Collecting Sales Leads Information Get to the decision maker Be in an “information collecting” mode NOT a “sales-y” mode Use lead retrieval equipment – dump the fish bowl! Rental information for lead retrieval equipment will be in Fresh Summit’s service kit, which comes out during the first week of July. 31

Post-Show Priorities Your work has just begun when the show ends. Key post-show elements: Lead Follow-up Social Media Press coverage A post-show recap with your team to capture what worked and what needs to be done differently Start planning for your next show now 32

What happens to your leads post-show? 33

Post Show Review Assess the amount of press coverage you obtained from the show Social Media assessment on your exposure at the show – companies like Radian6, Sprout Social, etc. Hold a staff debrief – what worked and what could be improved for next year?

Summary Create messaging that tells your story and connects you to your target audience Strong pre-show promotion plan is essential to getting your target audience to your booth Take advantage of all the tools available Don’t forget follow through after the event

Q & A What questions do you have? Joyce is available to answer other questions at: – 36

Special Thanks We appreciate the support of GES – our Global Experience Specialists – for bringing us this webinar! Your Resource Materials 37