Apple Rock's Weblog

Using social media in the trade show industry is a great way to update prospects, who cannot attend shows, on what you have to offer. Social media can be used to interact with individuals by posting photos, or even chatting back and forth. Prospects are able to stay involved and see what your company has going on. Social media marketing can be very beneficial to companies if you know how to use them correctly. Many individuals may not have the time or money to personally come to events or a show, which makes social media is a great solution.

Facebook is a fairly new phenomenon that has over 100 million users who spend hours each day searching profiles, groups, and applications. Facebook is fast growing and shows no signs of slowing down. Users spend a lot of personal time messing around on Facebook, and somewhere within these users are business contacts. Yes…professionals mess around on Facebook too. This gives you the opportunity to connect with them on a personal level, by getting to know what their interests are. Another perk to using Facebook is that your profile is not only searchable within the Facebook network, but also within search engines, such as Google. Popping up on a Google search increases your profiles accessibility. If your company stays active on their account others will be able to see your recent activity and then click to view it. Facebook has live news feeds that appear on every user’s account, if you are “friends” with that user they will be able to see every move you make and then click on it to see what you have updated. You can post photos of your booth, or links to other sites on your Facebook page and they will pop up on a live news feed for other to see. Another advantage to this network is that you are actually able to buy advertising space that is placed on the side of each user’s Facebook page. These advertisements are targeted specifically to those individuals who may be interested in your trade show ad. This is a huge advantage because people willingly put their interests, activites, job description, etc. out for everyone to view, and advertisements are specifically targeted according to this information. So, if someone works in the trade show industry, or expresses their interest in the industry, your advertisement will pop up on their page.

Twitter is a way to “follow” fellow tweetee’s. Twitter does seem a bit stalkeresque since you do keep up with where, when, and what other people are doing. But, your company can actually benefit from this stalker method of social media, especially in the trade show industry. Individuals may not have the time or patience to go and look up a calendar or list of events, so twitter is a quick and easy solution because you are feeding them your list of events rather than them searching for it. You can instantaneously update any changes that have been made pertaining to your show. Your company can also invite people to link to your ongoing news. Regular tweeting (posting updates) leading up to an event creates a call to action. Updating how you are preparing for you trade show, where you are, how soon it is, all these factors add up to get people hyped about the show. You can share updates on the turnout of your event afterwards and begin sharing when your next event will be. If you stay active and update on all events you become approachable. This conveys to the prospect that you are willing and open for any questions and/or discussions they might have. Posting updates means you want to communicate important information about what you’re doing at your trade show and where you will be so that others can join you. Twitter puts a positive spin on your approachability.

Linkedin has over 12 million users and is networking geared towards business. So you don’t have to feel like you are raining on the social networking parade. This is what people go to Linkedin for, is to stay informed about your contacts and industry, and to find the people/knowledge you need to achieve business goals. On Linkedin you can invite anyone and everyone relevant to the trade show industry, then their connections are able to see you and hopefully connect, creating a ripple effect. Updating your profile page with new content is easy if you link it to new blog postings (tools are available for integrating these together automatically), allowing your profile page to include recent information from any other form of social media to help it stay fresh. Also when new people search their contact network for contacts in these areas your information and contact details will be at the forefront. Don’t miss an opportunity to brand your company logo. Upload your company logo, address, phone number, and tag line as one large image. Uploading this information will make you look more credible and professional to all of your contacts, and their contacts.
Another social media aimed at professionals is Plaxo. This network enables you to keep up with all of your business contacts in an organized and timely fashion. It is somewhat of an address book, you can keep a large number of contact information without losing them in the mix. If you are at a trade show you may be a large number of leads that you need to follow up on, and Plaxo is a great way to store that information. Plaxco also allows for unique personal information, such as birthdays. Plaxo will notify you of a contact’s birthday which can be a useful tool for keeping in touch. Plaxco is great for updating your own information so that others can keep in touch as well. If you change phone numbers, or relocate this information is automatically updated on all of your contact list’s information.
Promoting any of these profiles at your trade show encourages attendees to go out and visit your sites. You can set up a space in your trade show booth where individuals can go online and check out what your profile has going on and they can figure out what kind of work you have been doing previous to the show and what you plan on doing in the future. Some networks, such as Plaxco, can even be available for those visiting your booth to enter their contact information in if they are interested in your company.

Social media today allows everyone to have a personal relationship with your company. Social media also enables every single individual to have a face to face relationship whether they are at the event or looking online, they still get the interaction they want. All social media are a link between face to face interaction and technology.

There is a myth that face to face marketing is retiring and we are moving on to bigger and better things. Face to face marketing includes everything from live events, seminars, outdoor events, trade shows, and conferences. The younger group, known as generation Y , or those born between the 80’s and early 90’s, highly depend on technology for not only work but personal relationships as well. The rise in people’s need for technology to function has led others to believe that meeting with clients for face to face marketing is not necessary anymore and has become a fossilized tactic. So what is the point in wasting money to meet with clients if it is an outdated tactic?

The point is that meeting face to face is absolutely effective and vital to building strong relationships with clients, or anyone for that matter. People who are wrapped up in the virtual world still have a strong desire for personal relationships, which is what they try to falsely attain through technology. All relationships are the same, whether it be a business related relationship or a personal relationship, they all need to make that face to face connection. By using technology you almost lose that relationship, the more people see someone the less likely they are to treat them poorly. So, this goes both ways, each individual who is engaging in face to face interaction will mutually treat one another better, which leads to better business. People have bought into this myth that face to face interaction is no longer important and have begun adapting to technological alternatives. But, face to face marketing has and always will be effective; it is a strategy that best fits our descending economic status.

