Trade Show Strategies for Retailers

Six years ago, I took over marketing at a company that went to 40 trade shows per year, and I cut that to 4. When I joined CoLab to lead marketing, we had zero conferences planned. I booked 2 the first year, and increased it to 6 the following year. What happened? Did my opinion on trade shows do a 180? Nope - the black and white pro - trade show vs. anti - trade show narrative is just an oversimplification. Most companies can go to at least a couple shows per year and get a positive ROI. Problem is - most companies are going to way more than a couple of shows per year and they have no idea which ones produce a positive ROI. You actually need a decent amount of rigor and discipline to figure this out. If you scale your conference spend too fast, you'll skip important retrospectives. It's easy to end up in the first scenario I described, where I had to cut trade shows by 90% in a year. Here's what you should do instead: 1) Start with a manageable number of conferences (no more than 1-2 per quarter, unless you have someone working on it full time) 2) Define success criteria going in: - You should have a qualified pipeline target - You should have tight definitions for what constitutes qualified pipeline, in the context of a conference - If you want to measure success based on other things (like establishing partnerships, moving in pipeline opps forward, etc.), figure those things out ahead of time too 3) After each show, do a retro and understand whether you achieved or missed your success criteria 4) If you missed, figure out why: - Is it a bad show for you? (e.g. not enough good fit ICP attendees) - Or could you make something of it, with some tweaks to your own execution? If it's the latter, you can go back again next year and test the new approach. Just like your email list, your trade show portfolio is something you should be constantly managing and "pruning" Most companies don't apply this level of rigor, which is why most trade show + conference programs are really, really wasteful. #b2bmarketing

The most exciting project I worked on in 2023 was boosting registrations for an event. Here is what we did: Context: 5 weeks before the event. Message We benchmarked the event against the competition. We diversified the message, in this case, to move from education to networking and entertainment. Early bird canning This event overdid early birds. Our recommendation was to start marketing price increases instead of price reductions. Inverse psychology that, while stimulating FOMO, contributes to the overall perception of the event. Destination Leverage The destination was under-leveraged. We crafted email and social messages to showcase what the destination offered to stimulate last-minute sign-ups. Reg Software In most cases, reg is not optimized. Making sure every single option to sell better is turned on is paramount. We set up remarketing pixels and group codes. Social We coordinated a campaign to get the whole team to share the event on LinkedIn to boost last-minute peer pressure. LinkedIn is often ignored and it has a major impact on last minute conversions. Ambassador tech We recommended using referral platforms such as InGo, Snoball, or GleanIn. These platforms can be very different in their impact, and some integrate better with specific software. We projected a 30% increase in reg based on a proper implementation. Cart abandonment We found hundreds of abandoned carts and created a sales and email strategy to reach this audience. Understanding why they are not committing or proposing a discount code does wonders. Sources We optimized higher sources of conversions. In this case, email. We devised an email campaign with different levers to pull (community, team discount opportunity, destination showcase). This was key to diversifying the message. We turned this around in two weeks. Objective: achieved. Steal these tactics for your event.

is the traditional B2B roadshow dead? no, but it needs life support. over the past decade, I've watched companies pour millions into events with diminishing returns. the problem isn't face-to-face connection. it's using yesterday's playbook in today's multi-channel world. the highest-performing B2B companies follow this three-phase framework: before: build momentum through strategic targeting and multi-channel outreach before anyone walks through the door. during: create experiences that extend far beyond the physical venue through hybrid design and real-time content. after: convert momentum into revenue with sophisticated follow-up systems that actually drive pipeline. our clients implementing this approach have transformed their results. with one single campaign: ↳ pilot generated 100+ high-quality leads and saw 132% LinkedIn engagement surge ↳ elation lighting achieved 500% increase in impressions and won a prestigious industry award all in one trade show ↳ aeroflow healthcare achieved 47% higher acquisition at 34% lower cost bottom line: the companies gaining market share are treating roadshows as integrated campaigns rather than isolated moments. remember: face-to-face still matters, but only when it's part of a seamless journey that matches how today's B2B buyers actually make decisions. #b2bmarketing #b2bpr #gtm #eventmarketing #roadshow #cmoinsights

