Email marketing. Social media marketing. Room drops.

Before attendees even hit a trade show floor, the level of pre-event engagement often is off the charts. And then, when they get to the show, the sensory overload is beyond comprehension.

Mike D’Alessio likens it to walking the Las Vegas Strip, Times Square or Hong Kong’s Statue Square. In the real sense, it’s a cacophony of chaos, with every exhibitor vying for attendee attention, hypnotically drawing them in their direction and keeping them in there to showcase their wares.

D’Alessio has spent a career moving in and out of these experiences. With more than 25 years in the game, the President of the Promoguys Marketing Group has logged a tremendous number of hours designing and building eye-catching sets, and creating SWAG and marketing materials to promote a brand’s message. Renowned for his work with major brands like Marvel, Skybound Entertainment and 2K Games at leading conventions like Comic-Con San Diego and PAX, D’Alessio has become a staple in these communities.

So, when it comes to understanding the marketing experience, D’Alessio leans heavily on thinking uber-promo. Why? Once attendees are in the booth space, any collateral or promotional materials are carefully calculated as to where they are placed.

For example, promo items can be seen at entry/egress, throughout the booth in specific locations to correlate to the booth marketing for that location or even on stage being distributed as booth stage activations take place. “We curate the materials to be sticky, meaning to have a high take-rate,” D’Alessio says. “We want nothing to be rejected or discarded.”

This strategy often requires using a bounceback technique, which sends attendees back to a website or store promotions via a QR code, discount, etc., a convention exclusive premium (only available at the booth during the show) or an item they can actually use while at the convention (tote bag or wearable, i.e., T-shirt or hat).

If there is a takeaway in any of D’Alessio’s recommendations, it is that promotional and SWAG items are critical components to any trade show strategy. Throughout his trade show career, while he has seen trends ricochet in and out of favor, leaning more into physical materials—and being able to effectively and efficiently distribute them—is always a sound strategy (see SIDEBAR, “The Art of the Swag”).

“I still believe a great physical promotional item, with a high perceived value, along with a digital attribute attached to it (bounce to a website for more info, etc.) is the future,” D’Alessio says. “Attendees want items that they can look at in their hotel room or that they can use on the show floor and afterward.”

In the Comic Con universe, one of the world’s foremost creatively driven trade shows and conferences, being able to attract and hold attendees’ attention has become an art form, one of which D’Alessio and his team continue to master. “We have been able to pioneer new ways to market that have been picked up on by other brands over the years. On-stage activations really help to draw people in, and events on stage such as signings where the attendees meet and greet with creators or actors and receive a unique poster or comic that is signed, really make the marketing materials part of the memorable experience.”

With 18 years of giveaway hours with Marvel under his belt, he has built exclusive relationships with brands like Target, Citizen Watches, VeVe, Kith, etc., to captivate. “By making the experience fun, where as many people can participate as possible, and giving out great takeaway materials, you can drive home talking points while showcasing your brand and partners.”

In the course of the 1,500-plus guests Saul Marquez has interviewed over the years on his “Outcomes Rocket” podcast, some of the conversations focused on the importance of marketing and brand awareness. Outcomes Rocket has carved a niche out of helping innovative health companies get in front of their ideal customers—engagements designed to make an impact and leave an impression.

Marquez, founder and CEO of specialty healthcare and wellness marketing/communications firm, says that when client discussions come to trade shows, logistics and distribution of promotional materials across various channels is a major topic. “This always plays a crucial role in shaping your client’s perception of your brand. Consistency, timing and relevance are key factors that influence how clients perceive a brand based on its promotional efforts.”

If promotional materials are delivered seamlessly across multiple channels and align with the client’s needs and preferences, Marquez says it can enhance your brand’s credibility and trust. On the other hand, inconsistent or poorly timed distribution may lead to confusion or frustration, ultimately harming the brand’s reputation.

Challenges in managing the distribution of promotional materials may include logistical issues such as coordinating delivery schedules, ensuring quality control across various channels, and maintaining brand consistency. Additionally, reaching target audiences effectively amidst the noise of competing messages can be challenging.

“Overcoming these challenges often requires careful planning, robust systems and constant monitoring to ensure that promotional materials are delivered timely, accurately and effectively,” Marquez says. “There are a number of emerging trends and innovations shaping the management of marketing logistics and enhancing the marketing experience. By embracing them, you can stay ahead of the curve, optimize your distribution strategies and create more impactful marketing experiences for your clients.”

Some of these trends and innovations include things like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), blockchain technology, and voice search and smart assistants. “Technologies like these can help optimize distribution content creation and distribution strategies by analyzing customer data to predict preferences and behaviors, thus enabling more targeted and personalized promotional efforts,” Marquez says.

In today’s ever-evolving trade show and conference landscape, the mastery of marketing logistics and the strategic distribution of promotional materials is a technique well learned. By finding the right partner and embracing the innovations available, marketers can ensure their brands stand out amid the cacophony.

Here are three challenges every marketer should know about ordering and managing the trade show promotional material supply chain.

1. Weight/Size

In planning your promotional items, weight and size must be considered. The more something weighs, the more the drayage charges from the unions will be. When dealing with promo items like posters, bags, books or postcards, the weight can add up.

2. Duplicative Items

Check the trends. Being informed about trendy promotional items is critical. For example, how many fidget spinners can one attendee take? You need promotional materials other exhibitors most likely won’t be offering up.

3. Storage

Every square foot matters, whether on the show floor, shipping or in-show storage. You want to have the right quantity without running out. Know your audience; know the take-rate per item and calculate what you need. And always plan into your build where you can store the items to have accessible for replenishing.

4. Tracking event marketing campaigns and demonstrating ROI

Tracking and measuring the performance of event marketing campaigns is essential. Leveraging data analytics and utilizing event marketing tools can help generate key performance indicators (KPIs) and effectively track campaign progress.

5. Harnessing the power of brand loyalty

Building relationships with attendees is vital to create brand loyalty. Embracing a community-based approach and integrating user-generated content (UGC) into marketing channels can cultivate stronger connections and influence audience decisions.

Source: https://www.sweap.io/en/blog/event-marketing-challenges