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!

Event Planning with Pinterest

If you are in the event planning industry and are not yet using Pinterest, you are missing out on a powerful tool. Pinterest is a valuable resource in helping get your word out on conferences, film festivals, music festivals and other events you may be planning. It is also great resource to exchange ideas.

Pinterest works as a digital pinboard, or bulletin board, that allows you to post photos and ideas and ask for suggestions. It not only can help in marketing your event online, it also adds more fun and creativity into your event planning.

In addition it is a great way to share photos of all your events and build excitement for future events!

With Pinterest, you can direct visitors to your blog, drive users to your website or other social media channels and engage them further. It is a visual social media tool that is based in creativity, but by its very nature allows for some subtle, and perhaps not so subtle, online marketing.

Pinterest allows you the ability to showcase hotels, the venue, vendors, speakers and entertainment that may be a part of your event. Like all social media it is about sharing, and sharing is good when it comes to getting the word out about your event. Don’t forget the networking aspects of Pinterest. You can widen your contacts of like-minded individuals and share contacts and concepts. It is sort of a LinkedIn for creative people.

If you are searching for a superb location for your next event and are considering venues in Miami, contact us at Soho Studios. With a word-class client list that includes Evian, Ford Motor, Absolut, and Puma, we have the experience to assist you in all aspects of your South Florida event. Soho Studios is over 65,000 square feet of event space Miami utilizes for photography, video, conventions, meetings, conferences, art shows and even some of Miami’s famous parties.

Contact us today and let us help you take your ideas from concept to completion. We are Soho Studios, Miami’s premier venue located in the trendy Wynwood District, home of Art Basel Wynwood.

Virtual Meetings for Event Planning

Planning your event doesn't necessarily mean lots of travel time, expensive airfare and hotel costs. There are a variety of “virtual” meeting options available to help in your event planning.

Skype

Skype is perhaps the most well-known of video conferencing services. There is an app for smartphones that makes Skype portable, adding even more value to an already valuable tool. Skype offers one on one video conferencing as part of its free service, so if you want to meet with more than one vendor at a time on a video conference, it will require a small monthly fee. Considering the ultimate savings, it can be well worth it.

GoToMeeting

This program allows you to have meetings with up to 25 participants at a time. Participants can join in on your meeting from a Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone or any Android device. They even offer a 30 day free trial. While Skype is used for a lot of personal video conferencing, GoToMeeting was designed with businesses in mind. This makes this program more professional.

OoVoo

OoVoo offers free video chatting with up to twelve participants at a time. It also has the capabilities for mobile applications. While it is free, users, and attendees, will be exposed to advertising. For a modest $29.95 per year OoVoo offers a no-advertising option and what they call “premium support”. OoVoo also offers a handy video recording option that allows you to record meetings for future review.

There are also many paid software programs that allow for video conferencing like Adobe Connect Pro, FUZEMeeting, ClickMeeting and others, but the above three should get you started. Once you have explored the world of virtual meetings, you may want to explore premium choices that can include things like a whiteboard, private chats with select participants and other options.

If you are searching for event space Miami has to offer, we invite you to contact us at Soho studios. Soho Studios is a multi-purpose facility with 65,000 square feet of available space. It can be used for small and large meetings and conferences, art shows, fashion shows, concerts, photography and videos, trade shows and virtually any event you can create. We have an experienced team that can help you deliver on your promises, because we deliver on ours. Looking for venues in Miami? Consider South Florida’s premier space…Soho Studios.

Marketing your event online

When marketing your event online it is important to consider a number of factors like demographics, data, location and the theme of the event itself. Luckily in today's technology laden world promotions are easier than ever using an ever expanding group of tools that are web and mobile based.

There is no shortage of choices to make so you should look to capitalize on the most efficient methods for your promotions at the party venues Miami is home to currently. Do not let other companies or promoters get the edge by taking advantage before yours can put them into action for you first.

The Web is full of opportunities for you to spread your message. There are websites, blogging platforms, social media, email campaigns, advertising networks, sponsorships and the list goes on. By combining a mixture of these elements you can fine tune your directives and capture the spectrum of the Internet audience you need to make you events a success.

Generating content that matters to people and drives traffic back to your primary web presence is critical for your entity as it exists online. Great editorial and pictorial content of your event will be shared by your audience and assist in promoting your events. Cultivate this audience by publishing regularly on your website and through your network. Perhaps contribute guest content to other websites or ask if they will assist in cross promoting your functions. You never know what opportunities will emerge when you ask about the needs others have.