According to Bain & Company, people were willing to pay a +12% premium for sustainability-marketed products in 2023. For years, not implementing sustainable solutions into events have been cited with concerns around cost, which is hurting the industry's ability to innovate and frankly, are not entirely accurate. ➡️ if events choose plant-based menus over beef, costs are cut significantly. ➡️ if events cut down on unnecessary design elements + consumption, costs are cut significantly. ➡️ if the event is hosted locally and/or virtually, costs can be cut in various ways. to name a few. And...any of the above can enable budget for services such as composting, which, in 2024, should be standard operating procedure for venues + caterers, anyway. Next, do compostable disposables cost more than plastic? yes, and... 🛑 compostable disposables live in landfill for 200+ years if not properly industrially composted. 🛑 plastic lives in landfill for 400+ years, if not recycled properly (black plastic is unable to be recycled, ever, at this current juncture). One solution? use extra budget freed up from your plant-based menus and limited consumption to incorporate real equipment (china, flatware, glassware, etc.) and staff to support the washing of these elements, instead. How to make a case that the 12% premium go to your event budget? Paint the long term picture of increased employee retention, better attendee engagement, brand reputation and positive event associations aligned with consciously prioritizing sustainability to your client, boss, agency, etc. Even for those still only analyzing outcomes through the lens of revenue, these are all the historic signifiers of long term success, not short term gains. Prioritizing longevity requires sustainable innovation; whatever business or position you are in. #eventsofpurpose #sustainableeventstrategy

Over the years, I've developed strategies to turn the overwhelming influx of information from events into actionable steps for business success. If there’s one piece of advice I always hold true, it’s this: To make an event successful, boil down all your action items to three key things and understand how you're going to measure their success. Trade shows are perfect for gaining new insights, networking, and generating ideas. However, the sheer volume of information can be paralyzing. You'll encounter countless sessions and speakers filling you with knowledge and inspiration. But the reality is—you won't be able to remember everything shared. Before attending, take the time to understand the current challenges your business faces. Review the agenda, research the speakers, and consider reaching out to them. Knowing your business’s pain points will help you filter the vast amount of information you receive and identify what’s immediately applicable. During the event, develop a system to categorize the information: 1️⃣ Immediate Action Items - Things you need to implement immediately. 2️⃣ Future Reference Material - Information not relevant today but might be useful later. 3️⃣ Less Relevant Data - Content that doesn't apply to your business. After each session, highlight or underline the key takeaway. Annotate these notes with your thoughts and potential action items. At the end of the day, or before attending social events, rank these action items based on: 📌 Level of Effort (LoE): How hard it is to implement. 📌 Return on Investment (RoI): The potential benefit it could bring. Visualize your action items in a quadrant setup. By placing your action items in this context, you can make informed decisions about where to invest your time and resources. 📌 Low Effort, Low Return 📌 Low Effort, High Return 📌 High Effort, Low Return 📌 High Effort, High Return The goal is to walk away with three focused action items—your “action list.” These should be tasks that will significantly impact your business and are manageable. Knowing these will prevent you from being distracted by the remaining 90% of content that doesn’t align with your immediate goals. Happy Networking! #AmazonAccelerate #AmazonAds #Amazon

