It’s always great to have client meetings; there’s nothing better than a face to face to talk business. Some are more fun than others however, and last Friday’s meeting at Blitzworld Buggies was certainly one to remember, as we got to speed the buggies around the track.
We met with Steve Malpass, Managing Director at Blitzworld, at his premises in Stoke-on-Trent to go through various elements we have undertaken for him so far.
Steve engaged The Marketing People to help him present his business more effectively, starting with a more professional brand logo and scoping to suggest edits to his existing website, alongside a digital advertising campaign.
Steve was extremely happy with the work we have done so far, so it was time we got first-hand experience of the buggies and the exhilarating experience they provide.
Extremely easy to drive, built for safety, and able to handle any twist and turn of the track, Blitzworld buggies are resilient, safe and real good fun to drive.
Thanks to Steve for letting us experience the thrill of the buggies, and ending our week on a high.
Can you handle it? If you’re after an adrenaline-filled adventure, look no further than Blitzworld for road legal and off- road buggies that pack some punch.
Here at The Marketing People, we recently met with The Charlie Ramsey Research Fund to see if we could help. Did you know? This very worthwhile local charity raises money for research for complex congenital heart defects, donates defibrillators to schools in the West Midlands and promotes vital organ donation.
Our SEO Manager John Hoey has worked with the charity for 5 years and our Videographer Kerry Hatfield’s brother was born with a congential heart condition, so the work The Charlie Ramsey Research Fund does is very close to our hearts.
2nd November – Meeting with The Charlie Ramsey Research Fund
On 2nd November The Marketing People had the pleasure of meeting with The Charlie Ramsey Research Fund and we are now committed to helping the charity, and raising awareness of the fantastic work they do.
The charity was set up to raise money for research into congenital heart disease in the hope that one day a cure can be found for all babies and children living with this terrible condition.
They also donate defibrillators to schools in the West Midlands, as this vital piece of equipment increases the individual’s chance of survival following the onset of a cardiac arrest.
Another objective of the charity is to promote organ donation; this amazingly generous act saves thousands of lives in the UK every year. To check if you are already on the organ donor list, or to register, click here.
Thank you to all the volunteers who selflessly give up their time to help those less fortunate.
We look forward to supporting The Charlie Ramsey Research Fund and hope that you will consider doing the same for this fantastic charity.
The Marketing People’s trip to Berlin for the Watercoolers Europe Conference & Trade Fair 2019 was a huge success, with a coveted award under our belts and our MD David Mitchell presenting a well-received workshop to attendees.
Running from 16th – 18th October at the Meliá Hotel in Berlin, the WE Conference & Trade Fair 2019 was a must for all those involved in the European Watercooler industry, whether a distributor, bottler or manufacturer/supplier.
There was a wide range of topical speakers and interactive workshops, plus the largest European Fair dedicated to the watercooler industry, where delegates could preview the latest innovations and developments, plus network with other industry professionals. Berlin offered the perfect backdrop to the event, and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the beautiful city.
The Marketing People have worked with and for clients in the watercooler industry for more than a decade, so it was a privilege to be invited to the flagship event. It was great to catch up with clients, and to meet so many new friendly faces.
David’s workshop, ‘B2B or B2C Marketing: One or the other, or are they converging?’ was a pinnacle talking point, so thank you to all attendees for being so engaged and for your participation.
The Gala Dinner & Aqua Awards was a spectacular evening as always. Our client, British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) was up for an award for Best Website, for the Public, Members and Conference websites that The Marketing People designed and developed.
Here is our presentation for the award:
We are so pleased to announce that BWCA scooped an impressive second place, with the international company Blupura taking first place. Huge congratulations to all shortlisted, and a very proud moment for our client and ourselves.
Thank you to everyone who made our trip so special, and we are extremely excited to announce we are an award-winning, integrated marketing agency.
How much time, effort and money are you wasting on marketing that doesn’t work? Watch our short video now to increase your return on investment (ROI) on all marketing campaigns.
The Marketing People’s Managing Director David Mitchell FCIM discusses the common mistakes many business owners make when marketing their products or services. Before going to market, stop and think about your business- your competitors, your sector, where you are now and where you want to be. This pre-marketing stage will ensure you clarify who you are, what you do, your target audience and their requirements, so you can capitalise on your ongoing marketing activities and increase your return on investment.
Stop wasting time and money. Watch our short video here:
Video: How Pre Marketing Can Help Your Business
Stop wasting money on Marketing that doesn’t work!
For your convenience, please find below a step-by-step guide to pre-marketing and how it can help your business:
Marketing isn’t getting Mary in reception to send some letters out, or do a few emails, or make a few phone calls. That’s not marketing. That’s just pushing some messages at somebody, trying to get some sales, and people are wise to that.
So, what is marketing?
According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing, it is, “The management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitability.”
Our version here at The Marketing People is, “Getting people to do what you want, and make them think it was their idea. To attract, engage, convince, and convert.”
