How to Go Digital with Trade Show Marketing for Better Lead Generation

Published: 5.4.22

After two long years away, many businesses are seeing a return to in-person — or hybrid — trade shows this year. As trade shows continue to pick up, Br8kthru is sharing how to incorporate digital marketing lead generation strategies into the planning and execution of trade shows to increase the return on investment.

Pre-Event Trade Show Marketing Activities to Boost Attendance

Before the event, your trade show marketing strategies should focus on online engagement and re-engagement with your existing audience and interested audiences to build awareness, generate interest, and convert registrations. Here are five ways to engage your audience pre-trade show:

1. Analyze Existing Assets — Review what content was created for previous iterations of this event, and see if you can recycle it. Repurposing and optimizing content can lead to better results with a lower investment of time.

2. Create a Compelling Landing Page — A compelling landing page can host information on your event, drive registrations, and encourage customers and clients to connect with you at the event. Other marketing tactics like email and paid ads will also lead back to this landing page, making it a worthwhile investment of your time.

3. Consider Changing Your UX — Once you have a landing page, consider changing your top navigation or homepage to highlight the event. While not required, featuring your trade show more prominently can drive engagement.

4. Email Existing Audience to Build Awareness — Invite your audience! Send an email announcing the trade show, sharing details, and encouraging your existing audience to come. This will be especially fruitful if you can send targeted emails to different segments of your audience based on their interests or previous attendance at similar events.

4a. Send a Follow-Up Email to Engaged Audiences — Send an email to the people who engaged with emails but didn’t register to remind them of the event, encourage them to register, and potentially even offer an incentive, like a discounted registration, to attend. 

5. Run Paid Ads to Generate Interest — Run paid ads on social media to share your event with potential attendees based on interest, expertise, geography, and specific targeting factors. This can help you reach people who aren’t necessarily in your audience, but for whom the information will be relevant.

5a. Consider Using a Brand Hashtag — Having regular participation with a specific hashtag for an event makes it easier for attendees to track what’s happening, follow along, and connect with one another — and your company.

5b. Send a Follow-Up Email to Engaged Audience — Send an email to the people who engaged with your paid ads but haven’t registered to remind them of the event, encourage them to register, and potentially even offer an incentive, like a discounted registration, to attend.

During Event Tactics to Engage Audiences

At your trade show, you can continue to use digital marketing tactics to engage with attendees and your audience.

1. Participate In and Monitor Organic Social — During your event, pivot your strategy to engage with attendees in-person and online and begin to nurture your relationship with them. That way, when the event is over, they remember your company and may return to you for future events or business. If you started using a branded hashtag for the event earlier, continue using it in organic social media now.

Post-Event Trade Show Marketing Strategies to Increase Leads

Ongoing digital marketing efforts after a trade show is complete is important to continue nurturing the leads gained prior to and during the event. Nurturing contacts produces more successful outcomes, like better lead generation, increased conversion, and ultimately higher revenue generation. Consider these activities following a trade show:

1. Edit Your Landing Page — After your event, transition your compelling landing page into a post-event landing page. Thank attendees, share resources, and begin to set the stage for future events or next year’s trade show. Include a sign-up for people who are interested in future events, to capture more leads for when the digital marketing cycle repeats.

2. Send a Thank You Email to Attendees — Take the time to thank the folks who registered and attended the event. A little gratitude can go a long way in setting  your company apart from others and making you memorable.

3. Create and Run an Email Drip Campaign — Maintain contact with attendees and interested parties through an ongoing drip email campaign. By continuing to share information with them in a strategic way, you’re more likely to increase conversions in the future.

Improve Outcomes for In-Person Trade Shows with Digital Marketing

Throughout your trade show marketing, continue to test new strategies, messaging, and ideas. Your basic strategy is set, but there is always room for improvement. Testing and incorporating digital marketing lead generation strategies into your trade show marketing can elevate your trade show from good to great, improve attendance, and even generate more revenue.

Working to incorporate digital tactics into trade show marketing is the best way for many companies to set up a successful marketing funnel and generate leads.

See how Br8kthru worked with a global paint and coating manufacturing company to improve their pre- and post-event digital marketing lead generation strategies. This work led to an 185% increase in sample orders and sales-qualified leads — plus the generation of $5 million in new revenue, among other benefits.