Maximizing Trade Show Dollars for a Successful Sales Experience
Trade shows are an important marketing tool for BtoB companies as they’re a great opportunity to get in front of valuable prospects and gain viable sales leads.
Yet, in this economic climate, marketers are feeling the pressure to slash budgets and trade shows are among the first items cut. But don’t fret… here are three easy tips to help maximize a trade show investment and save on costs in the meantime, courtesy of ABI and our client MC2, an exhibit and event design company:
1. Don’t Print it, Display it.
Instead of printing hundreds of brochures and sell sheets, communicate information on LED screens through colorful Power Point presentations. Prospective customers will notice the slide shows immediately and feel more interactive rather than attempting to look for brochures on a crowded table or display.
2. Not Enough Room to Store a Large Booth Structure? Why not rent?
Save on waste and fees associated with bulky trade show structures. Several exhibit companies now offer affordable pop-up trade show booth displays that can be fully branded to fit any marketer’s needs.
3. Follow up! Follow up! Follow up!
To ensure a return on your trade show investment, aggressive follow-up after the show is a must. A quick and cost-effective way to nurture leads is by distributing a series of follow-up direct e-newsletters. It’s a simple way to keep the conversation going and build stronger connections to future customers.
For more helpful resources on the web, visit www.exhibitoronline.com and www.tradeshowweek.com.
Add comment November 18, 2009
The Real Business Value of Social Media
Social media is of rapidly increasing importance as a marketing vehicle – and it’s not only for consumer product companies. In fact, a recent survey published in B-to-B Magazine by the Association of National Advertisers found that 57% of BtoB marketers surveyed said they are now using social media channels, up from just 15% in 2007.
But social media can do more than just ensure that your company is part of the conversation. It can also help you can achieve tangible business value, which can make the time and budget investment a bit easier to swallow.
Key benefits from a well-executed social media strategy include:
• Generating a larger volume of results in search engine queries relevant terms;
• Decreasing the competition’s search engine ranking;
• Gathering market knowledge through access to a constant stream of opinions and reviews of products and brands (similar to an ongoing focus group);
Further, a solid social media strategy can build credibility for your company through the communications of its executives and help reach a broader range of target audiences who may utilize your product or service in the future.
1 comment October 19, 2009
Live from AACC: Get Past the Buzzes and Whistles: Promote Benefits
ABI’s Daniel Sorrell speaks about communicating the labor saving benefits of technology over the buzzes and whistles. Reporting live from the AACC Expo in Chicago.
AACC is the largest clinical lab exposition in the world.
Add comment July 24, 2009
Live at AACC: Services and Upgrades Key
ABI’s Daniel Sorrell reports live from AACC. Services and upgrades are heavily featured at this year’s show.
AACC is the largest clinical lab exposition in the world.
Add comment July 22, 2009
Seven Marketing Mistakes to Avoid to Grow Sales.
From Alan Isacson, president of ABI Marketing Public Relations comes Seven Marketing Mistakes to Avoid to Grow Sales. Good solid advice for BtoB companies doing whatever they can to gain an edge. In this economy, it’s easy to through up your hands and blame a lack of sales on the recession, but there is business out there to be one. Avoiding mistakes is a good first step…
From the first tip:
1. Avoid Promoting Technology
Of course it’s important to launch new technology; however, to succeed it’s critical to market the value of the innovation to potential users rather than the technology itself. In the late 1990Ís many technology companies promoted “robust innovations” without explaining how users could benefit from applying these new products. The focus was primarily on how the new technology worked, rather than promoting how business could significantly reduce cost and increase output, which translate to tremendous savings.
Read the full text here: Seven Marketing Mistakes to Avoid to Grow Sales
Add comment July 15, 2009
ABI’s Thought Leadership Resource
Looking for some great ideas to enhance sales and marketing? ABI’s Thought Leadership page has several good articles that look at sales and marketing as a combined effort. Offering strategies and pointing out pitfalls, ABI’s articles look at the unique circumstances that BtoB companies face. Particularly today, companies tend to rely on technology to communicate a message and leave sales teams out of the loop. Conversely, many sales people look at marketing as a lead machine that’s broken without considering how they could actually be making the entire system better.