So, over the years we’ve worked out a strategy to help people identify the best way to use their marketing, and develop their marketing.
Most people come to us and say, “I want some marketing doing. I need a brochure; I need a new website because mine isn’t working; I need some Google Ads; I need some Facebook Ads, or I need some search engine optimisation (SEO).” This is because they’re desperate to start getting more out of their marketing, and they’ve realised they’re losing their place in the market. Their competitors are gaining their business.
There’s a key step before all that.
This explains to you how you can get more out of your marketing investment and it not be a cost. It’s the pre-marketing step, which most people forget; not just small business owners that come in and see us, some big business owners, some corporate business owners, all those people who are middle management.
Most of the time we’re talking to the MDs and the CEOs so we can have a real down to earth conversation about what it is that the business requires, and we work against those objectives.
So, you want to do that- sit down and think about what your business is and where it sits. What are the key things, and your points of difference to your competitors?
Have a look at the pre-marketing step and this will really help you get more out of your marketing budget, and the resources you have.
Stop. Do not keep putting the cart before the horse. Most people do it, you’re not on your own.
Our pre-marketing materials can be downloaded from our website here.
But, here’s the short version.
Pre-marketing is all the green stuff that nobody’s doing. They’re all on the blue bit. They come in, “I want some direct marketing, I want an email campaign, I want my exhibition and events sorted. And, I need some pull-ups, pop-ups or whatever it is.” Well, what’s going to go on it? And what should be on there? Why should it be on there?
Who you are and what you offer. Your competitors. Your target audience- what do they want? Do you know what they want? Well you can find out; we can work it through. What is your name and your brand, and positioning? Is that correct in the sector that you’re in? So what do you need to say, and how do you need to say it to get those people to convert to be customers? To attract them in the first place, then engage, convince, and convert.
If you get all that right, when you do go to market for the SEO, for the AdWords, or the other bits that you think you should be doing, that’ll be on target. That’ll be in line with what it is that your potential customers want. You won’t waste your money. You’ll actually be utilising that budget effectively. So again, stop, go back and look at yourself from a competitor’s point of view as well. They’re looking at you. You should be looking at them.
So where are you now? Good question. Where is the business? Where are you not capitalising opportunities? Are there available elements within your marketing strategy to get more of the right type of client? What’s your steady type of client? The profitable ones? Where’s your cash cows? Which are the ones we need more of? How can we target them? What do they need from you?
And then, of course, where do you want to be? What are the objectives? What are your business needs? What are your targets? Let’s find out because then we can do something that makes it work. So, sit down and think about it and make a marketing plan. Have the right type of clients, but map that out, and then make a strategy to fit that so you achieve those objectives, not just waste money on stuff that you think might be a good idea or the next technology that’s coming out.
Okay, let’s fill that gap in the near future. We say near future because things change. People’s habits are changing the way they work, the way they buy. If it’s business-to-business, business-to-consumer, there is a certain model that you can use for both, but habits are changing, so be aware of that. Be adaptive and keep going back to this pre-marketing step.
It’s new tech, same principle. When it comes down to it, it’s pretty basic. I’m not going to give you loads of acronyms and techie things that are going to go, “You need this, you need that.” You don’t. What you need is the right mission statement. The right element to go through it. We know that we have strangers, to promoters, and there’s a cycle that people go through.
Every business goes through these stages. Basically, it’s quite simple: our objective working in a business is, we want to get strangers, to customers, to promoters. It doesn’t finish with the customer by the way; make sure after all the effort you’ve put in, in getting them, converting them, and getting them as a customer, that you then get them to promote you as well.
It’s nothing new. I’ve called it pre-marketing, because a lot of people miss that step, and it is before you start what most people consider the marketing elements. It’s nothing new, it’s the same old stuff. It’s just applied through different technologies and different ways of communicating, but it is a crucial step.
Sit down now and think about every time you’ve gone to your web designer and told him exactly what you want- you’ve told him how you want it to look and what kind of feel you want. Well, when people come to us and say that, I turn to them and say, “Well, the reason it isn’t working is your fault then.” Which isn’t meant to upset anybody, but it’s true. You’ve told someone what you wanted, and all they did was do what you said so you were happy, but is it what your customers need to enable you to develop your business?
Sales and marketing. Whatever channel- traditional, spoken, face-to-face, exhibition, whatever channel it’s on, it’s all the same stuff. It’s got a purpose to attract, engage, convince, and convert, and if it’s not doing that, then don’t waste your money.
Actually, strategically, if I was going to the doctors, because I’m not feeling very well, you’d go to the doctor, he’d tell you what’s wrong with you., and if he couldn’t fix it, you’d be off to the hospital, to professionals. Same with your accountant. Same with your solicitor. You’d be asking professionals, look, there’s an issue here, I need it fixing.
Marketing is a profession, not a hobby. It’s not something you can do in your spare time.
