January 17, 2011

7 Social Media Things to do That Your Competition is Probably Forgetting

In the marketing game, staying ahead of your competition is a key to being top of mind to your market. With social media adding yet another facet to your marketing mix, it gets harder and harder to keep track of all of the moving parts.

That’s where being on top of your game and using great tools to make things easier come in handy. Really handy. It puts you a step or two above your competition. They’ll find out sooner or later what you’re doing. By then, hopefully you’ll have moved yet another step or two ahead.

1. Respond in Real-Time

Want to be instantly notified when someone sends you a tweet so you can be sure to get back to them right away if necessary? Set up your smart phone to ping or beep you with a Twitter app. This lets you respond in real-time, which positions you in their mind of being extremely responsive. They feel wanted and loved.

2. Blog Regularly

Show your readers and potential clients that you understand their pain. In the blog you offer solutions, how-to’s, interviews with experts (written/audio/video), industry news and comments and more. By doing so, you’re making the blog attractive to readers. By posting regularly, you’re making it worth their while to come back and visit. If the content is top-notch, you’re making it a ‘don’t-miss’ read.

3. Make Your Facebook Page Work For You

Yeah, pretty much everybody has a Facebook page now. Companies are planting their businesses on Facebook. You should be, too. If you’re not, get it done. If you’re already there, explore how you can make your Facebook page a valuable resource for your readers. Make sure your blog posts are showing up automatically by setting up an RSS feed into your Facebook company page. Offer prizes, special deals, and fresh content (audio/video/written) on your Facebook page that they can’t get anywhere else. Find ways to increase your Facebook fanbase such as these.

4. Stay Educated

Reading great social media websites, such as the Social Media Examiner. Always full of useful resources, insight and tools, the SME helps anyone who’s interested in moving ahead of their competitor. Great stuff, including a recent post on how you can improve your blog by following top tips from top bloggers.

5. Go Mobile

Your audience is mobile. You should be mobile. Smartphones help keep people connected. If you have one, it helps you understand how your market interacts with your online outposts. You can see what they see: how your blog and website looks on a smartphone, how to interact, check-in, post updates, photos and more – all while on the run in an increasingly mobile and active world.

6. Be Active at Shows

Yes, you’re tweeting and posting on Facebook. Maybe even doing a few videos. Can you step up even further and create a virtual tradeshow website? Can you plan on bringing even more heavy-hitters in the industry into your booth to interview on live streaming Internet TV? Don’t bite off more than you can chew…but take a really close look at what you’re capable of. And if you need help, hire it.

7. Have Fun!

Really…are you having fun? Is your competition? If you’re regularly beating them I suspect you’re having more fun than them!

photo credit: brad montgomery

November 8, 2010

Barking Up a Tree With Social Media

Denise Quashie shared so many ideas on how she’s utilized social media in conjunction with events that it’s not surprising to discover that her pet dog on Twitter led to the launching of a successful conference.

In my recent call for social media tradeshow success stories through HARO, Denise contacted me saying she used Twitter, Facebook and more to market shows, sell sponsorships, promote exhibitors and drive onsite traffic. And more.

Her company, Events by Canvas, is an event consultancy focusing on social media events, social media ghosting, and event consulting and training. They also produce several social media driven start-up events. Denise is always looking at ways to offer additional value to her clients with social media: sponsored Tweet-ups, platforms for press releases, Twitter mention packages, offering education benefits to attendees at her events and more.

But one of the more intriguing stories came about when she told me that when she put her dog on Twitter, which prompted hundreds of pet-lovers to start networking and helping each other. That then inspired BarkWorldExpo, a social media expo in Atlanta for pet lovers and the pet industry.

The first BarkWorldExpo, held in August of this year, drew 250 attendees and 30 exhibitors. Tickets were $129 for the event, held at Atlanta’s Atlantic Station. BarkWorldExpo featured several speakers who talked about aspects of social media; there were sponsored Tweet-ups and other gatherings, and plans are underway for a follow-up event in 2011.

Some of the successful ideas for promoting events via social media that Denise and Events by Canvas have used in the past for other shows and clients include:

Sending out tweets for scavenger hunts down empty aisles (first person to spot the green back pack on aisle 7 gets $100 on the spot!), which caused a stampede
Speakers incorporating a live Twitter wall during the speech
Sponsored Tweets during the event
Tweet lounges where several screens showed running tweets from the show
A Big (Twitter) bird to draw traffic to a specific area

Just chatting with Denise – and furiously jotting down ideas – inspired me to believe there is really no limit to what you can do with social media. The only limit is lack of imagination.

Besides…if a dog on Twitter can inspire a successful conference…?

Links to Denise and BarkWorldExpo…

May 6, 2010

25 Reasons NOT to Bother With Tradeshow Marketing

Overheard complaints about tradeshow marketing, the travel, the show and other things…?