Look for cost effective avenues first, if you are already producing flyers or press releases for your events see what new channels will broadcast the information for you. Make trades with other important players in your community to further your goals and those on the scene in general. It is important to market your event online. Follow these event marketing tips and generate hype for events in Miami.

Would you buy concert tickets from Facebook?

For years concert promoters have recognized that concert tickets are best sold by word of mouth. With the Facebook Buy Ticket button, word of mouth ticket sales have taken a big stride with social media.

Facebook’s Buy Ticket button allows music lovers to buy concert tickets right from their Facebook page. The online ticket sales app will post the purchase to the user’s news feeds, and allow them to invite others to the show. The app promises to spread the word of tickets sales online more quickly through the social media giant.

Not only is the app expected to help promote and sell concert tickets, but it also is tied in with Spotify. This relationship tracks the type of music the Facebook user is interested in and can make them aware when artists they listen to will be performing in their area. This particular application also ties in the "likes" of a Facebook user, making it a powerful marketing tool especially when used for lesser known artists who do not get mainstream press.

At Soho Studios, we are the premier concert and event space Miami has available. While there are lots of party venues Miami offers, our facility has a staff experienced in setting up every type of concert, from intimate acoustical performances to arena style shows. Our 65,000 square foot, versatile facility located in Miami’s trendy Wynwood District, has been host to shows like Art Basel Wynwood. Soho Studios is even used as a photography studio Miami photographers have come to rely on for our creative use of space. Our list of worldwide customers includes Ford Motor, Absolut, Telemundo, Evian and Puma.

If you are considering staging or promoting a concert in South Florida and selling tickets online, consider employing use of the Facebook Buy Ticket button, and consider working with us at Soho Studios. From planning through promotion through post-concert wrap-up, we will be there to help make all your events in Miami a success.

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.

Crowdfunding your event

If your event budget doesn't seem to quite be enough to pull off the type of event you visualize in your mind, there is a relatively new source of funds for event planning. Crowdfunding uses the internet to appeal to like-minded individuals who each provide small amounts of money to help get projects funded.

These individuals use websites like KickStarter.com to search for projects that interest them, and help them contribute to the bigger picture. For event planning, this can lead to some exciting options for funding, especially when dealing with events related to the arts or that benefit non-profit organizations. Crowdfunding in general and Kickstarter in particular are changing the way a lot of projects are getting funded.

Since their start just 4 years ago Kickstarter has had over 4 million people pledge over $618 million that has funded an amazing 41,000 creative projects. Anyone can get a project funded via Kickstarter as long as their guidelines are followed..

At the Wynwood District's Soho Studios, we have 65,000 square feet of space that can be used for concerts, an art gallery, and fundraisers. Our space can be used in variety of ways to showcase talent that may otherwise be missed by the mainstream media. If you are an event planner seeking a venue in Miami or Southern Florida, contact us as Soho Studios. We have a history of putting on events that range from the intimate to those that are global in nature. We can even help you in the development of your creative event, and help provide you with the information you may need to get Kickstarter funding.

Our team of experienced, creative people can be a tremendous asset when planning an event that involves the arts. Tap into that creativity. When searching for event space Miami, remember the importance the venue makes in the success of your event. Consider the versatile, creative atmosphere of Soho Studios.

How to plan a fund raising event

If you are planning a charity event, there are some overlooked and underused ways to make money for your non-profit. At Soho Studios, we are proud to host many such premier fund raising events in Miami and offer these event planning suggestions.

Sell Sponsorships.

Different level of sponsorships can mean differing levels of visibility for your sponsors. Event signage, website and Facebook visibility, program ads, and even table tent visibility are event production assets that you have that you can offer sponsors. Get creative.

VIP Experiences.

Larger donors will be willing to pay extra to attend your event if you can provide an experience not available to regular ticket holders. VIP experiences may include valet parking, better seating, opportunities for meet and greets, upgraded food and beverage options and perhaps an exclusive post event party.

Market Guest Gift Bags.

Who doesn't love a little swag? Talk to businesses who want the visibility and association that your event can provide and offer to give attendees coupons or samples of their products for a donation. Your guests get gifts, and you make some extra money for your charity. You also involve more organizations with your event.

Our experienced team at Soho Studios can not only help you stage an event that will be well remembered, we are equipped to assist you with a variety of ideas to help create financially successful non-profit events.

Soho Studios can help you with world class events for a variety of reasons including trade shows, concerts, photo video shoots, and non-profit fund-raising events. We have worked with Puma, Ford Motor, Evian, Absolut, Telemundo and many other significant companies who have placed their trust in our team of professionals. Located in the Wynwood District in Miami Florida, we are in the midst of Miami's exciting art and entertainment area including Art Basel Wynwood. For your next event, remember the value your venue adds to make it a success. Make an impression that will last. If you are looking for event space Miami is gaining fame for, contact us at Soho Studios.

