Now that you have signed up for a booth, take the next step to get noticed by marketing and promoting your participation. Below is a list of marketing opportunities for YOU to perform in order to secure the largest possible attendance — and gain the most value out of your investment.

Some of these ideas may seem pretty basic, but by creating a trade show strategy and following an integrated show promotion plan, you can generate tremendous ROI by securing a wealth of new business leads.   
 

E-COMMUNICATIONS

• Exhibitor Invites – Show Management is proud to offer you a great, traffic-building opportunity at NO cost to you! Through the Exhibitor Invites™ email marketing tool, you can send nicely-designed html email campaigns to all of your customers and prospects offering them special offers. Available early summer 2012. 
• Buyer Invitation – Request a customized buyer invitation from Show Management that includes your company name booth number. Ask your staff, strategic partners, distributors and international agents to distribute the PDF to clients and prospects. Contact Darrin Catyon at 972.536.6308.
• E-blast – Send an e-blast to your customers and prospects that contain your booth number, floor plan link, products and services you will be showing, and/or any show specials or new product announcements.
• Email signature – Add your booth number under your email signature with a link to the registration page.
• E-blast contests – Send an email that contains an offer for a contest that awards the winners with various prizes – gift card, iPad, discount on your product, etc.
• Brochure – Email a link to the show brochure to your customers and prospects.
• Faxes – If you use fax cover sheets, add a blurb about your booth and booth number. 
    

WEBSITE

• Website page – Create a special page on your website dedicated to your booth at the show. Include where your booth is located on the floor plan, products and services you will be showing, any show specials or new product announcements you will be making at the show. If you are presenting a workshop, clinic or demo, include the title, date, time, description and benefits.
• Web Banner – Place a FREE web banner on YOUR website. Also add to your LinkedIn and Facebook profile pages.  
• 'We Support the Show that Supports the Industry' Seal – Place the offical exhibitor seal on YOUR website. Also add to your LinkedIn and Facebook profile pages.  Click to download an exhibitor seal. 

• Advertisement –     Purchase an ad in a trade publication that promotes your booth and link to registration
• Show Program Ad –  Purchase an ad in the Show Program that promotes your booth.      

DIRECT MAIL

• VIP invitation – Send a personal invitation to your customers and prospects about your booth. Keep it brief, but include your booth number and it would benefit them to come see you.
• Postcard – Create a postcard to mail to your customers and prospects about your booth.
• Envelopes – Print or stamp a message about your booth on your company envelopes.
• Invoices – Include booth number and information in communications you are already sending, such as invoices to customers.

• Facebook – Add numerous status updates on your company’s Facebook page promoting your booth. Engage your followers with info about your booth by posting on the PSP Facebook page. www.facebook.com/CARSevent
• Twitter – Promote your booth by making numerous tweets on your company’s Twitter page using the #CARS_Event hashtag. www.twitter.com/CARS_Event
• LinkedIn – Add a discussion on the CARS group page that promotes your booth. 
• Blog – Start a blog for your company and write about exhibiting at the show.  

• Press Release – Write a press release about exhibiting at the show and distribute to the ASRW media [list available upon request to Shelby Hausler at 972.536.6318.
• Press Conference – Introduce your company's products to the industry media in person by holding a press conference at the show; offer editors exclusive interviews with your company’s top executives. Contact Shelby Hausler at 972.536.6318
• Press Kit – Create an electronic press kit that includes company information, product photos, press releases or marketing collateral; upload to your website. Also, drop off hard copies of the press kit on-site at the ASRW Media Center, located in the lobby of the Orange County Convention Center.
• Press Clips – Monitor the trade media to see if your company got any press; if so, email the articles to your customers and prospects.   
     

• Special Events – Generate on-site buzz by hosting a special event at the show.    

• Hold Message – Mention exhibiting at the show and your booth number in your telephone on-hold message.
• Phone calls – Call your best clients and prospects to personally invite them to the show and your booth.

• CONNECT – Use your complimentary message credits to send a message to attendees through the CONNECT Network program. Additional message credits are available for purchase if needed.
• Online Product Preview [Booth Profile] – Post a blurb in the “Online Product Preview” section of your Booth Profile with your company name, booth number, product description and web address.
• Show Specials [Booth Profile] – Post a blurb in the “Show Specials” section of your Booth Profile with your company name, booth number, product description and web address.
• Press Release [Booth Profile] – Post a blurb in the “Press Release” section of your Booth Profile your company name, booth number, product description and web address.

• Coupon – Provide attendees a coupon that can be turned in at your booth for a free gift/promotional giveaway. Consider providing a premium gift targeted to your best customers or best potential prospects.
• Discounts – For those who attend the show, provide special show pricing that will not be available at your business the following week.
• Lead Retrieval – Send all the attendees who stopped by your booth an email AND a letter after the show to thank them for attending.