How the Wrong Marketing Piece Can Kill Your Tradeshow or Networking Event
The success of a tradeshow or networking can literally make or break your company. In fact, entire businesses and careers have been built from sales made in a few precious moments face-to-face with prospects and important decision-makers.
But, too many business leaders ignore the importance of the marketing materials they bring to tradeshows, conventions, and other similar gatherings – particularly their business cards, fliers, and brochures.
It’s not an overstatement to say that the wrong piece, even just one poorly designed one, can kill any progress or sales opportunities you might have made otherwise. Here are five of the biggest reasons why:
1. You want to stand out in a competitive environment. Tradeshows, conventions, and networking events are all very competitive by their very nature. Other companies who sell what you do, or something similar, are probably going to be close at hand, so you have to have materials that get noticed right away.
2. First impressions matter. The number one challenge, when you’re meeting a potential customer for the first time, isn’t necessarily interesting them in what you have to offer, it’s in getting them to think of you as a credible professional who can help them. Having professional-looking marketing pieces can go a long way.
3. Second impressions matter too. On that same note, if you look like a true professional in the initial meeting but your supporting materials sent in a follow-up mailing look like they were made at home on your son’s computer, it’s easy for new customers to discount what you’re offering and move on to something else.
4. Memory isn’t perfect. No matter how great an impression you make, or how likable you are in person, your potential customer might meet dozens (or hundreds) of people in a very short frame of time. All they’ll have left from your meeting later are the materials you gave them or the materials you choose to follow-up with to convince them to take the next step.
5. The real customer might not be in front of you. Sometimes, the person you meet at a tradeshow or convention isn’t the one who can make the decision to buy from you later on. When that happens, it’s up to your marketing materials to help the decision-maker get excited about your products and services later on.
Do you need some stronger tradeshow marketing materials for your company? Take a moment now to call or email Tingalls Graphic Design and set up a time where we can show you how we use our creativity and marketing experience to help. Or, take a sneak peek at our portfolio online.
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