Trade Show Coordination Tips

I’ve changed my mind about trade shows. 6 months ago, I talked about how ineffective they were as a marketing tactic. - Booths cost £1000s - No one gets new business. - You get ignored by attendees. - Everyone is just pitching at you. - There are 100s of competitors there. - You get drowned out by other vendors. They’re a massive waste of time. Or at least that’s what I thought… Then I got sent the photos (below) from one of our clients’ booths at a recent trade show. That’s when I realised trade shows aren’t the issue. ↳ It’s how companies approach them that’s broken. The key: Create a campaign around your booth. Here’s the playbook for getting noticed at trade shows: 1/ Don’t Make Yourself The Attraction Our client hired Kaleb from Clarkson’s Farm to be at their booth. Crowds flocked for a chat, photo, or simply to see what all the fuss was about. They came for Kaleb. ↳ But then they’d chat to our client. —— 2/ Turning a Booth Into an Experience They ditched the usual trade show freebies and brought in a VR welding setup. Kaleb set a time. ↳ People tried to beat it. ↳ If they did they won a prize. This meant visitors weren’t just walking by—they were staying, engaging, and talking about it. —— 3/ Force Them To Remember You Here’s where it got clever: Our client offered a hefty reward for the person who won the VR welding game. But they wouldn’t find out if they won until the end of the day. That meant the last booth people went to was there. ↳ Keeping them top of mind on the way home. —— Don’t get me wrong, most trade shows are a waste of money. But if you go into them: - With a clear strategy. - An approach to get noticed. - A campaign around your booth. They can really make an impact. Definitely going to be doing more of this with clients. P.S. Follow me to learn how to get your company noticed Niall Ratcliffe 📚

The future of retail is more immersive and interactive than ever! Modern retailers are stepping up, integrating advanced materials like transparent cement and dynamic LED film screens into their store designs. This isn’t just about aesthetics - these innovations are about transforming how customers interact with brands and products. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧? >> Transparent Cement: This material allows for the construction of luminous spaces that blend natural and artificial light, creating an inviting and open atmosphere without sacrificing privacy. >> Dynamic LED Film Screens: These screens offer vibrant, changeable displays that can convert any glass surface into a digital billboard, providing real-time, customizable marketing directly on store windows or interior partitions. 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: >> Interactive Touchscreens: Positioned throughout stores, these touchscreens offer customers a personalized shopping journey, allowing them to look up product information, check availability, or even visualize products in different colors or styles. >> Augmented Reality (AR): AR integrates digital information with the real world in real-time, enabling shoppers to see how a piece of furniture might look in their home or how a dress might fit without entering a fitting room. These technological advancements do more than just catch the eye - they create a seamless, engaging, and highly personalized shopping experience. Retailers that embrace these innovations are setting new standards in customer engagement, turning routine shopping trips into memorable, interactive events. 🤔 How do you see the integration of such technologies reshaping the retail industry? What other innovations could further transform the shopping experience? #innovation #technology #future #management #startups

is the traditional B2B roadshow dead? no, but it needs life support. over the past decade, I've watched companies pour millions into events with diminishing returns. the problem isn't face-to-face connection. it's using yesterday's playbook in today's multi-channel world. the highest-performing B2B companies follow this three-phase framework: before: build momentum through strategic targeting and multi-channel outreach before anyone walks through the door. during: create experiences that extend far beyond the physical venue through hybrid design and real-time content. after: convert momentum into revenue with sophisticated follow-up systems that actually drive pipeline. our clients implementing this approach have transformed their results. with one single campaign: ↳ pilot generated 100+ high-quality leads and saw 132% LinkedIn engagement surge ↳ elation lighting achieved 500% increase in impressions and won a prestigious industry award all in one trade show ↳ aeroflow healthcare achieved 47% higher acquisition at 34% lower cost bottom line: the companies gaining market share are treating roadshows as integrated campaigns rather than isolated moments. remember: face-to-face still matters, but only when it's part of a seamless journey that matches how today's B2B buyers actually make decisions. #b2bmarketing #b2bpr #gtm #eventmarketing #roadshow #cmoinsights

