Do you want a tool that can drive engagement to your trade show, ensure people stay engaged during and after the event, and build on the brand recognition that you created at the show? If so, you want to look at social media closely.
As a growing tool in trade show marketing, social media can give you a competitive edge at your next event, and Exhibit Options is here to help you integrate your social media strategy into the very design of your trade show booth.
Getting Ready: Pre-Show Social Media Strategies
Social media is one of the easiest ways to create buzz about the event and your participation. You can work this angle by utilizing social media stories for behind-the-scenes glimpses of your prep and what you’ll offer. You can encourage people to attend the meeting with social media contests and hashtags. Countdowns and teasers can also be quite effective.
While you’re working to build anticipation, start engaging with attendees. You can go to the trade show’s event page and start building relationships with attendees. Don’t be too strong on your marketing here, but be genuine and helpful.
You can also use social media to promote your booth. Tell people where you will be, any special demos or events you plan to offer, and exclusive discounts or specials that will draw people to your location.
Taking the Stage: Real-Time Engagement During the Show
Once the event starts, you have a wealth of social media marketing opportunities. For instance, you can post live updates on your stories, tweet in real-time, and update your feeds throughout the event. Leveraging social media for real-time trade show engagement can be highly effective at getting more people to stop at your booth.
You can also use social media to create user-generated content promoting your booth and brand. Encouraging attendee participation through social media contests, for instance, that award someone for using your event hashtag can be quite effective at creating greater brand awareness. Collaborations with other non-competitor vendors can also be a way to engage with more people.
As you plan for your social media feeds during the event, consider engaging, interactive options, such as:
- Contests
- Giveaways
- Fun challenges
Keep promoting these on social media throughout the show.
Following Up: Post-Social Media Follow-Up Tips
Your social media strategy for trade show engagement doesn’t end when the show ends. Here are some ways you can leverage social media as a follow-up to the show:
- Host an event recap: Share highlight reels, videos, and photos from the trade show in the days and weeks following to keep people engaged.
- Engage with your leads: Any leads and contacts you make can be part of your social media page, and you can engage with them.
- Analyze the impact of social media: Use analytics, insights, and hashtag trackers to see how successful you were at using social media to promote your event.
With the data and follow-up you have after the show, you can plan to implement social media even more effectively at your next trade show event.
Integrating Social Media into Your Booth Design
One of the best ways to leverage social media for trade shows is to incorporate it into your booth design. First, create areas of the booth for social media activations, or opportunities for your followers to become active participants in what you do. You can also build elements of the booth design that encourage new followers to join your pages, such as embedding a QR code into a wall graphic that people can scan to go to your page.
Another way you can incorporate social media into your booth design is with hashtag promotion throughout the booth. Create brand-specific or event-specific hashtags, and then incorporate them into the marketing material printed in and around your booth. The more visibility you can give these hashtags, without compromising your brand’s image, the better your social media success will be.
Finally, add interactive elements, like photo booths or touchscreens, that encourage social media sharing and tagging. A fun event-specific photo booth that will text a photo to the attendees and encourage them to share it online, complete with a link to your brand’s page, can be quite effective. This idea is also fun for attendees, and fun, interactive elements will build engagement.
Connect at Your Event – Use Social Media
Integrating social media into your trade show exhibit is one of the best ways to create connection and engagement if it’s done well. Exhibit Options is an experienced team that knows how to combine social media with trade show booth design. You can partner with Exhibit Options for personalized trade show solutions.
When you do, you will be partnering with an experienced exhibit house who can help you with post trade show care and will keep your best interests and budget in mind when building your booth. Reach out today to get started.
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