Building product manufacturers make large investments – both in dollars and human resources – to support annual trade show needs. Every few years, a capital investment is approved for the latest booth upgrade. And annually, manufacturers reserve their booth space for a number of shows, commit a number of marketing and sales resources to “work” the booth, and implement plans to “make a difference” at the show by featuring the right products and giveaways, all to hopefully generate qualified marketing leads.

But a smart trade show strategy doesn’t just focus on the activity at the booth. Rather, it includes a pre-show marketing effort to encourage qualified booth traffic, a strong engagement strategy to educate and engage during the event, and an effective post-show follow-up plan.

At LarsonO’Brien, we look at the entire trade show experience to develop strong and effective marketing strategies that build greater traffic and deliver more qualified leads. These include:

• Booth audits of our client’s presence as well as the competition
• The use of interactive and engaging experiences at the booth – using emerging technology and other means to create impact
• A complete pre-show, targeted strategy to raise interest and commitment with qualified prospects
• A metrics methodology applied throughout the experience to track performance and set benchmarks for future events
• A post-show follow-up plan to keep interest alive and stay relevant