Earlier this week, I had a conversation with a prospective exhibitor client that made me do a double take: “We don’t need your booth staff, our team knows our products inside out.” And there it is… one of the most common misconceptions about using professional booth staff - that they can't replicate the product knowledge of internal staffers. Yes that maybe true but here is the thing... 📌 Booth staff aren’t there to replace your internal team. They’re there to support them, by starting conversations, engaging attendees, facilitating interactive experiences and filtering the real leads from the swag collectors. So a great opportunity to bust a few of the most common booth staffing misconceptions we often hear: ❌ Misconception 1: “We've got our sales team - they know the product inside out.” ✅ Reality: Knowing your product ≠ knowing how to draw in and qualify strangers in a high-pressure show environment. ❌ Misconception 2: “Booth staff are just there to hand out swag and look good.” ✅ Reality: Nope! it’s not 1970's and we don’t do ‘booth babes'. Modern booth pros are engagement ninjas. They’re there to qualify leads, manage the crowd, and stop your team from wasting time on people like Dave from Procurement who just came for the free tote bag. ❌ Misconception 3: “They won’t know our business well enough to help.” ✅ Reality: They don’t need to be technical experts. They just need to ask the right questions and hand leads off to your team at the right time. ❌ Misconception 4: “We’ve already got plenty of people on the stand.” ✅ Reality: Are they engaging attendees? Or scrolling LinkedIn and hiding behind the pop-up? ❌ Misconception 5: “We will never find good staff overseas.” ✅ Reality: Hiring local talent abroad isn’t just budget-friendly, it’s smart. They’re great at engaging, know the local culture inside out, and help you stay green by cutting down on travel. It’s also a win for your ROI and your sustainability goals. Bottom line: Booth staff can help you bridge the gap between your booth and your audience, so your team can have deeper focused conversations, not just more of them. Want to see how hiring professional booth staff could work for your next trade show? DM Me. #TradeShowEngagement #BoothStaffing #ExhibitingTips #EventMarketing #Exhibitions #tradeshows

B2B companies in energy, heavy industry, and manufacturing often view overseas exhibitions as essential for global expansion. However, these events are increasingly seen as traffic black holes, characterized by high costs and uncertain returns. The challenge lies in outdated tactics like posters, roll-ups, and candies that have long been ineffective. LinkedIn's "pre-during-post" strategy for offline event provides a solution to these challenges. Consider our energy storage client: - Pre-Event: Targeted ads aimed at clients and media achieved a click-through rate (CTR) that was 156% above the industry average. - During-Event: Utilizing trending industry hashtags resulted in a 120% increase in engagement through shares, likes, and comments. - Post-Event: Videos from the event, including signings and executive interviews, garnered over 5,000 views within days. The key takeaway is that enhancing exhibition exposure necessitates generating industry buzz and synchronizing content across all three phases. Next, we will explore how another client successfully leveraged LinkedIn ads to connect with target customers. #LinkedInMarketingSolutions #LinkedInAds

When Dell acquired a company called Compellent back in 2013, I learned a cool new way to look at trade shows. They called it The Zone Offensive. It was a process they used to staff their booths and move prospects through the experience. The center was for the meaty conversations and heavy technical demos led by SMEs. The next “ring” out was for the quick demo stations and touch-and-go conversations led by product marketing. And the “outer” ring is where the marketing messages and happy, chatty booth staff, led by the SDRs. The idea was simple: The SDRs were the crowd-gatherers, saying hi to passers-by, asking qualifying questions, and generally engaging people in conversation to understand what problem they were trying to solve at the show. Once a conversation turned up a problem that could be solved with a Compellent solution, the SDR would introduce them to a product marketer by one of the relevant products for the badge scan and first conversation. If the conversation went well and the prospect wanted to have a deeper look at the opportunities, they could schedule time later in the day with one of the SMEs at the center of the booth! They had figured out how to use the booth space to effectively move people through the marketing funnel in one fell swoop. Friggin’ brilliant. How do you move prospects through your booth to ensure the qualified conversations are getting the attention they deserve?

