Pre-show Marketing

Throughout my career, I've consulted for several companies who really need to get a handle on their trade show and conference planning strategies. In a down economy, many companies are searching for more effective ways to get in on the tradeshow experience as a way to meet and influence potential buyers and further develop existing customer relationships. In recent years, however, conference organizers have made it more difficult to participate without investing in a booth presence.

For the small business owner, a booth can be a very costly investment. And unless that investment is integrated as part of a holistic tradeshow strategy -- including pre-show marketing, prospect engagement, one-on-one meetings, press activites, post-show follow-up, etc. -- it's simply not a worthwhile investment.

- What have you seen work effectively on the tradeshow floor in these leaner economic times?
- Is your company being impacted by marketing expense reductions that are making it hard to participate in your industry's conferences and tradeshows?
- Apart from having a booth, what else has enabled you to leverage your tradeshow investments?

I would like to get a discussion going to discuss the pros/cons, what's working, what's not, etc.

Cheers,

Keith Briscoe
Brisk Marketing, Toronto