3 Ways to Make Event Marketing Work for You!

North Texas Kids has not only hosted our own expos for the past 4 years, but we have also participated in hundreds of events, large and small, since we opened our doors in 2002.

The number one questions we get from our vendors and clients is how to get better results from participating in or hosting live events. It can be very difficult to gauge results when you buy a booth at a show.

Here are 3 of the tips we share with our vendors to increase the return on their investment at an expo or trade show.

Tip #1: Don’t sit behind your table!

This is so important. If you are sitting there like a bump on a log, people will not think you are interested in speaking with them and they will wander by, grab your free giveaway and move on. It’s important to make people feel welcomed into your booth space. Move the tables away from the front of the booth, stand in the front and invite people in. People love to feel included!

Tip#2: Don’t give things away for free!

One of the complaints I hear is that the cost of participating in a vendor show is so high because of all the giveaways. No doubt, there are plenty of people who attend expos and tradeshows just for the swag. Make them work for it! Have a game, contest or door prize of some kind so that they give you their contact information in return for the swag.

At a recent large Home and Garden Show I attended with my family, one vendor had this really cool game where you could drop the ball in this large board and watch it fall and earn a prize depending where it would land. My son was so excited to play but he could not play the game unless I signed up to receive their information. Guess what, I signed up! He got to play and walked away with a cool water bottle. The company collected my information. It was a WIN-WIN for everyone.

Tip #3: Offer an activity in your booth that will cause people to linger.

Most of us are targeting the family market. We tend to participate in shows where there are LOTS of children pulling their parents along from booth to booth. If you want mom to stop at your booth and talk to you about your products or services, make sure to offer a game, coloring sheet or interactive experience for the children. The longer the children linger in your space, the better chance you have of selling mom your products and services. You can tie this tip in with tip #2, while the child is spinning the prize wheel, get mom to register for a free drawing.

The goal is to capture their attention and make sure they stop at our booth long enough to enter into conversation with us.

Right now, we are recommending you participate in the Dallas Kids Expo on March 24, 2012. We have participated as a vendor every year. This is the 4th annual event and last year, there were over 6,000 people there. It is well-organized and well-attended. It’s our top pick for Spring 2012! We have already signed up to be there. Check it out at www.dallaskidsexpo.com

Want to learn more about maximizing your return on investment for an upcoming event? Give us a call at 972-516-9070 or email us at info@northtexaskids.com