Exhibitor Best Practices

Social Media Messaging

Promote your booth number and any new products and services you are showcasing. Streamline your exhibitor experience by scheduling all your posts for the duration of the event ahead of time. This will ultimately free up time that can be otherwise used to personally engage customers. You and your booth staff may not have the time or manpower to constantly be thinking about social media, so planning ahead is essential.

Download easy-to-use, free software such as Hootsuite, or Buffer to schedule social media posts in a simple, straightforward interface.

Facebook and Twitter

• Get involved with the event on social media! Visit the event and host pages below, follow them, and join the conversation to increase your visibility.
• Use the event hashtag in tweets about your products, freebies, demo schedules, and more to connect with your followers and let them know what to expect when they see you there.
• Give your readers an incentivized message, such as a reason why they should make a stop at your booth.
• Don't forget to retweet and repost relevant content or updates from AFCEA, show management, or other industry thought leaders.

LinkedIn

Linkedin serves as a strong platform for professional networks. Search for groups within your industry who may be interested in your product lineup. Joining specialized groups may give your organization improved visibility.

Email Messaging

Consider sending targeted emails to your customers and prospects highlighting your participation at the conference and invite them to stop by.

Don't forget to specify your target audience in your email messaging. Address your prospects based on if they are loyal supporters, potential customers, industry leaders, etc.

Set up appointments:

• Contact local prospects to inform them you’ll be in the area.
• See if they will be attending the show, and aim to set up an appointment for them to stop by and speak with you.
• If you aren’t sure of local prospects, conduct research to find ideal customers and let them know when you’ll be at the show, and what you’ll be exhibiting.

Pay attention to your subject lines. Make sure they are eye-catching and are TechNet Augusta branded.

Make sure your email messaging is timely. Get the word out well in advance of the conference so your customers and prospects can plan ahead. Additionally, send them a reminder before the event starts to keep your participation relevant.

After the Conference

Continue using social media to maintain a strong presence in attendees' heads. Following up online can leave a lasting impression on prospects for the future. Having a sense of continuity after the event can strengthen your brand and grow your online following.

Remember to monitor what customers and prospects are saying about you every day so that you may answer questions, make amends to product/service problems, and see how you can improve for next year’s event!

Create Unique Landing Pages

Generate widespread awareness of your brand’s presence by promoting your exhibit at TechNet Augusta on a landing page dedicated to your participation at the conference.

Make sure to keep your landing page updated with your company's products and newest solutions, especially those that will be featured in your booth.

Landing pages should include:

• Visible links to your social media
• A basic profile or mission statement of your organization
• Basic event details (i.e. dates, location, etc.).

Don't forget to link to your dedicated landing page from your social media posts and advertisements to maximize outreach to your followers!

Enhanced Exhibitor Listing

According to the Trade Show News Network, about 70% of show attendees assemble lists of who they intend on seeing before the event. Build and expand your brand awareness to maximize your visibility with event attendees before your customers even walk into the exhibit hall.

Highlight Participation

In your newsletters, create an event feature or preview by linking to your site’s landing page, or the event page itself. This is an effective way to direct your regular subscribers’ attention to the event.

Include information about your exhibit in press releases and trade publications so media outlets are able to feature or highlight your participation at TechNet Augusta.

Write a press release:

• Provide more information about your involvement in the show.
• Be sure to include your company name as well as the event name and year in the title to increase your visibility.
• Ensure your call to action is compelling, while still being clear and concise.
• Take advantage of your social media and promote your press release for more widespread distribution.

Convince attendees to join you at the event with a blog post. This will help make the event seem more appealing and interesting if you reflect your organization’s excitement in a blog.

Get Your Booth Ready

Event attendees have a lot of booths to visit, so create an inviting booth that reflects the culture and vibe of your organization. Consider ways to make your booth appealing, such as attention-grabbing copy that is concise and easily interpreted. Create digital graphics or banners that convey a central theme or idea which embodies your organization. Overall, don't be afraid to invest in your booth design. Putting effort into your booth's design and concept can make a lasting impression on potential customers.

Take advantage of empty space; try not to clutter your displays with unnecessary information; make a bigger statement by keeping the focus on your central product or idea.

Create a checklist to make sure your booth shipment is complete and everything arrives on time!

Staff Your Booth

Send members of your organization who are engaging and knowledgeable about your company’s products and solutions. Consider compiling an employee packet that includes a:

• Floor Plan
• List of noteworthy conference sessions and events
• Verified Attendee Report from last year’s show
• List of potential questions that attendees may ask you about your company

When dressing for the event, adhere to the conference dress code, but maintain a sense of uniformity to communicate your brand.

Supplement your employee packet with a training session designed to outline your company’s conference goals. Spend time focusing on how to engage a prospect in a short amount of time. An elaborately designed booth may be visually impressive, but it is just as important to have personable staff that's knowledgeable about every aspect of your organization.

Capture Leads - GRIP

• Connections and meeting between exhibitors and attendee happened through the GRIP TEAMS application at TechNet Augusta.
• This lead-capturing technology is offered through the free GRIP TEAMS application
• Gather your new connections and drop them into a marketing campaign post-conference to ensure they are reminded of the positive experience they had with your brand.
• Don't forget to follow up with the connections made through GRIP