Saturday Special: Tradeshow Exhibitors & Social Media

Trade shows and social media are made for each other.

Shows consist of you, your product and your customers. Social media allow you to share this information.

It's important to document the event. Besides your booth, the one key piece of equipment to take is a digital camera with video and voice recording capabilities. I've covered hundreds of trade shows from the media side. My digital camera has become as indispensable as pen and paper.

With this camera, you are creating the raw material for your social media and traditional  marketing efforts. You will use the photos, videos and sounds you record for:

With this camera, you are creating the raw material for your social media and traditional  marketing efforts. You will use the photos, videos and sounds you record for:
  1. Facebook
  2. Your website
  3. Your blog
  4. Twitter
  5. Flickr (or other photo-sharing site)
  6. YouTube account
  7. Press releases
  8. Internal sales presentations
  9. E-mail newsletters
  10. Brochures
  11. Advertising
What should you shoot? You have to think like a newsman. Ask yourself: What interests my customers? What do I want my sales staff to know about my products? What story do I want to tell the media?
Assign someone on your staff to be the official photographer. Create a list of shots you must have. This might include: booth set up; products; ribbon cutting; award presentations (to customers or to staff); and customer interaction.
Think about what each of the social medium needs; that is, photos for Flickr and press releases; video for blog and website.

If you plan ahead, you will return from the trade show with six-months worth of material. The next step is to share that information.

Feeling overwhelmed? I'm available to help tell your story. Give me a call.