This brand gained 1000+ new prospects on its mailing list by “exhibiting” quality output! Find out how they did it! [Thursdays: FYO!]
Label presses.
Carton printing presses.
Commercial presses.
These are some of the products that Xeikon, a digital printing solutions provider, offers businesses in the printing industry.
As part of the B2B (business-to-business) category, it sets aside a portion of its yearly budget for a particular marketing strategy.
That strategy is…
Exhibiting at trade shows!
According to an article published by mobile app creator BuildFire.com, a whopping 99% of marketers say there’s a unique value in trade shows that they don’t get from other marketing efforts.
This is because trade shows bring together sellers and buyers, who are considered as “hot leads,” in particular industries.
That’s not the only statistic about exhibiting at such events!
In a 2017 survey conducted by exhibition and event research company Exhibit Surveys, Inc., it found out that 67% of attendees represent a new prospect for participating companies.
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research also states that 81% of these attendees have buying authority, and about 46% of them are in the executive and higher management positions.
Curious about what other benefits you and your brand can get from trade shows?
Here are a few more of its advantages:
-
It raises brand awareness.
A trade show is a good opportunity to raise brand awareness among industry professionals and key decision makers.
Why?
You and your target market are all in one place―it makes it easier for you and your brand to reach out to them!
Don’t let that opportunity pass! Use it to get a foothold in the industry in which your brand operates.
Here are 2 simple tips to effectively increase brand awareness at trade shows:
-
Create eye-catching graphics. Place your brand name, logo, and message strategically throughout your booth for maximum impact and exposure.
-
Include your social media information. This will help prospects to find you online and increase your brand’s social media presence.
-
-
It opens up new business relationships.
English poet John Donne once said:
“No man is an island.”
Do you believe this saying is applicable not only to individuals, but to businesses as well?
Even the biggest and greatest companies need good business relationships with other companies as this will help them expand their market reach.
At trade shows, you have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential partners and clients… so give it your best shot for a good first impression!
Let other brands know that you value them and take them seriously. By doing so, you’re also widening and strengthening your brand’s network.
-
It’s a place composed of highly targeted leads.
Don’t you like it when a large crowd of highly targeted buyers are within your reach?
We bet you do!
Remember that those who attend a trade show do so because they are actively looking to buy the right products for their needs.
All you have to do is strategically highlight the features and benefits of your products so you’ll effectively close a sale.
-
It provides competitor analysis.
Another benefit of a trade show is it allows you to see the strategies and best offerings of competitors in your industry.
Take the time to walk around the venue and observe these things:
-
What are other companies doing to attract customers?
-
What are poorly performing booths doing? What can they improve?
-
What are popular booths doing? What can you pick up from their strategies?
Take down notes on everything you learn and discover. Keep those notes organized. There’s a lot of useful information that you can get from such an event and storing it all in your head might not always do the trick.
-
Let’s go back to Xeikon’s marketing strategy…
When it participated in a trade show in 2012, it had two goals:
First, to raise brand awareness about its products among label converters in the US.
Second, to engage with label printing companies that were looking to buy what they need within the next 6 to 9 months.
So… what did Xeikon do to maximize its participation in the trade show?
Aside from the exhibit, it also conducted three marketing efforts even before and after the event: Direct mail, email marketing, and telemarketing!
Direct Mail
Since Xeikon is selling printing equipment, its marketing team wanted prospects to get a tangible sample of what its products can do.
More than a promotional piece, the direct mails contained Xeikon’s label samples so recipients could see and touch its digital printing output.
Email Marketing
A week after it sent out the direct mails, the company also sent emails to its prospect list.
Basically, the email was an extension of the direct mail piece―same messaging, but in a shorter format.
Xeikon’s goal for the email marketing was to increase the click rates on its personalized URL (pURL).
Prospects who clicked on the pURL received an incentive and gained access to various company content, such as:
- Brochures
- Case Studies
- Videos
Telemarketing
Aside from incentives and access to content, those who clicked on Xeikon’s pURL received a telemarketing call as well.
Using a call guide, the marketing team asked prospects a set of open-ended questions so they could capture specific information from them.
Once the calls were done, prospects’ contact information would be passed on to Xeikon’s sales team for additional follow-up.
What are the results of all the brand’s marketing efforts?
After 4 months since Xeikon exhibited in the trade show, it recorded:
- Over 1,000 prospects added on its mailing list
- A 14% response rate from its direct mail and email marketing efforts
- 140 news leads for its printing products
Do you see how participating in trade shows can help you and your brand connect with your target market?
Look at the results of Xeikon’s marketing efforts!
With the proper approach, follow-up, and offers of high-quality printing products, the company might just be one step closer towards closing a sale with their prospects.
There is value in exhibiting at trade shows within your brand’s industry as it gathers experts, enthusiasts, and media under one roof.
Aside from that, these events promote business, education, and fun at the same time.
There are even different marketing efforts that you can incorporate in your trade show exhibitions and campaign―direct mail, email marketing, telemarketing, etc.―so you can give your online presence a boost.
Don’t miss out on the potential business relationships and profits that you and your brand can make!
Consider exhibiting in trade shows at least once so you can gain more knowledge and experience.
Who knows? Just like Xeikon, it might also be a key to strengthening your brand’s presence (both online and offline) and forming strong relationships with other businesses.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Thursday: Find You Optimization!”
Why should you stop thinking SEO and start thinking FYO?
We’re not saying that you should abandon Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Don’t get us wrong, of course, we know this is something very important, especially in today’s digital marketing age.
The internet landscape is vast, and a world of its own. You really need to distinguish yourself and make your brand/company/website known and easily searchable.
Better yet, get to the top of page one for Top Results on Google or any other search engine.
However, what is the purpose of SEO? It’s that customers Find You!
That’s what matters. So, while SEO is one factor of FYO… it really is only one, and we ought not to abandon all the myriad of ways digitally and offline for improving your FYO.
How can we look at this from a different and better perspective?
Let’s say you have it in the bag! You and your team are experts in SEO. Awesome. But did you ever wonder what else you could do to push it further and give your SEO skills a boost?
FYO! Find You Optimization!
You need your target audience to FIND YOU—your brand, product, service, or offer. This is SEO plus other tools that increase visibility online (and offline).
Every Thursday, we publish content on how you can get your target market to find you, beyond the typical “type and search.” There are other things you can do along with your SEO to give your online advertising process a boost.
Try considering other tactics beyond it—WOMO (Word Of Mouth Optimization), RO (Referral Optimization), and “All-Other-Means-Of-Getting-Your-Target-Market-To-Find-You” Optimization (AOMOGYTMTFY, if you’d like a long acronym).
Part of a great marketing strategy is knowing how to adapt new methods and make use of different types of marketing and promotion that best fit your business goals and which give you the results you want.
Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Thursday’s FYO!
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
Powered by Valens Research
www.valens-research.com
