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  • GUEST BLOG: The art of marketing at conferences & exhibitions

    By WhereTheTradeBuys

    The challenges of advertising aren’t restricted to design. Many business owners and marketers need to consider where they will place their printed products once they’re complete — put them in the wrong spot and your ROI could plummet!

    To help, we’ve explored the multiple locations available to you when you want to optimise your printed ad for maximum exposure. From store window to trade show, read on for advice on maximising your marketing ROI with pull-up banner placement tips.

    Event shows or exhibitions

    According to Eventbrite, the UK events industry is worth £42.3 billion and 1.3 million business events are held annually. Corporate hospitality accounts for around £1.2 billion, while exhibitions comprise £11 billion and conferences make up the lion’s share at £19.9 billion! Clearly, this industry is big business and you don’t want your company to get left behind if you aren’t active in trade shows and corporate gatherings. But, how do you maximise your exposure when you’re surrounded by so many other brands?

    By using print marketing material like pull-up banners, you can hallmark your brand in someone’s mind much better than you could using digital alternatives at an events or trade shows. In fact, according to a study carried out in the US, participants that viewed print media showed a greater emotional response for it and were able to recall its details better than they could for digital ads. If you want to stand out against your competitors at a major recruitment exhibition and create that bond to entice people to come over, why not design an attractive, descriptive pull-up banner and place it next to your stand? If it’s eye-catching enough, it will draw potential partners and employees to your table where you can begin discussing the key details of your business.

    At worst, your print banner’s audience will be more likely to recall your brand after leaving the show than they would if there had been a digital ad or no ad at all. This adds longevity to your marketing strategy that will boost your ROI beyond the event itself

    To signpost your business location

    According to a study published in The Independent last year, employees in the UK are working more overtime than ever before with 60% of those asked stating that they don’t have a good work-life balance. Basically, members of the public and your prospective clients are feeling too busy to waste much time, which could cause an issue when it comes to them locating and visiting your shop.

    Are you easy to find? Even if you’re slightly off the high street, tucked away around a sharp corner or sandwiched between two larger stores; you could run the risk of clients giving up on finding you. By placing your pull-up banner in a location that signposts your building, you can direct your customers, as well as advertise your brand to the general public. Use bold fonts and colours to highlight your address and tell people which other shops you’re next to or opposite so they can quickly work out where you are. If you’re thinking about placing these outdoors, make sure you opt for a quality PVC or vinyl banner to make sure your ad can endure the weather for maximum return on your spend.

    Reception or shop entrance

    Just because your customer is in your building, it doesn’t mean you can’t promote your brand further. The sleek but noticeable dimensions of a pull-up banner will allow it to stand conspicuously in the corner of your foyer or next to your reception desk, while not overpowering the room and making it look cluttered.

    Are you still a family-run company? Have you recently added another line of products to your range? Just reached five or ten years in business? Achievements like these matter to people who walk through your door, and the beauty of a pull-up banner is that you have the space to advertise snippets of success stories — unlike with a small leaflet, for example. Studies suggest that it can take as little as a tenth of a second for us to formulate an impression of something, which means that you don’t have long to portray your brand in a positive light when your customers steps into your building. Designing an eye-catching pull-up banner that not only features complementary colours — perhaps matching your reception décor — pleasant fonts and nice imagery, but also highlights interesting information about your company might be another helpful marketing factor to convert sales from new customers and boost brand loyalty among current clients.

    According to an article by the Economist, the section immediately inside a shop building is called the ‘decompression’ zone. This is because customers need to momentarily ‘slow down’ to assess their new surroundings. As a result, this is a great place for promotional material. Even if you don’t have a reception area, you can simply place your pull-up banner just inside the entrance for the same powerful marketing affect — another way to boost ROI.

    Shop window

    A strong and alluring window display can be the difference between a potential customer stepping inside your building and walking or driving by it. According to store design and display consultant, Linda Cahan, in an article published in Entrepreneur: “Each window should tell a story”. Are you making the most of this key piece of promotional space? If you have floor-length windows, simply angle your pull-up banner so it is clearly visible to people and cars coming from all directions. Or, use a platform to give your advert height so it can be easily seen.

    What’s more, a store window is a perfect place to advertise discounts and offers — did you know that 80% of consumers describe themselves as ‘promotion sensitive’? Highlighting a special discount on your pull-up banner placed in your store window will give your offer excellent visibility to help bring foot traffic in-store. Also, research shows that discounts can make it less probable that people will then compare your range with your competitors’! Remember to use contrasting colours and large text to highlight your offer on your banner.

    Awards shows

    Has your company been shortlisted for an award? There are countless ceremonies for every industry taking place across the UK throughout the year — so, how can you hallmark your brand when you’re surrounded by competitors at a special event?

    Of course, promotional material at certain awards ceremonies wouldn’t work, as they’re simply a champagne reception and red-carpet affair. However, some are very business-based and can last all day before the awards section takes place in the evening. In which case, use this time to promote your brand on social media and YouTube. A creative, attention-grabbing pull-up banner stamped with your brand logo and key information you want customers or prospective employees to know will work wonders to promote what you do.

    Even seeing a print ad like this for a short while will help your brand stay in someone’s mind much better than if you employed digital alternatives — excellent when you’re trying to get one step ahead of the competition. A Canadian study sound that three quarters of people could remember a brand after viewing it via a print media ad. Conversely, only two-fifths were able to recall the company after seeing it on a digital platform. To boost ROI, create a well-structured pull-up banner or two that can act as backdrops to any interviews you hold or videos/photos you take when your staff are at the awards event. Colour, design, content, and imagery are important characteristics — only use complementary colours, clear layouts, insightful text, and high-quality resolutions. Hashtags, contact information and your brand logo are also essentials. Then, share your snaps or videos on social media to spread brand awareness!

    There are multiple places you can put a pull-up banner to promote your company. Bear these key tips in mind to maximise your ROI!

    https://www.wherethetradebuys.co.uk/products/brochures/booklets

    Sources:

    https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library-files/2015/rarc-wp-15-012.pdf

    https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/print-vs-digital.htm

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/british-employees-working-overtime-no-extra-money-record-high-68-days-additional-pay-a7607596.html

    https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/how-many-seconds-to-a-first-impression #

    https://www.economist.com/node/12792420

    https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223808 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-wong/what-science-says-about-discounts_b_8511224.html

    https://www.getelastic.com/coupon-infographic

    https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-use-discount-pricing-strategies–cms-28611

    https://blog.kissmetrics.com/direct-mail-in-the-digital-age/

    AUTHOR

    Stuart O'Brien

    All stories by: Stuart O'Brien

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