What is your event strategy?

Planning an event is only half the battle. You also need clever event marketing techniques that will convince people they cannot afford to miss your event. Marketing your event is made much easier when you turn to the Internet as a resource and craft a digital event strategy. It lets you engage more people while removing time and geographical constraints found in other forms of marketing.

You should consider these important elements in crafting a digital strategy for your next event:

Create Social Media Conversations

Initiating conversations through social media channels is an effective tool for getting people to talk about your event. For your Twitter account, for example, you should decide on all event hashtags in advance. Then start promoting those hashtags on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and other popular social media sites. Encourage people to follow the event hashtags for news and information related to your event. Create a pre-event network and allow attendees to submit proposals and offer feedback on your upcoming event. Giving them a voice will make your event more appealing.

Blog about It

You can't surf anywhere on the Internet without splashing into a blog. Still, there is no reason why you shouldn't blog about your event. You can consider a couple of options with blogging. The first is to live blog during the event. You can post photos and offer real-time updates on what is happening. This approach works well with annual events.

A second option is to blog about the event afterward. You can create a post that summarizes the event and link to any other relevant posts covering the event. Incorporate SEO keywords tied to your event so people can easily find blog posts in search engines and share them with their friends.

Engage with Mobile Apps

Create a mobile app for your event. It can offer attendees access to the event calendar or schedule. They can browse through scheduled speakers and entertainers, venue information, ticket prices and everything else related to the event. Mobile event apps will help keep your audience continuously engaged before and during the event so that you can accomplish your goals.

Absolut X Miami Event

ABSOLUT® WELCOMES THE NEXT GENERATION OF COLLABORATION WITH X AT OUR VENUE ON MAY 16TH AT 9:00 pm.

This ABSOLUT® X event will be the epicenter of Art, Music and Cocktails. Featuring indie rock band Bloc Party, Miami contemporary artist Agustina Woodgate & mixologist Lermayer will be combing their talents during Absolut's X event.

Taking experiential marketing to a whole new level with this event in Miami, ABSOLUT®  will incorporate music, art and mixology providing an immersive experience.

Soho Studios is located in Wynwood, Miami's arts district. Our venue is the perfect location for experiential marketing events. Repeating the success of Swedish House Mafia and Absolut's event at Soho Studios in 2012. We look forward to this exciting event in Miami.

Bloc Party are a four-piece from London who specialize in creative rock music and who have defined themselves as one of the UK’s most loved musical exports. Upon release of their debut, Silent Alarm in spring 2005, Bloc Party were catapulted into the global spotlight, garnering worldwide fans and critical acclaim, with the NME voting Silent Alarm “Album of the Year” and Urb Magazine calling Bloc Party “Band of the Year.” They made their American television debut on “Late Show with David Letterman,” which was soon followed by a performance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”.

Bloc Party will partner with Agustina Woodgate to create an interactive artistic collaboration, and perform hits like “Children of the Future” from their most recent album Four. Guests will create custom ABSOLUT® masks to develop their “ABSOLUT® self,” making their dream identity a reality. Working with the non-profit Architecture for Humanity, Woodgate’s finished art will be donated and installed in a selected public space, leaving a piece of ABSOLUT X to live on in Miami.

Agustina Woodgate aims to create art that fosters exchanges between people rather than encounters between a viewer and an object. Through these exchanges, meaning is elaborated collectively, rather than in the space of individual consumption.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1981. She graduated from the Instituto Universitario Nacional de Arte, Buenos Aires,  Argentina in 2004. Often responding to a place or situation, Woodgate makes objects, site-specific and context-based installations, performance, and collaborative event-based projects that focus on the interplay between human beings and their surrounding environment at both macro and micro levels. Site specificity is usually the point of departure for her creative process, involving research into the site and its relations. Agustina works inclusively and socially, finding new access points for communication to create public, intensive, and process-oriented works. She currently lives and works in Miami, FL.

Serving as ABSOLUT X’s instigator of creativity, Agustina and her work encourage thought and challenge “the norm.”

From Andy Warhol to Swedish House Mafia, ABSOLUT® VODKA has a long history of collaborating with and supporting cultural provocateurs. With the launch of ABSOLUT® X, the brand is challenging partygoers to transform their present and futures, creating a new reality where there are no rules. ABSOLUT® X will continue to ask “What is your X?” in Seattle, New York City and Philadelphia this summer. For more information visit ABSOLUT X.