Attracting the right Trade Show attendees

From November through March, there are trade shows in Miami every week. Industry events and conventions are common in this city that has so much to offer. There are many details to putting together a successful trade show. You'll need the right venue, logistics, vendors, ticketing and so much more. Trade shows however, cannot succeed unless you are attracting the right trade show attendees.

Certainly there are the traditional sources of marketing like trade magazines, but there are some additional ways to attract the right attendees. Let’s take a look.

LinkedIn

By its very nature LinkedIn is almost custom made to attract the right trade show attendees. Look for like-minded groups or start your own. LinkedIn is all about networking and trade shows are certainly a great vehicle for that.

Facebook

Make sure you have an event page and you invite people to it. Every day talk about the variety of events and vendors that will be at your event. Be sure to mention some of the other lures of the city, including South Beach.

Create a Trade Show App.

There are companies that can customize an app specifically for your trade show. These apps can offer discounts, keep attendees updated, encourage referrals, and build anticipation. They also have a variety of uses during your event, like sending reminders and promoting vendors.

Don’t Forget Regional Marketing

While your trade show may attract attendees from throughout the country, you can market to those within driving distance. These people will find attending the event more cost effective. This can be done through press releases to regional media, and of course by targeting like-minded companies within the region directly.

If you are looking for the premier multi-purpose event space Miami has to offer, we invite you to tour Soho Studios. Our 65,000 square foot facility has been used for events for such globally recognized companies as Puma, Evian, Ford Motor Company, Telemundo and America Apparel.

Our staff of experienced professionals will help you create an event that will be positively reviewed for months to come. Contact Soho Studios for a Miami, Florida trade show that will impress!

The key elements to an unforgettable trade show booth

Trade shows are one of the best marketing tools you can use for your business. Setting up a trade show booth is a good way to attract attention from potential customers, network with others in your industry and demonstrate what you company can do with its newest products and services. A trade show booth only works effectively, however, if people notice it in the first place.

Creating an unforgettable trade show booth means doing everything necessary to stand out from the crowd. Trade shows can feature hundreds of companies grappling for attention from the same target audience.

You can make sure no one skips your booth by incorporating these key elements:

Use Social Media

Social media is a quick and effective tool for getting the word out about your booth and get people chatting about your company. Use a custom Twitter hashtag and send out tweets about your company booth from the trade show. Post a Facebook update to let people know where you are and offer special promotions and prizes to trade show attendees via your Facebook page. These things will help generate tons of buzz in a short time.

Get Visual

Many people are drawn to interesting or funny videos. You can capitalize on that by running a short video on a loop at your booth. It can be an advertisement for your products or services or it can offer testimonials from satisfied customers. You can pair the video with a memorable tune. All you need is a laptop or tablet with speakers, to get you going.

Offer Swag

Everyone likes getting free gifts. You can't go wrong bringing along plenty of swag for trade shows. Hand out everything from pens to baseball caps. The main thing to remember is to brand each item with your company's logo and colors. It will spread your company name among the attendees and create several walking advertisements for your products and services.

Create Dynamic Signs

Avoid boring signs. Use bright and bold colors. Create a catchy slogan to pair with your company logo. Give people a reason to stop and look when they pass by your signs at the trade show.

How to top last years event

Your event has ended, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, everyone is raving about what a hit it was. At first, you're extremely excited that everyone enjoyed themselves, but then reality starts to sink in.

How in the world are you going to top this event next year?

Get Feedback

While your event may have been a smash, there are almost always ways you can improve on it. To figure out the best ways to make your event production even better, solicit feedback from attendees, employees and vendors to find out if they had heard or noticed areas that needed improvement. Maybe, the lines to get in your event were backed up because you didn't have enough people taking tickets or a concession stand was located in a low traffic area so it didn't earn the income you had expected. Learn from these mistakes and make adjustments and improvements accordingly.

Publicity

If attendance at your function was lower than you expected, your event strategy for next year should include ways to increase your visibility with the public. One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to generate buzz about your event is to utilize social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. Fortunately, actively publicizing your event on these two sites shouldn't add any more cost to your event planning budget.

You might also want to consider partnering with a coupon site, such as Groupon or Living Social. These sites will not only help you to generate more interest for your event, but they can also be an effective way to help you sell more tickets.

Choose an Exciting New Venue

If you've been throwing your event in the same old hotel ballroom year after year, isn't it about time that you move your event to a venue with more atmosphere, such as Miami's Soho Studios. Located in the vibrant Wynwood Art District, this 65,000-square-foot structure with its industrial detailing can add an edgy, modern look and feel to your event.

Surprise!

Everyone loves surprises and great ones can really make an event memorable. If you, for instance, hire a special guest for your festivities, you may want to conceal his identity until the day of your event. This could create great buzz and interest in your event as everyone tries to guess who your special guest may be.

