With the spring-like weather comes a host of opportunities for you to get out and meet new and potential customers. The Spring and Summer months are the best times of year to attend industry trade shows to get your name out there and in front of your target audience. This is especially true, if you have a product or service that is unique or revolutionizing the industry. Having a well-designed website or social media presence is a start to attracting new customers, but being able to speak to your story, show them your service in-person, can go a longer way in forging lasting customer relationships. How you leverage these opportunities to market your brand is key in making sure you not only connect, but you stay top of mind for any potential customer you meet. Here are the top three ways that you can use the next few months to strategically position your brand to attract, engage and retain your target audience.
Upgrade your hand-out materials. When you meet new customers, what do you give them? Are you handing out business cards, flyers, brochures, or nothing at all? With every customer interaction you want to “wow” them into remembering you and purchasing from you now and in the future. This is where having professionally designed marketing materials can be effective in establishing yourself as the brand for them. Despite the highly digitized world we live in, consumers still do like to have tangible items like business cards, flyers, even pens with your company’s logo on it. And, just like a social media post, these items are sharable pieces of tangible content.
Don’t forget to follow-up. One of the biggest mistakes companies make after attending a trade show is not following up with customers that showed interest. Whether you gather email addresses, ask people to like your social media pages, or even collect phone numbers, it is essential to continue these engagements with your customers, immediately after the trade show. Sending out a personalized “Nice to Meet You” email is another touchpoint in the marketing pipeline to remind them about your brand, who you are, what you do, and, more importantly, why they should buy from you. Whenever possible referencing something you spoke about during the tradeshow can add a personal touch and show your customers that you not only remembered your conversation, but that you also value their time and interest.
Spruce up your website. For many businesses, they see a spike in website traffic, immediately before and after attending a tradeshow event. So, if your website is not in top shape, or if you have been meaning to upgrade some functionality or text, then now is the time to do it. You want to make sure the experience your customers have at the tradeshow is mirrored on your website. The key is to always provide a cohesive and uniform marketing approach in all that you do. For example, using the same colors and fonts on your website as you do on marketing materials you hand out is the easiest way for customers to remember you. Imagine how confusing it may be for a customer to have a flyer with one message, color and font style and then visit the company website that has a completely different visual experience. For your brand to be the most effective, consistency is key.
As the weather warms, this is the best time to get out and meet new people (and potential customers). However, making sure your marketing materials are in top shape and accurately reflect your brand should be your top priority. The marketing and branding experts at Snowball Creative Group can provide a free marketing effectiveness consultation and review your current materials and provide specific recommendations to take them to the next level. Click here to schedule your complimentary session with one of our design specialists.