From one of the articles:
It’s Business 101: Marketing and Sales are the two forces that drive business; whether itÍs a small one-person operation or a global corporation, these are the two distinct channels of reaching customer and prospects. Or at least that’s the traditional thinking…
Read more at ABI’s Thought Leadership Page
Add comment July 1, 2009
ABI Launches Videocasts
ABI announces a new media tool for BtoB companies to cost-effectively communicate the business value of a product or service. Videocasts use still images, CAD drawings, and video clips combined with an audio track – all in video format – to explain the key features and benefits of intricate technology in a fast, easy way.
Continue Reading Add comment June 25, 2009
First Steps: Communicating BtoB Green
A master plan is a good idea in business, but sometimes you just need to take the first few steps. At a conference this Spring, Alan Isacson and Tim Colbert conducted a workshop on avoiding pitfalls and creating business opportunities through green initiatives. Part of this presentation focused just on the first steps need to launch a green initiative. One of these first steps is “Overcoming Fear”.
It’s good sound advice for green initiatives and, in fact, any initiative. Although caution is definitely a good thing in many cases, it can also paralyze an organization. Addressing concerns, but moving forward is necessary to getting something done. The problem with BtoB marketing is that doing nothing or doing very little is often an option because the culture of organizations is usually focused on sales and manufacturing. But doing nothing or doing something halfway will not communicate value turns innovation into commodities.
Here’s an excerpt from their presentation: (more…)
Add comment June 23, 2009
Three Big BtoB Trends. Three Great Podcasts.
Three of Trendspeak’s most popular podcasts also happen to relate to three of the biggest trends impacting BtoB today. We thought we’d put them in one place to make them easier to find. What are the three big trends? Well, you’ve probably guessed them already: the economy, the environment, and technology/new media.
Some of ABI’s thought leaders talk about how BtoB companies can ride these trends to become more successful.
Alan Isacson talks about growing BtoB even during a down turn. Read the original post here.
Tim Colbert speaks about ABI’s SustainabilityDriver program. Read the original post here.
Rudy Winklhofer speaks about Web 2.0 and BtoB. Read the orignal post here.
Add comment June 11, 2009
ABI’s Jumpstart Helps Build BtoB During Recession
ABI just launched a new program called JUMPSTART. Alan Isacson, president of ABI, previewed the program at the Interphex Show in New York City in March of this year with an interview on Trendspeak. Many marketing agencies are crying “Don’t Cut Marketing During a Recession!” but few offer tools to actually build a program in a tight budget. JUMPSTART is different in that it offers tools and expertise and is budget concious. The press release is below, but get more information at abipr.com/economy:
ABI JUMPSTART™ is a new public relations service helping business-to-business industrial and technology companies support sales and discover opportunities cost-effectively. ABI, Inc., a leading B2B marketing public relations agency, helps companies identify and communicate unique business value that resonates with customers and prospects, supporting sales development and business growth.
“These are challenging times, but there is still business out there to be won. JUMPSTART is what companies need now: a cost-effective public relations support program for tight budgets to win that business quickly,” says Alan Isacson, president of ABI. “We offer business-to-business companies an affordable yet strategic three-step plan to uncover opportunities with key decision makers.”
ABI JUMPSTART comprises three components executed over three months, to ensure the program stays within a tight budget and generates rapid results:
1.) ABI works with a company to develop a strong messaging platform for the product or service, with a clearly defined business value. The platform is based on market factors, sales goals, competition, and customer needs.
2. ABI develops a set of strategic messaging tools based on the platform to educate – and generate interest from – target audiences. These tools can include press releases, expert bylined articles, sales presentations, audio and video casts, ‘elevator speeches’, and other online and traditional communication tools.
3. ABI uses these tools to maximize exposure of a company, product, or service through print and digital media outreach. This effort is backed by ABI’s extensive media relations expertise. The company also enhances search engine optimization (SEO) using keyword analysis, keyword profile development and value-added website content, developed to reflect the new positioning.
The program focuses on three industries in up to three geographic regions. JUMPSTART targets core print and online media only, ensuring that quality content reaches top decision makers. More information on the program plus other tips and strategies for growing BtoB during the economic downturn can be found at www.abipr.com/economy.
Add comment May 18, 2009
