Last November, the leaders of All Aces Promotional Staffing headed to Santa Barbara, CA to sponsor FestForums.  This 3-day trade show attracts festival coordinators and event producers of all cultures and includes booth and panel programs on topics like event operations, technology trends and sustainability.

As an event staffing agency, we’ve made it our mission to provide quality brand ambassadors for companies looking to promote their brand at trade shows and conferences, part of experiential marketing.  Sometimes we’re also hired to support the event on a larger scale, checking people in at registration or helping with production and back-of-house needs.  It was fun to step out from behind-the -scenes & share our event capabilities in a friendly atmosphere, while deepening connections made at previous FestForums.

Trade shows are a staple ingredient to success, and as a business owner, it behooves you to get involved.  We realize it costs time and money, so we’ve highlighted some motivating factors and general tips to keep in mind!

If planned correctly, you should get a great return on your investment.

Experiential marketing, sometimes called event marketing, has been proven to be more effective than traditional advertising in some cases, particularly among millennials who tend to value experiences over things.  Your presence at events should guarantee a strong return on your investment, whether you’re offering samples, demonstrating a service or generating leads by getting people’s contact info.  According to a recent survey, 51% of people who attend trade shows will later request a meeting with a sales representative from the show, and 77% of corporate decision makers find at least one new supplier at a trade show or expo.  Research the best events in your industry and outsource any tasks you don’t have time to finesse, such as planning, staffing and logistics.

You will provide a personalized brand experience while identifying yourself as an expert in your field.

Whether you’re speaking on a panel or making presentations at your booth, the purpose of these events is to share and receive information.  People are more likely to view you as teacher, adviser or consultant within your industry, as opposed to feeling like you’re just trying to sell something.  They’ll also appreciate meeting a friendly face from your company, whether it’s yourself, a colleague or a brand ambassador; businesses around the world are becoming virtual at an exponential rate, with employees working remotely and long-term business relationships taking place over email and Skype.

You will have a chance to introduce your products and services in person.

Shopping online saves time and money – by investing both to attend an event, people are acknowledging the timeless value of a live product experience.  Demos and thoughtful giveaways will leave a three-dimensional impression with visitors who usually experience new products by clicking a mouse, and the interactive nature of these events makes it an exciting and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.   Take the ball and run with it! Have people spin the wheel, play a game or engage in any activity that will create a lasting memory with your brand.

You will have a large number of quality interactions within a short window of time.

Some product activations involve stopping people unexpectedly and introducing your brand.  At trade shows and conferences, however, people expect to be intercepted with giveaways, demos, surveys and other calls to action, and there’s a large number of them! They may be already planning to stop by your booth. Event passes can be expensive, so visitors will want to see and experience as much as possible.  It’s a no-brainer!