Your trade show strategy has to include social media. Chances are many of your customers are avid users of social media. If you plan carefully, you can increase your sales and traffic during your live event. A number of companies try to do event marketing by posting their products online, but more is needed than to just simply throw out some posts on social media. Following the steps below will make it much easier for you to make changes to the way that your company markets itself.

 

What Are Your Goals?

You need to have goals for the trade show. These goals should be attainable. For example, a trade show goal can be to keep count of how many people visit your booth. Another way to track your progress is to keep record of who received free giveaways so you can follow up with those individuals after the show. Your goals should not be centered around sales. The companies that are only trying to make money from the trade show will fail.

 

Check Event Hashtags

You must create hashtags on every social channel for your event so people can follow and receive updates. However, you cannot create hashtags that are specific to your business. The hashtags should be interesting and catchy so that people will take notice and share them with friends and family. Your hashtags might not be specific to your products or brand, but should be something that is memorable. It is very simple for you to make hashtags that range from the simple to the wild. The wildest hashtags tend to get the most attention.

 

Choose The Right Platform

The platform that you use for social media must be chosen with care. You could go so far as using all the social media platforms that are available, or you can strategically choose one. Whatever you do, be sure to have a plan. Facebook users are different from users on Twitter. The tone of the post should be fun, educational and should keep users waiting for your next post. You are wasting your time if you try to sell yourself in just one post. Create a social media post calendar. By doing this, you are able to plan and schedule out your post.

 

Give Employees Assignments

You must give all your employees assignments. Depending on your strategy, it will be smart to assign a social media channel to each employee. They become the voice of your company, and they can speak for your company through the channel. The goal is to post something that will go viral and draw more attention to your company through social media. However, be sure to give your employees post guidelines that they can follow so you can be sure that everyone has the same message. Review the Insights on all of your social accounts to check how well the posts are performing.

 

Publish Posts During The Event

You need to make special posts for the event, and you must remember that you can make these posts to highlight your appearance at the event. You could talk about the products that you have there, or you could talk about what giveaways your passing out at the event. You have to generate a buzz for your event and create interest so people will want to go. You must speak plainly to your customers, and you must remember that you can give them incentives for attending such as contests and prizes.

 

Educate Your Customers

You must educate your customers in the posts that you publish. They cannot come to your display if they don’t know anything about your your company or your brand. Social media can be used to introduce your target customer to the personality and the voice of your brand. Shoppers buy products from companies they can relate to. If you do this correctly, you will have trade show attendants in your booth ready to make a purchase or ready to make a deal.

 

Interact With Your Customers

You must interact with your customers through the social media channels you are using. This means that you are giving them a reason to love your company, and you are showing them that you actually care about what they are saying. Invite customers to “Like” and “Comment” on your page. You must be as interactive as possible. Potential customers will impressed that you wrote them back.

 

Evaluate Your Results After The Show Is Over

You must check your results after the close of the show. You track and record your results from the show so you can have realistic goals during your next live event. Evaluate the staff for tips that they think will make the trade show a better experience going forward for employees and trade show attendees alike. Most companies go to several trade shows a year, so it is important that take the time to review your progress.

 

The Takeaway

There are many companies who are using trade shows as a way to increase profit from their products. Integrating social media into your trade show strategy will not only increase your profit, but it will make shoppers more aware of your brand. Social media is the best type of marketing for a company when used correctly.