Exhibiting at a trade show involves a lot, but, if done right, it’s worth the effort. Read on for tips on how you can get the most out of your next event!
1. Listen! My most important tip is to listen to your booth visitors. Ask open-ended questions like, “Tell me about your business” or “What do you like best about what you do?” Find out first if they have a need your company can fill before trying to sell them. 2. Keep it Simple. Think of your booth as a billboard. Too many graphics or text blocks can be distracting to people walking by that just “need the facts” quickly. Enlisting the tradeshow design experience of firms like Tingalls Graphic Design can be a valuable step in your tradeshow preparation. Graphics should be professional yet eye-catching to spark the interest of […]
Tingalls Graphic Design is super-excited to be the first agency in Madison to offer to latest in branding trends – The Rock.
Imagine for a moment that you’ve just arrived home from a tradeshow or networking event. There’s a good chance you’ve accumulated a stack of business cards and marketing collateral from the people you met. You’ve also handed out your share of marketing materials at the tradeshow yourself — but were they memorable? Whether it’s your business card, a one sheet, or a tote bag — which are all the rage at tradeshows these days — what makes an impression is always something unique. Of course it’s easy for me to suggest that you make your marketing materials original, engaging, clear and well produced. It’s another story altogether to produce said material. […]
A trade show is a major investment in time and money for a business, but it can also be one of the most valuable marketing opportunities around. The challenge is to really create an impression at the trade show so people remember your company and not your competitors (and your competition is probably just down the aisle). Social media can help you get a leg up on your competition and make a stop at your booth a must for all attendees. And, if done properly, the constant reinforcement of your company name and message on social media will make you more memorable. A social media marketing plan for a trade […]
Too many companies sign up for a tradeshow and then forget about it until a month before the show when they realize they’re going to need some material. Some companies don’t even put that much planning into it. To get the most out of a tradeshow and have the best attendee response you need to plan for the event. The first thing to remember is that a tradeshow is a marketing event and this means it needs to be treated like every other marketing event. You need to define your goals and then identify the metrics you will use to see if you’re meeting them. Then, it’s time to create […]
Remember the good old days of tradeshows; people approached your booth, you shook hands and met and exchanged business cards. Maybe you gave them a pen as a parting gift. Now, with social media you can virtually meet the person months before the tradeshow, become Facebook friends, create a business circle on Google+, share business contacts and tips on LinkedIn, give them a virtual video tour of your company, and tweet them your every move; all before you meet in person. By the time the tradeshow rolls around you can have a customized business plan and contract waiting for them at the tradeshow. So how do you go from one […]
Have you ever considered outsourcing your marketing or design projects to a freelancer? Did you know it can actually increase your bottom line? By outsourcing, your business can continue marketing in tough economic times and avoid the expense and commitment of hiring additional staff. Remember, the best outsourcing arrangements are partnerships. Ideally at Tingalls Graphic Design, we work with you, not for you. It’s a win-win relationship for both of us. As a business owner and/or decision-maker, consider the following benefits of outsourcing: Controlled Costs Cutting costs may not be the only reason to outsource, but it’s definitely a big one. By outsourcing, money is more readily available for use in […]
Trade shows are unique marketing opportunities, you get access to a large group of people who are there because they’re interested in some aspect of your industry, but your competition might be literally right next to you. So how do you maximize your presence at a trade show and make the most out of your exposure? By using a multipronged social media approach you can touch people before during and after the event and work to establish relationships rather than just brief encounters. Types of Social Media There are a number of social media outlets that can be brought into your trade show marketing plan, each has its own strengths […]
Whether you don’t yet know what QR codes are or you’re a frequent user of them, be prepared because they’re going to become more popular than Justin Bieber and you’re going to see them everywhere you turn. QR codes stand for quick response codes and they’re basically barcodes that can be read by smart phones. This literally can bring your print material to life and allow even a simple business card to interact with your potential client’s phone, which is quickly becoming everyone’s lifeline. A QR code can be customized to include a variety of information including phone numbers, vCards, text messages, HTML links or regular text. When a phone […]
Exhibiting is a great way to increase awareness and create new leads for your business. Last night, Tingalls participated in the South Metropolitan Business Association’s Networking & Exhibit event at The Coliseum Bar in Madison, WI. Because we’re a small business, just like most of you reading this, we compiled this list of tradeshow do’s and don’ts from our experiences at the event. Don’ts: 1) Clutter with too many handouts – It makes you look unorganized. Attendees might infer that you’re trying to do too many things and not doing any of them well. Instead try to pick a few services the attendees might be interested in and concentrate on […]