Finding the best trade show venue

A trade show is only as good as the venue you choose for hosting it. Choosing the right trade show venue involves doing your homework so you can make an informed selection. An event planner needs to find a venue that will fit the needs of their event. It's not a stretch to say your choice of venue can make or break your event.

Considering these factors will help your find the right space for your event:

Venue Location

Location matters in event planning. Exhibitors and attendees want to go to a place that is easy to find, easy to reach and easy to leave. An event that makes it a chore to get to and from the venue will leave a bad taste in the mouths of all parties involved. The ideal venue is centrally located, has plenty of parking and offers plenty of transportation options. If you are planning corporate events in Miami, for example, the best event space Miami has to offer will likely be attached to a hotel at a convention center or near an airport.

Venue Space

The size of your event dictates your space needs. You should find a venue that can serve corporate events of all sizes, adding or closing off space as needed. It doesn't look good if you have too many trade show booths crammed into a small venue or a handful of exhibitors spread out over a cavernous convention center.

Venue Services

It's always a good idea to compare and contrast trade show venues and see what type of events they are accustomed to handling. Inquire about what additional services they offer for conference planning or trade show planning. Find a staff that is experienced in handling these types of events and can set up everything from small meeting areas to large conference rooms for your event.

Venue Equipment

Selecting a venue with audio/visual equipment in proper working order is mandatory for ensuring a smooth event. Don't hesitate to meet with the venue staff and request to try it out before reserving the venue. Audio and video problems during your trade show can cause unnecessary embarrassment.

The Future of the Fillmore

South Florida has serious neighborhood loyalties. The loyalty extends to iconic buildings, like The Fillmore, a huge South Beach theater. Possibly facing demolition, the building -- formally called The Jackie Gleason Theater -- has abundant fans. They’ve set up a Save The Fillmore website. They’re selling Save The Fillmore t-shirts. They’re signing petitions against demolition.

The Controversy

Plans are under discussion to renovate the aging Miami Beach Convention Center, located just one block north of The Fillmore. Few argue that the convention center needs a makeover. But a corollary goal, to reshape the broader neighborhood, is attracting controversy.

Some planners would tear down The Fillmore to make way for a new hotel, as part of a revitalized commercial district. Worried Fillmore fans turned out for a recent community meeting to discuss various renovation plans. At the January 2013 meeting, community leaders heard many pleas for preservation and arguments against being too quick to tear down buildings.

Fillmore Facts

Certainly, the 60-year-old building is one of the premiere entertainment venues in Miami. It can seat more than 2,700 people. It generates about $1 million in profits for the city every year.

The Fillmore has attracted icons of pop culture and classical artists alike. It has often been the venue for touring Broadway shows.

Alternatives

Fortunately when it comes to event space Miami has multiple alternatives. The city has several big box theaters, in addition to numerous small clubs. There are also ample venues for the archetypal Miami trade show. Now a staple of South Florida’s economy, regular trade shows include the Miami International Boat Show, the Miami International Wine Fair and Art Basel Wynwood.

Whatever happens to The Fillmore, Soho Studios -- just 5 miles inland -- isn't going anywhere. Its substantial square footage can accommodate all sorts of events, from film shoots and trade shows to weddings and concerts.

Trade shows in Miami

Trade shows are one of the most effective marketing methods available today. They provide the opportunity for businesses to introduce new products, sell existing products, connect new customers, and establish new business relationships. Every year there are thousands of trade shows held through the US and the world, with millions of attendees, and in almost every industry imaginable.

When it comes to trade shows Miami is an international hot spot. The combination of tropical splendor and cosmopolitan conference facilities attracts some of the most prestigious associations and corporate meetings, conventions and trade shows from business around the globe. Venues such as The Miami Beach Convention Center, The Westin Diplomat, Soho Studios and many others are host trade shows from a wide range of industries. Check out this list of some trade shows happening in Miami…

TRADE SHOWS IN MIAMI: Fiatech Leadership Inc ET EXPO SNM Annual Meeting International Floriculture Expo Shoe Market Of The Americas Swimshow FIME International Medical Expo Miami Beach Antique Jewelry and Watch Show Distribution Technology and Innovation Summit Spring 2012 HD Boutique America Consumer Electronics and General Merchandise Show Miami International Wine Fair The Great Bridal Expo-Miami Showeast MiaGreen Expo and Conference Tissue World AFP

No matter what industry you are in, a trade show in Miami is a great place to be a part of the marketing mix. You will increase your exposure, meet some great people and spend some time in The Magic City in the Sunshine State.

If you're planning a trade show in Miami, Soho Studios is a perfect location for an event large, small, or even for multiple days. Call today to schedule an appointment and you'll be surprised about all we have to offer your trade show.