Trade fairs and exhibitions are going from strength to strength as more people realize the importance of connecting with their target market. It may seem a little like swimming against the tide, but hey, that sort of behaviour always gets you noticed. In the crowded online marketplace, capturing the attention of consumers is getting harder, with big budget marketing campaigns needed to get eyes turned your way. Why not make life easier for yourself by engaging directly with people interested in what you are selling? Attend a trade fair.
Exhibitions and trade fairs are where you can shine and show your best to the world. Without a shop window on the high street, the trade show becomes your place to sell directly to clients. Investing in a professional expo stand or booth that clearly reflects your brand message and is enticing and welcoming, will give you an edge against your competitors. Expert guidance from firms such as RAL Display who specialize in creating clear and professional expo signs, banners, re-usable stands etc. will make sure you achieve a slick and successful presentation. RAL Display are veterans of the expo scene and have a deep knowledge of visuals that work in getting traffic to your booth.
The expo visit used to be a date in the diary that stood alone. Today, with the support of online marketing you can prime your clients before their visit with product info in the form of online brochures or promo films, initiate a dialogue, secure appointments on the stand – and afterwards, you can follow up just as tenaciously with online communications as well as other direct communications.
Letterbox Love
Because most people rely on email marketing these days, the power of the physical letter, arriving through your letterbox is not to be under-estimated. Whether it takes the form of a company news letter, a menu for a local restaurant or a glossy brochure about a new product or service, when placed directly into the hands of a prospective client, it is far more likely to be read. It can’t be deleted in a nano second like an email, so has more time and opportunity to spread its message. Research suggests that a typical customer take up rate from direct mail is 4.5 per cent – comparable with email marketing in terms of cost. However, with direct mail marketing, business relationships are said to be more enduring with repeat business more likely. Compliment a direct mail strategy with Twitter, Facebook and website information so that interested parties can discover more about you. Including incentives such as discount voucher codes on your website is a temptation proven to work. Combining old methods with high tech promotion is the best way of achieving fully joined-up marketing coverage that encompasses on and offline areas.
So, the answer to the original question: ‘Has marketing moved online permanently?’ Is a resounding ‘No.’
Like everybody else in the world, it’s adjusting, evolving and adapting to the fresh challenges and opportunities the digital world represents…