Over the next 3 months, I’m hosting 4 major events in France, UK, USA and KSA. Beforehand, I want to share my top tips on how to get the best out of networking. 1. Set Clear Targets Action: Make a hit list of the top 10 companies or people you need to meet. Research what they care about—know their wins, pain points, & what they’re hunting for before you walk through the door. Outcome: These conversations won’t just happen by chance. By doing your homework, you’ll turn a five-minute chat into a deal-building moment. Schedule meetings in advance, & after the event, send a tailored follow-up email that shows you were listening. 2. Take the Stage (Literally) Action: Get on the agenda. Whether it’s a keynote, panel, or fireside chat, nothing says “I’m the one to watch” like holding the mic. Use this time to address the industry’s biggest challenges & position yourself—& your company—as the answer. Outcome: Speaking builds instant credibility. It’s not just exposure; it’s authority. Post-event, share the highlights on LinkedIn & invite attendees to continue the conversation, turning an audience into a lead pipeline. 3. Own the Floor Action: Don’t just lurk—work the room. Engage with key exhibitors, ask questions, & position yourself as a resource, not just another pitch. Be direct but curious: “What’s your biggest challenge this year?” and “How can I help?” are powerful openers. Outcome: You’ll stand out as someone who listens. Take notes during conversations, & follow up within 48 hours with a personalised message. Not a generic “great meeting you”—send actionable insights or specific ideas that move the ball forward. 4. Host the Inner Circle Action: People bond better in a more relaxed setting than over Wi-Fi. Organise an exclusive dinner, roundtable, or cocktail event for a curated group of heavy hitters. Keep it intimate—this is about building relationships, not just showing off. Go easy on the heavy sell. Outcome: People remember who brought them value & connections, not who handed out free pens. Post-event, share any key takeaways & book one-on-one follow-ups to solidify what you started over drinks. 5. Hack the Tech Action: Use every tool at your disposal—event apps, LinkedIn, QR codes. Pre-event, reach out to attendees & book meetings. At the event, swap contacts digitally to keep things seamless, & use a CRM to track every interaction. Outcome: You’ll leave the event with an organised roadmap of leads, not just a stack of business cards destined for a desk drawer. Follow up strategically with segmented, value-driven emails & keep the momentum alive. The Bottom Line: Trade fairs & exhibitions aren’t just networking. Preparation, presence, & follow-up separate those who close deals from those who just collect swag bags. Be human. Don’t think of this as just a branding exercise but an opportunity for long term partnerships. Be genuine - your new contacts will become close contacts, if not friends. Make it count! #revenuegrowth

I’ve been having lots of conversations about LinkedIn for events from organisers wanting to drive visibility and engagement, to exhibitors heading to upcoming tradeshows, and everyone in between. Whether you’re hosting, exhibiting, or attending LinkedIn can help you get more out of every event: ✨ More visibility 🤝 More connections 📈 More business outcomes Yet LinkedIn is often underused in the event space. A one-and-done post. A quick thank you. A flurry of activity... then silence. But here’s the thing: the event isn’t the beginning and it shouldn’t be the end. To get the most value, LinkedIn should be part of your strategy before, during and after the event. Here’s how to make the most of it: 🌠 1. Be LinkedIn Event Ready Your profile and company page shape your first impression often before anyone meets you. They should tell a clear, credible story that aligns with your event involvement. Organiser Tip: Create a LinkedIn Brand Kit for your speakers, exhibitors, and team – banners, hashtags, talking points, and example posts. Exhibitor Tip: Use an event-themed banner to show your stand details or branding. 🌠 2. Build Relationships Before the Event The most valuable connections rarely start cold on event day. The lead-up to the event is prime time to increase visibility, build familiarity, and position yourself as someone worth connecting with or visiting at the stand. Organiser Tip: Spotlight speakers, exhibitors, and sessions early and use tags to amplify. Exhibitor Tip: Shortlist people you want to meet - clients, prospects, collaborators, media and start connecting early. 🌠 3. Maximise the Event Experience Use LinkedIn to take people behind the scenes, amplify moments as they happen, and make your presence visible to those who couldn’t attend. Organiser Tip: Have someone live post from the floor, tagging participants and sharing session soundbites. Exhibitor Tip: Make it easy for people to connect with you it creates immediate pathways to keep the conversation going. 🌠 4. Keep the Momentum Going This is the stage where most people go quiet, but this is when the real relationship-building begins. Use LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. Share your takeaways. Follow up with new connections. Repurpose content into future posts. Organiser Tip: Share a highlight post and set the stage for what’s next even a “Save the Date” works. Exhibitor Tip: Send a personalised follow-up message referencing your chat. 🌟 Key Takeaways LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools you have to extend your event beyond the room. It allows you to build relationships before the first handshake, stay visible throughout the event and strengthen credibility and connection long after the banners are packed away. And if you'd like support to develop your own LinkedIn event strategy that's more than one and done, I’d love to help. Because showing up is just the beginning. #linkedin #events #eventmarketing

