Trade Shows & Demos
Notes from JC Stites, Founder & CEO
There are a million different ways to drive traffic to your booth at a show: blinking pens, coffee card offers, iPhone drawing (we've use a few of these ourselves). But, the best way to connect with a prospect is to give them something of value in exchange for the opportunity to show them how your software is going to make a difference in their world.
A blinking pen may get someone to stop walking down an aisle, but the person you really want to stop is someone who already knows enough to ask you specific questions about your software.
How do you make that happen?
Before the Show
For your pre-show marketing strategies, include a campaign that offers show attendees an automated demo of your software. Whether you provide a link in an email, create a direct mail piece that drives traffic to a demo on your site, or send out marketing CDs, a professionally produced, five-minute demo of your software's key benefits will leave a lasting impression on the attendees.
During the Show
While your sales force is armed and ready to give live demos throughout the show hours, it never hurts to offer something more to walk-by show traffic. The same automated demo you use in your pre-show marketing efforts can be an effective tool to display on monitors in your booth. Place the monitor somewhere that offers easy viewing access for attendees who may not be ready to talk to someone.
If you've worked a show, you know the art of avoiding eye contact. But that doesn't mean attendees can't see your product in action. Loop the automated demo, either with or without audio, so that everyone has a chance to see your product, even people who don't want to talk to you.
After the Show
Just because exhibit floor hours are over, your trade show efforts are nowhere near finished. It's the post-show marketing that can deliver the greatest results with the leads you take home. Again, a follow-up email with a link to your automated demo serves as a great reminder why an attendee stopped by your booth in the first place.
Also, for all the prospects you didn't get a chance to talk to in-depth at the show, the demo re-caps quickly whatever they missed at your booth.
A great marketing strategy leverages multiple marketing tools across various campaigns. Using your demo at all stages of your trade show marketing is a smart way to recycle a powerful marketing tool. Give attendees a good reason to visit your booth and watch how your show traffic jumps.
The Many Advantages of Product-Centric Software Demos
Success Stories:
Autodemo builds demos that deliver results. Go to our case studies page to find real life examples of how our demos have helped clients generate leads and drive sales.