“Customer Fill In” – A Truly Terrific Demo Tip!   I was watching demos that highlighted vendors’ customer-facing intake forms/portals and noted some poor practices. Each vendor claimed that end-customers “can complete the process in five minutes or less,” but:   -       They turned the 5-minute workflow into 15-30 minutes…! -       They used obviously fake demo data. -       They covered many options, often exhaustively! -       It was obvious that the demonstrators had presented the same demo pathway dozens of times (it sounded like the presenters were boring THEMSELVES!). -       The prospects were largely silent through the entire demos. -       And the vendors NEVER asked prospects to provide input into the workflows…   This last item really struck me as a MAJOR error! Our objective is to turn demos into CONVERSATIONS.   Here’s a truly terrific tip for these situations: Invite your prospect to be the end-customer and fill in the form!   Let’s say your software offers an intake portal for consumers who want a loan. You say to your prospect, “OK, let’s have YOU play the part of your customer. YOU tell me what to enter on each screen…”   Advantages?   -       You and your prospect COMPLETE the intake form in five minutes (proving your original claim). -       Your prospect gains a first-hand vision of how the process works. -       Your prospect THINKS about the options and asks relevant questions. -       And your prospect is fully engaged throughout the process!   This approach is called “Customer Fill In.”   Any time there is an option to choose from (and you don’t care about the choice), invite your PROSPECT to make the choice. They’ll be engaged, taking ownership of the process and the result. Delightful!   https://lnkd.in/gNBs5GTb

Stop Boring Prospects with Feature Demos Want prospects tuning out during demos? Keep focusing on features vs. value. Here's how to excite them instead: 1. Ask about their pain points. Don't assume you know their goals. 2. Show how you solve those pains. Explain how step-by-step you address their issues. 3. Use real examples. "Company X increased sales by 15% in 6 months with our platform." 4. Demo only relevant parts. Don't distract with nice-to-haves. 5. Quantify the impact. "You'll reduce customer churn by 10% with this feature." Example: "Your sales team spends 5 hours/week manually entering data. Our integration with your CRM cuts that to 30 min - giving them more selling time and increasing productivity 20%." Want prospects to close? Make your demos about them, not you. What's your best tip for value-focused demos? Share below!

Here’s a mistake I see a lot of companies make before a trade show.  They try to be everything to everyone. They walk into a show with a generic elevator pitch.  They hope people will just “get” what they do.  They use broad language to sound more flexible.  And then they wonder why no one remembers them. Let me tell you what works instead.  Pick one clear ICP for that show.  One message.  One problem you solve that matters most to that audience. If your ideal client at this event is operations leaders at mid-market manufacturers,  everything you say should speak directly to what keeps them up at night.  If your target is packaging decision-makers, your talk track should make them feel like you’ve been sitting in on their team meetings. The goal is not to prove you can help anyone.  It’s to become unforgettable to the right ones. You want someone to leave your booth and say,  “That’s the team that gets us. That’s who we need to talk to.” Not,  “What did they do again?” This is how you move from being seen… to being remembered.  From talking… to converting. Start with your ICP.  Then shape your message.  Then train your team to deliver it with clarity and confidence. That’s how you make a trade show worth it. If your team is prepping for a fall show and the messaging still feels fuzzy, this is something I help sales leaders tighten.    Getting crystal clear on who you’re speaking to and what you’re saying can change everything. 

Most brands bring sample cups to trade shows. But they don’t bring product people can actually take home. One bite on the floor is fine. But it’s the full bag someone eats later, or shares with their kid, that turns into a sale. We always bring extra. Because what gets remembered is what gets shared. And that’s what leads to follow-ups that actually go somewhere. The brands guarding inventory like it’s gold are missing the whole point. You're not just sampling. You're seeding future customers.

It's tradeshow season and there's nothing I hate more than swag. Here's an idea to turn wasteful swag $$'s into actual leads. Swag is a pain in the ass for both the company and the people who walk away with worthless branded tchotchkes and XXL t-shirts because that's all that was left. Oh and you probably forgot to scan their badge to follow up. So here's the idea. Instead of having a ton of inventory that you have to ship everywhere and then pack up. Put all your swag on your website as an ecommerce store. You can use Woocommerce or Shopify and a 3rd party printer like Printify. These 3rd party printers are great and have a ton of high quality products you can brand. Go crazy, create all types of swag. There is no inventory costs. Then at the tradeshow put a QR code on a custom water bottle or business card and instruct your team to direct the prospect to your store. The Prospect can select one item of their choosing and use the coupon code (the sales persons name) at check out. No swag to carry, ships directly to customer/prospect so they don't have to take anything home. The prospect will get something more valuable. You get all of the prospects contact info with a legit reason to follow up. What other tradeshow hacks do you have?