ExhibitCraft Open House & Product Launch Welcome Truss Backwall With Lighting
Imagine your company has a big event coming up that will showcase all of its top-of-the-line merchandise, effectively a mini-trade show. Tons of effort has been put in, but will the turnout be worth it? To ensure your event is a big hit, and to make all of your hard work worthwhile, pre-event promotion is essential. You may be wondering, "But what steps can I take to promote my event as widely as possible?"
A Leader In Trade Show Technologies
ExhibitCraft is an award-winning company that produces customized trade show exhibit displays. The company hosted an open house at its Wayne, NJ headquarters to launch its newest product line, TigerLite a trade show exhibit product that is easy "...to put together, and get a high-level presentation at the same time."
Leverage Existing Relationships
ExhibitCraft began their promotional efforts by sharing the event’s date, time and location on their company’s blog. They did this well in advance of the event to build awareness for potential attendees even though they did not expect anyone to register at this point in time.
Blog Posts + Email Marketing
After the initial announcement of the event, ExhibitCraft updated blog posts with updates about their event, including posts that allowed attendees to register in advance. The blog posts were then supplemented with email marketing using the company's mailing list and included information like the guest speaker, the title of the seminar, and short videos. Each of these items was designed to generate more awareness of the event and convey the benefits of attending.
Blog Posts + Email Marketing
After the initial announcement of the event, ExhibitCraft updated blog posts with updates about their event, including posts that allowed attendees to register in advance. The blog posts were then supplemented with email marketing using the company's mailing list and included information like the guest speaker, the title of the seminar, and short videos. Each of these items was designed to generate more awareness of the event and convey the benefits of attending.
Event Promotion via Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn
Social media is an excellent promotional tool for your event. It is a fast and cost-effective way to spread awareness and build anticipation among your target audience.
Facebook Fan Page Event Facebook Fan Page & Events
ExhibitCraft leveraged their existing Facebook Fans by creating a Facebook event. They then actively promoted this event to their Fans by posting about the event and discussing the event. Not only did this build awareness but also helped spread the word by allowing potential attendees to share the Open House event with their friends. Each time someone shared that they were attending, the event was reposted to their Fan's Facebook Timeline causing even more people to see the event and join.
ExhibitCraft leveraged their existing Facebook Fans by creating a Facebook event. They then actively promoted this event to their Fans by posting about the event and discussing the event. Not only did this build awareness but also helped spread the word by allowing potential attendees to share the Open House event with their friends. Each time someone shared that they were attending, the event was reposted to their Fan's Facebook Timeline causing even more people to see the event and join.
Example Tweet Promoting Event Promoting via Twitter
ExhibitCraft utilized hashtags like #Tradeshow that their potential audience follows to help increase the potential audience beyond the almost 96,000 Twitter followers they already have. The use of hashtags in their tweets helped to build awareness about their event. Consistently promoting their event via twitter also allowed their Twitter followers to re-tweet their messages to their followers’ followers, further expanding their reach.
ExhibitCraft utilized hashtags like #Tradeshow that their potential audience follows to help increase the potential audience beyond the almost 96,000 Twitter followers they already have. The use of hashtags in their tweets helped to build awareness about their event. Consistently promoting their event via twitter also allowed their Twitter followers to re-tweet their messages to their followers’ followers, further expanding their reach.
LinkedIn Post Promoting Event LinkedIn Company Page Promotions
ExhibitCraft also used LinkedIn to promote their event by posting and sharing on the network. Once ExhibitCraft created a post about their event on LinkedIn this allowed users to like the post providing some additional promotional opportunities to create awareness about registration. In addition to the post about their event on LinkedIn, the company’s registration platform Constant Contact allowed attendees to share their reservation with their contacts on LinkedIn.
ExhibitCraft also used LinkedIn to promote their event by posting and sharing on the network. Once ExhibitCraft created a post about their event on LinkedIn this allowed users to like the post providing some additional promotional opportunities to create awareness about registration. In addition to the post about their event on LinkedIn, the company’s registration platform Constant Contact allowed attendees to share their reservation with their contacts on LinkedIn.
Additional Benefits of Social Media Promotion
Event pages on social media also function as an alternate means of customer service and interaction between potential attendees and the company. These communication mediums can not only help further publicize the event, but also answer FAQs potential attendees may have.
Event pages on social media also function as an alternate means of customer service and interaction between potential attendees and the company. These communication mediums can not only help further publicize the event, but also answer FAQs potential attendees may have.
Promotional Online Videos
Videos engage the senses differently than flat, static content. Videos also give the viewer a more concrete understanding of why they should attend. Due to online video’s ability to effectively communicate with its targeted audience ExhibitCraft utilized video to promote it’s event in a number of ways including a special invitation from the Company’s CEO and free promotional YouTube video explaining why potential attendees should come to the event.
50% More Attendees Than Originally Expected
By leveraging its existing audience through the company blog, email marketing, social media and online video, ExhibitCraft helped catapult their event to success. “We had 50% more attendees than we expected,” says ExhibitCraft Marketing Manager Vickie Siculiano. “Due to a combination of higher turnout, an excellent presentation by our CEO and new product demonstrations, we generated leads and revenue from the TigerLite product launch event!”
Should you follow ExhibitCraft’s example, your company’s next event will be well on its way to a stellar turnout and being a phenomenal success!
Should you follow ExhibitCraft’s example, your company’s next event will be well on its way to a stellar turnout and being a phenomenal success!
Tell Us In The Comments Below...
What Are Your Top Tips To Ensure A Successful Event?
What Are Your Top Tips To Ensure A Successful Event?
P.S. Click here to get a free promotional YouTube video just like the video ExhibitCraft used to promote their successful event!
