Marketing Materials to Bring to a Conference or Trade Show

Trade shows and conferences give you the opportunity to reach out to new audiences. Here are the marketing materials you should bring to make sure your next event is a success:

Decor
"Don't judge a book by its cover" is a great philosophy in life, but a terrible philosophy for marketing. It's human nature to make snap decisions based on a first glance – make sure your trade show booth stands up to this instant evaluation. Design posters and banners that make people interested in learning more about your business. Keep text brief and to the point, and include a call to action: "Stop by to learn more!" at the bottom of your banner makes people interested in doing just that.

Handouts
Trade show and conference attendees have packed schedules, so you can't expect more than a few moments of their time. Make sure you have something to give them before they leave.

To start, have plenty of business cards on hand to give to people who might want to reach out later on. You can give these to everyone if you like, but it might be best to reserve those for conversations that hint at a continued relationship.

However, you should have something you can hand to each and every person. This is the perfect use for postcards and flyers. These materials should include a little bit more information about what your business does, as well as the URL of your website where they can learn more. It may also make sense to include some kind of coupon or discount on these handouts.

Finally, you should consider having some kind of branded swag you can give to people. Everyone loves getting free stuff they can actually use, so personalize some pens or notepads that attendees can take with them. Because these items are useful, people are a lot more likely to actually hold onto them and use them later on. This means your business will be more cemented in their minds.

The Best People
You might not think of your employees as marketing tools, but you should consider their marketing skills when you're deciding who should go to the conference. After all, these are the people you're going to have representing your entire brand. According to Inspiration Management, you should send the employees that stand out for being friendly and well-spoken, and who can hold their own when talking to strangers. You should also make sure you choose people who have an in-depth understanding of your company and how to promote it. Pick the wrong people, and it won't matter how great your flyers are – make sure you send the best.