Trade Show & Event Marketing

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“Gearing up for a trade show is like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. Pieces can come up missing, but companies should do their best in advance to make it all fit together to their advantage.” – Susan Friedmann

Participating in trade shows and hosting events gives your business the opportunity to market your products and services through face-to-face communication. Even though we are living in a digital age, Foster Marketing believes that face-to-face communication remains pertinent for an upward line to success.

Many times, trade show planning feels like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. Foster Marketing takes the stress away and helps you communicate the benefits and unique selling proposition (USP) of your product or service. We have solved hundreds of trade show jigsaw puzzles over the years.

In B2B oil and gas marketing, trade show and event coordination play a crucial role in portraying the benefits of your product or service as well as increasing your brand awareness. Foster Marketing’s event planning specialists help you determine how to effectively plan trade show exhibits and well-themed events in your strategic marketing plan.

Our areas of expertise include: event/trade show selection and planning; theme development; exhibit design and presentation; on-site logistics and coordination; pre- and post-event marketing; and media relations. From removing the red-tape at international shows to ensuring your booth is inviting at small conferences, Foster Marketing takes away the stress of show and event marketing.

Event/Trade Show Selection and Planning (Domestic and International)

Whether onshore or offshore, upstream or downstream or in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and beyond, Foster Marketing has been a part of the full spectrum of industry trade shows, maintaining relationships with show management across the globe. When selecting trade shows for our clients’ marketing plans, we focus on bringing them the most value in relation to their industry sector. We scour exhibitor lists and examine target audiences for each show, analyzing potential lead generation in each particular city/region.

Theme Development

Theme consistency is key – from booth design and furnishings to collateral, promotional items and presentations. Conference attendees walking by your booth should be able to instantly recognize who you are and what you do, providing the perfect springboard for your booth staff to establish those vital first impressions with potential new clients. Foster Marketing can help you develop a new and unique theme for your next trade show booth.

Exhibit Design and Presentation

Trade show exhibit graphics have come a long way since they were first introduced to the market. Foster Marketing offers cost-effective designs for our clients, while enabling them to customize their message each show without a huge investment. We have worked with multiple booth sizing options tailored to the requirements of each event. Some events offer the flexibility of different layouts. For instance, purchasing a 10×30 booth can be broken down into a 10×20 and 10×10, which can save you money in the long run.

On-Site Logistics and Coordination

Our trade show team works with an average number of six vendors for each show. On an annual basis, the Foster trade show team spends 1,000+ hours on the show floor. Foster Marketing’s event staff is seasoned when it comes to on-site logistics and coordination. We are on-site from move-in through the show to exhibitor move-out.

Strategically hiring and timing labor is key to helping stay within your budget. We oversee the full setup of your booth exhibit – ensuring graphics, equipment and furnishings are properly placed.

Further, we plan ahead for brochures and giveaways so they are not a last-minute decision. We ensure they are purchased in bulk so that they are ready for potential prospects and attendees and handed out accordingly. With Foster Marketing’s event coordination, all your sales team has to do is show up on the first day of the show and start selling.

Pre- and Post-Event Marketing

Pre-show promotion is crucial to ensure that you attract the right people to your booth.

You can make your presence known ahead of time with a well-timed pre-show marketing campaign that involves initiatives, including advertising, industry articles, press invites to in-booth presentations, press conferences and a direct mail campaign.

Equally, post-show analysis is key for measuring your return on investment (ROI). Foster Marketing has the tools and team to assist with both. You will meet a lot of people at a trade show. Make sure you don’t lose track of those crucial meet and greets. We can assist with post-show lead organization and can provide complete follow-up services to close the loop on important introductions.

“How was the show?” is a question you are likely to be asked after the event. Foster Marketing can help you conduct a thorough post-show analysis, and can implement pre-booking of next year’s space if it proves to have been a successful event.

Media Relations

Trade shows are really the only occasion when editors and journalists of all related publications come together in the same place from locations around the world; make sure you capitalize on the opportunity to let them know who you are!

Foster Marketing is well-seasoned in the art of media relations and can advise and support you in all media relationship building efforts before, during and after any key trade show. Foster Marketing guides you through the dos and don’ts of working alongside the press to ensure you maximize your opportunity for positive coverage. We devise and distribute pre-show media invites; coordinate in-booth demonstrations; meet and greet the press onsite; coach in-booth staff on media etiquette; all the way to post-show follow up and securing media coverage.