A study released by UCLA stated that an astounding 93 percent of communication effectiveness is determined by non-verbal cues. This means that if you are communicating via e-mail, texting, etc. you are losing 93 percent of your intended message because it is not as effective on the target. Somewhere within this 93 percent of nonverbal communication it is a good idea to take advantage of eye contact. Making eye contact with someone, especially when relating to business, is important in the sense that it shows honesty and credibility. The more eye contact you have with someone, the more they are willing to trust you. Companies certainly want to do business with someone they feel are trustworthy, most notably during difficult times. Face to face marketing needs to have little promotional content and a lot more useful information so that the customers walk away knowing a lot more about whom you are and what you do rather than how much something costs. You need to take it back down to the basics, because people do not want to be wooed into buying something. One of two things will happen if you spend all of your time exuding promotional content, either they will become defensive and in return ignore anything you have to say, or walk away with something that they will later regret buying. Neither of these scenarios can benefit your business long-term.

 All of this information is relevant to the trade show industry in that they are not dying out as some may think. Trade shows are notorious for their face to face marketing strategy, which is true but exhibitors can be inventive in how they utilize this strategy. Trade shows are generally a way for exhibitors to get to know some current or potential clients. Trade shows are also a great way to show off new products. Or if you offer services then your clients absolutely want to know who they are working with. Putting a face with a name is always a positive. This is backed up by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, who pronounces that 76 percent of attendees at a trade show rate face to face interaction with potential vendors and suppliers as extremely important in performing their job. As well as, 86 percent of exhibitors at trade shows who rate face to face marketing as being very important.

But there are some disadvantages to face to face marketing that come as a package deal with today’s harsh economy. Fuel prices are rising, cutting into traveling funds, and people are working longer and harder to keep businesses afloat. But, the economy does not have to get the best of anyone; companies can have great turn outs at a trade show, or any event, without having an enormous amount of individuals actually at the show. If you do have an enormous amount of attendees that’s great, but if not, your event can still be successful through word-of-mouth. Even if a company extends invitations to an event to any number of individuals, then all who received an invite will acknowledge your credibility and expertise. This lets others know that you are willing and ready to get out there and talk face to face about what you have to offer. First hand experience of a product awards knowledge and understanding of your company and how it works. Even if a few individuals attend your show and you present your material in a memorable manner, they will tell another person about your show and you can potentially generate an entire line of business. According to recent research, done by Jack Morton Worldwide, people exposed to live marketing on average tell 17 others about their experience. So, if you can get your message across to 5 individuals who find your show interesting you potentially have gained an actual 85 people who are interested in your company and what you do.

Society’s need for technology can be turned into a constructive characteristic for face to face marketing, but particularly for trade shows. People are using “virtual worlds” or social media more and more everyday. There are numerous amounts of social media programs which you can use to your advantage. Since these technologies have made their stamp in our society, why not work with it? Social media marketing can be tied into your face to face marketing as well. If you encourage attendees to visit your company’s twitter account, facebook account, etc., they will recognize that you are up to speed with current trends and still value that face to face connection at the same time. Customers like to have options, and giving them the option of using a virtual world or a face to face meeting is a great strategy. Social media is not too far fetched from face to face communication as emails and such tend to be. Social media still allows for your client to see exactly what is going on, you can post videos, or have live feed on your website of your booth at the show. You are also able to instant message chat on some social media programs, which still gives you, as the exhibitor, the opportunity to answer any questions someone may have instantaneously.

President and CEO of Apple Rock Displays, Eric Burg, says, “In tough times you have to been seen as a trusted business partner,’ he also says that “it’s been proven through studies and research that cutting back during a bad economy quadruples the effect of a downslide. You become nonvisible.” Apple Rock Displays has done everything in its power to stay visible and they are charging on full force. Apple Rock offers event exhibits, trade show displays, permanent environments, and has been in the business for 21 years. They have managed to keep Eric Burg’s strategy in play throughout their years, which is to recognize the importance of face to face marketing. Face to face interaction has fueled Apple Rock’s credibility and trustworthiness.

Businesses need to stay up to speed with today’s technologies, but keep old values at the same time. Face to face marketing values interpersonal relationships and gives your client the trust they crave. It is time to get inventive and think of current ways to keep individuals engaged during a face to face interaction. Attention spans are short and if you can show the client, in the short amount of time you have captured someone’s attention that you are trustworthy and all about business then you have achieved success. Face to face marketing has come full circle; it was out and has now been shoved back in by the economy. This time around companies may realize how highly beneficial face to face marketing is for business.

Apple Rock Advertising and Promotions, Inc., dba Apple Rock Displays is one of the fastest growing display companies in the country. Apple Rock began its operations as an in-house agency for Carolina Country RV. Early in 1988, Jim Russell incorporated an in-house agency and named it JR Promotions. Early in 1989, Eric Burg and Maxie Rowell were made partners of JR Promotions and the name was changed to Russell, Burg and Rowell, Inc. The agency began working on trade shows and handling outside clients. Russell, Burg and Rowell had the distinction of pioneering the first exclusive RV shows statewide in North Carolina. Contd……http://www.applerock.com/about.asp

Top 5 Secrets ->http://thetradeshowcoach.com/articles/five-top-facebook-tradeshow-marketing-secrets