It’s expensive.
You usually gotta travel.
Logistics are a bear.
Shipping an exhibit costs an arm and a leg.
Did I mention the drayage? Oy….
Standing on your feet all day.
You don’t get to sleep in your own bed for a few days.
My suitcase didn’t fit in the trunk of the rental car.
Getting in an airplane. Yikes. Not a middle seat!
So many unexpected challenges on the road.
Deadlines, deadlines.
Who are all of these people? I don’t know any of these people!
Our hired ‘pro’ presenter really blew it that time.
I thought YOU had the leads!
Yeah, we just put up a fishbowl to collect business cards to give away an iPod. Got some great leads!
No, we’re not on Facebook. Should we be?
Yeah, I heard that Twitter thing was a waste of time.
YouTube? Why should we be on YouTube? I thought that was only for funny cat videos.
The coffee here in (fill in the blank) sucks.
The bars don’t have any microbrews like we do back home.
Geez, the time change is really throwing me off.
That last guy asked so many questions I finally told him to leave.
Hey, I think I’m gonna go hit on that girl at the booth around the corner. Be right back!
No, I can’t meet tonight. There’s a game on TV.
I’d rather be at home.

Okay, complaining is fun. Maybe you have your own?

April 23, 2010

9 Tips to Put a Social Spin on Your Trade Show Marketing

The following is a guest post by Dennis Nixon, Sales Manager at Smash Hit Displays

In the days leading up to an exciting trade show attendees are likely tweeting about it, Facebooking about it, and blogging about it too. You’re likely doing the same as a trade show marketer, right? So take advantage of it! Integrating social media marketing into your trade show marketing before, during and after the main event can be the difference between having a successful trade show booth, and an unsuccessful one.

The world of social media and blogging can be quite an overwhelming one, but never fear. I’ve put together a list of 10 tips to help you put a social media spin on your trade show marketing efforts.

Twitter Search

Did you know: every single conversation on Twitter (except those from people who have private Twitter streams) can be searched via Twitter search? Simply type in the name of the trade show you’ll have a booth at and you’ll quickly see others talking about the same event. Make sure to vary your keywords, and soon you’ll find a plethora of data to start prospecting prior to the event.

Twitter Lists

If you’re an avid tweeter than you likely know about Twitter lists. These can be a great way to compile a list of potential attendees, whom you can follow during the trade show. What will they be saying at the event? Where will they be having dinner or after-trade show events? Stay up to date. You don’t even have to actually ‘follow’ the users to put them in a list. AND you can keep the list private if you don’t want your competition finding all the users you spent time finding. In addition, don’t forget about the value of using Twitter for traffic, discussed in the recent post: “Are You using Twitter to Drive Traffic to Your Blog and Event?” on this blog.

Facebook Search

When you’re logged into Facebook you have access to their huge internal (and external for that matter) search engine. View all results for a specific term, people associated with that term, page associated with that term, groups, posts by everyone, posts by friends, etc… This can give you back results for many users going to the trade show, thinking about going, or just associated with it.

Facebook Groups and Pages

Using the search function detailed above, you can find groups and pages of prospects interested in the trade show you’re attending. This can be extremely helpful to start a conversation with prospects and tell them about your booth, where you’ll be located, and the fun stuff you’ll be giving away/doing at the event.

Use Flowtown

Have a prospects e-mail address but not sure if they are using social media? You HAVE to check out FlowTown. With this website you can upload your prospects e-mail addresses (before, during or after the event) and get information such as name, age, gender, occupation, location AND all the social networks that person is on.

Contests on Social Networks

Some trade show marketers suggest utilizing contests on social networks to help you spread the word about the trade show you’ll be at, in addition to getting a bit of notoriety and branding your business. Tell your fans and followers that you’ll be at the next big event, and the first five people to retweet or repost about it will get a prize when they show up to the event. There are so many ways you can spin a simple contest before and during the trade show, the possibilities are endless.

LinkedIn

You’re likely using LinkedIn, heck millions are. But are you utilizing it to help with your trade show marketing? Tell your connections about your upcoming event, ask them to help you spread the word, or even connect with prospects after the event takes place. There’s so much you can do with LinkedIn, you just need to think outside the box.

LinkedIn Groups

If the event planner for the trade show you’re is good they’ll have set up a LinkedIn group. Use this opportunity to start connecting with prospects and chatting them up. Connect with others, help spread the word about the event, and afterward discuss what was learned or how it can apply to their future endeavors.

Blogger Outreach

Connecting with bloggers that are going to events is extremely important. They’re already tapping into the vein of your industry, so why not utilize their current reader base? Try securing a guest blogging spot, schmoozing them when they’re at the event, and staying in contact afterwards. You never know the types of connections you’ll be able to make over a few drinks.

If you still aren’t convinced that social media can work for you (or that others are using it), check out Tradeshow Insights post “Social Media and Tradeshow Marketing Results”, where respondents to a poll stated that a whopping 31% have already incorporated social media into their exhibit marketing!

Have you used social media in your trade show marketing before, during and after the event? What successes have you had with it?

About the Author: Dennis Nixon is the Sales Manager at Smash Hit Displays, a company providing trade show displays and booths to vendors throughout the United States.

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