Integrating Social Media Into Trade Show Displays

Social media is a powerful tool when combined with a strong trade show stand. Learn how to combine these two seemingly separate promotion tools and strengthen both your trade show booth and your social media marketing in the process. 

At first glance, social media might seem fairly incompatible with trade show displays. After all, connecting with your visitors through Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn requires an internet connection, and WiFi isn't usually available at the exhibit. Computers or laptops are generally in short supply, and face-to-face interaction is emphasized. Despite these apparent drawbacks, innovative companies are incorporating social media marketing with amazing success - and not just in tech industries where online interaction is the norm.
Social Media Basics
In order to successfully incorporate new media into your trade show displays, you need to understand how it fits in with your overall marketing strategy. The entire purpose of these new forms of connection is to maintain a dialog with your customers. Instead of communication being limited to isolated press releases and the occasional TV or radio advertisement, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn offer interaction whenever you (or your clients) want it. The key to successfully leverage this new technology is to balance frequent communication with the risk of overloading your clients. If you post too much, people will tune you out - but if you don't post enough, you risk not getting the strongest return on your investment. 
Social Media Is The Ultimate Post-Trade Show Stand Follow Up
The old way of following up on leads gathered from a booth was a call or a mailing which might not arrive until a week or more later. These methods were very time consuming and often failed to cultivate the expected leads. In contrast, Facebook and Twitter provide a way that feels personalized but requires much less time and money investment from the marketing department. In addition, people tend to pay more attention to a short message, like a post on Twitter or a link on Facebook. They don't run the risk of being ignored like a long email or, even worse, snail mail. 
Smartphones Keep Everyone Connected, Even At A Trade Show Booth
Connecting your trade show stand to social media doesn't require the internet. Today's trade show booth visitor is carrying a smartphone, with connection to the internet available 24/7. The new generation of consumers is very tech savvy and won't hesitate to connect if they like what you are offering. To help facilitate this connection, you should prominently advertise that your company is on Facebook, Twitter, and any other major social media sites. Providing your company's Twitter name is helpful, but your Facebook information isn't mandatory as most visitors will find it through the on-site search feature. 
Depending on what your booth is intended to promote, you might still choose to install computer terminals in your trade show displays. They can be very effective if you intend to offer demonstrations of software, but might otherwise be a waste of money. There is rarely a penalty for using computers if they are available, but you probably don't need to go out of your way to obtain them. You can use social marketing quite effectively by simply letting your visitors know it's available and allowing them to connect themselves. 

Article Tags: Trade Show Displays, Social Media, Media Into, Trade Show, Show Displays

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