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Trade show marketing is a unique marketing channel. It puts your company, in person, right in front of prospects and customers alike. There’s no better selling technique than actually being face-to-face with your audience. It’s an environment where you can have valuable one-on-one conversations.
One way to make this trade show marketing strategy even more effective is to actually let your current customers do the talking (selling) for you.
Customers as Marketing Advocates
Enabling your customers to be advocates in your marketing tactics is not a new concept. Case studies, testimonials, or third-party hosted webinars are often used to help prospects learn more about a company. They also help inform what to expect in terms of customer experience. The downside to these types of marketing assets is they are often scripted, which diminishes credibility.
They are also not completely interactive. Webinars can be, but only to a degree. On the other hand, inviting your customers to sit in at your booth and really connect with trade show attendees provides a true sense of transparency and trust. This is amplified when company representatives do not participate in the conversation. It also enhances your company’s credibility, because customers typically speak to a wide, diverse audience on the trade show floor.
Inviting your customers to sit in at your booth and really connect with trade show attendees provides a true sense of transparency and trust.
Best Practices for Trade Show Success
Of course, many company heads could easily find objections to this trade show marketing approach. The fear of customers communicating in a negative light is one such obstacle. However, honest conversations are the most powerful ones. Having customers speak about their experiences with your company’s product or service and why they got on board gives prospects an inside look into their own experiences and decision-making processes. And, no company is perfect. Prospects want to hear the good and the not-so-good to determine how their priorities align.
In order for this strategy to work, and to get the best return on your investment, there are some best practices to follow.
Do:
- Promote ahead of the trade show so prospects have a heads up.
- Only feature one customer at a time. It could be awkward to have two customers overlap.
- Create an environment of honesty and transparency.
Don’t:
- Tell your customers what to say. The interactions should be organic.
- Pick customers from only large, prestigious institutions. You want a sampling of customer experiences.
- Insulate the presenters from the audience. Allow them to interact candidly.
When done properly, you’re creating a scenario where prospects are already “in the room” with you, via your current customer base. Those conversations set the stage for the next step when prospects feel comfortable with and knowledgeable about your company. Prospects’ fear, uncertainty, and doubt disappear, and they feel confident in making an informed decision. Ideally, that decision would be to become your customer.
