Published on 07/07/2017
OK, so you don’t have to use social media at your next event. But you can bet your competitors will – and why should they have all the fun, not to mention all the increased business boosting attention?
Luckily, devising a social media strategy for your exhibition couldn’t be simpler or more fun – and best of all, it costs next to nothing. So if you’ve got a show on the horizon, read on for some top tips on creating a stand-out social media strategy for your stand.
Don’t send out a few random tweets and hope for the best. Attention spans are fleetingly short on social media, so you need to ensure your strategy is tailored to what you want to achieve from the event. For example, do you want to increase newsletter signups, or maybe encourage more client referrals?
Once you’ve listed your goals, brainstorm how social media will help you achieve them. You could run a pre-event competition for example, or tell followers they can expect a free cup of fresh coffee and a slice of cake if they visit your stand with a referral!
There’s no point setting up an Instagram account pre-event if your potential customers prefer Facebook. Find out where your ideal clients live on social media, then pay them a friendly visit!
No time is too early to begin promoting your presence and building a pre-event following…so make sure you don’t leave it to the last minute.
If you can, post a picture of your stand before the event (pre-event stand visuals are something we’re very happy to arrange for you here at Guardian Exhibition & Display). Pictures and introductions of the team members visitors will meet at your stand during the day will fuel a pre-show buzz, too – maybe alongside a weird and wonderful fact about each person!
Your team’s valuable time and that fantastic looking stand don’t come cheap, do they? So make the most of the event by making sure people know you’re there!
The beauty of showcasing on social media is that you’re not only promoting your presence to visitors, but also to those who couldn’t make the event – so make it easy for them to get in touch.
You may have noticed that live broadcasting is all the rage on social media at the moment – so take advantage! Have your team regularly recording brief updates throughout the day.
(Remember, if you’re worried about not having enough time to fit everything in, you can always pre-schedule a few tweets and updates to get things started off).
There will be one, so ensure you know it, and use it every time you post.
There are many ways to encourage visitors to talk about your event on social media. Enticing add-ons such as the aforementioned cake, a fun game or a cutting-edge piece of tech will create an uplifting stir. How about an instant ‘stand selfie’ competition, with photos posted to social media and the winner announced after the event?
Don’t disappear without trace after the event – ask your followers to feed back what went well, or perhaps even nominate their favourite team member manning your stand!
Of course, you’ll have collected lots of details from interested potential clients throughout the day. As well as the obligatory follow-up email or call, why not follow them on social media too?
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