I’ve been leading demand generation strategy for events at Microsoft and these are the top 3 key audience marketing strategies: First step when assigned to an event 🔍Segmentation and Targeting: It’s super important to understand the audience by breaking them down into specific segments based on their unique needs and behaviors. This enables us to deliver tailored messaging and campaigns. For example, we might segment our audience into "enterprise customers," "small businesses," and "individual users." By customizing our approach for each group, we ensure our marketing campaigns resonate and address their distinct challenges thus drawing them in as registered attendees. Secondly, a focus on ✍🏿Personalization and Engagement: As a demand gen lead, I want to make our interactions feel personalized to ensure our target audience engages with any content we put out so we can foster deeper connections. This includes personalized email campaigns, product and event recommendations, and targeted ads. In our touch points we also showcase various other pull-through methods such as interactive content such as webinars, surveys, and live events to keep our audience engaged. By understanding and addressing individual needs, we create a more meaningful and impactful relationship with our customers and partners. Last but not least 📝Storytelling and Content Marketing: As a storyteller myself, it’s important to me that we craft compelling narratives that showcase the benefits of our products and services through our events. Through a mix of content formats like blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and social media updates, we tell stories that highlight how our solutions solve real-world problems. For example, we might share stories about how our cloud services have transformed businesses, or how our AI technologies are driving innovation, or how AI-skilling is making an impa on real people. This approach helps build an emotional connection with our audience, making Microsoft a trusted and relatable brand. These are only a few key strategies, but, by implementing these strategies, we drive demand generation and build lasting relationships with our customers and partners through our event experiences. As a demand gen lead, my workstream is the first touchpoint to the potential attendee — and I love to make it a magical one. Are you an event marketer? What are your marketing tactics? Share below. Here's to successful marketing! 📈🚀 #theBOLDjourney #audiencemarketing #eventmarketing

As an employer branding consultant, I've collaborated on over 300 virtual internship program info sessions hosted by early career recruiting teams. Here's what stood out from the top performing events and what I recommend: 1. Audience Engagement Students already have to sit in hour long lectures, they don't want to do the same at your information sessions. Switch things up by asking questions in the chat throughout the session or having a live Q&A. 2. Clear call-to-action That can look like: →  Sharing a link to a resume drop/your talent community sign up page so they can submit interest → Collecting emails to send a post event email with more resources/information about your programs and how to apply →  Providing an unique application link that tracks that they applied after attending your event →  Sharing a link to your early careers page if your roles are currently live so they can apply 3. Early talent employee panels Attendees want to hear from your past interns and entry level employees about what life is like at your company. They trust that they're going to be honest/keep it real with them, can see themselves in their shoes, and it's someone they can reach out to post-event for more insights on how to apply. I've listened in on a few of these and employees always give the best application advice that you can't find online! Who better to attract Gen Z than Gen Z? 😉 Pro-tip You can repurpose the testimonials shared by the panelists into content for your social channels, quotes to include on your early career website, etc. 🔥 One of my formulas for a ✨ perfect ✨ virtual information sessions: 15 mins of a company/program overview hosted by the recruiters + 20 min employee panel + 10-15 for live audience Q&A/answering questions submitted from the event RSVP form 👀 Students, what do you wish to see more of at virtual information sessions for early career programs you're interested in? #earlycareerrecruiting #infosessions #earlycareer #internships #employerbranding