So, pre-marketing, think about it. It’s a crucial step. It’s going to help you. Whether you get in touch with us or not doesn’t matter, as long as you use this video to do something. The people who have been to our seminars have come away going, “Blooming hell, I didn’t realise how much I wasn’t doing in the first step, which could save me a fortune in cost.” It shouldn’t be a cost mark, it’s a good investment, if done properly. A bit like buying a property, you’ll target the right one, you’ll do your research, you’ll figure out it’s right. Do the same with your marketing.
Beat your competition. Get that horse in front of the cart.
Don’t tell any lies. Be polite, be honest, and in line with what the audience requirements are, not what you want.
Now, would you like marketing that’s going to actually earn you business?
If you’ve got some insights, or things that you think could help, then great, please comment below. If you’d like more information, then get in touch.
For marketing that focuses on a return on investment (ROI), call us today on 01543 495752 for a friendly chat to see how we might be able to help you.
Article first published 5th July 2019. Article updated 10th July 2019.
Burntwood Rugby Club’s Summer Ball 2019 is finally upon us. Tomorrow, 6th July at 7pm, Burntwood Rugby Club opens its doors for Staffordshire’s premier black-tie event.
We will be there
The Marketing People have proudly reserved a table at Burntwood Rugby Club’s Summer Ball 2019 and we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you.
We look forward to catching up with friends and clients, and we also love meeting new people, so please come and say hello.
The evening
Those of you lucky enough to get hold of a ticket to the Summer Ball 2019 are set for a fabulous evening.
Black-tie event
Dress to impress in black tie for the gentlemen and ball gowns for the ladies
Drinks reception
Whet your appetite for the evening with a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival
Three course dinner
Indulge in a delicious three course dinner courtesy of Perry’s Fine Foods
Table service
Place your drinks order with dedicated waiting staff throughout the evening
Fully stocked bar
Choose from an extensive list of white wines, red wines and rosé wines, plus a large selection of gins, beers, lagers, ciders, spirits and soft drinks
Live entertainment
Dance the night away with live music from Suzi and the Backbeats and DJ Rainbow Sounds
Raffle
Buy a raffle ticket and be in with a chance to win some fantastic prizes
How it’s looking – Events at Burntwood Rugby Club
The Marketing People have worked with Burntwood Rugby Club from conception, creating the Events at Burntwood Rugby Club brand to align with the improvements made at the Club.
The Marketing People then applied the professional Events at Burntwood Rugby Club brand across all marketing collateral, from stationery such as business cards, letterheads and compliment slips, to promotional materials like banners, flyers, menus, and the new Events website.
How it’s looking – Summer Ball 2019
Naturally, The Marketing People have been responsible for marketing the Summer Ball 2019.
Firstly, we worked on the strategy of how to promote the event, identifying the key messages to be used and writing relevant, targeted copy.
The Marketing People have managed the entire process of all printed material, from initial consultations, through to design, production and delivery.
We are responsible for the promotional marketing items, including posters and the eye-catching roadside banner, positioned on The Sportsway outside Burntwood Rugby Club.
Following this, The Marketing People designed and printed the Summer Ball tickets to align with the agreed artwork style.
We also worked on the Summer Ball 2019 welcome board, table plan, table numbers, menus and wine lists and even the fridge header vinyl graphics as a final nod to the professional presentation of the Events team, Burntwood Rugby Club and the Summer Ball itself. Despite several changes to the table plan, due to unexpected circumstances of the guests, we managed to get it completed in budget and on time.
The Marketing People published all online marketing campaigns for the Summer Ball, including blog posts and social media management, to raise awareness of the event, to showcase what to expect from the evening, and to promote ticket sales.
Unlike many other marketing agencies, we have been involved in the strategy and organisation of the Summer Ball 2019 from start to finish, even down to mapping out where toilet signs need to be displayed to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Thanks must go to Burntwood Rugby Club for continually entrusting The Marketing People to successfully promote their Club and their busy schedule of events.
Let’s have a ball
The hard work is now over and it’s time to reap the rewards of everyone’s efforts.
We hope you all have a brilliant evening at Burntwood Rugby Club’s Summer Ball 2019.
The Marketing People will be on Table Five, then we will be making the most of the live entertainment on the dance floor.
See you there.
9th July 2019
Amanda Mitchell & Emma Kempson from The Marketing PeopleJohn Dundon & The Marketing People’s David Mitchell
On Saturday 6th July Burntwood Rugby Club’s Summer Ball 2019 exceeded all expectations, as the event was executed perfectly all evening, and a great time was had by all. Here at The Marketing People, we had a fantastic evening and we are proud to have been involved in the whole organisation and promotion of the premier black-tie Summer Ball.
The Marketing People had a ball
It was lovely to spend time with friends and our clients. The Marketing People feel so lucky to be able to help so many businesses to reach their goals, and to form long-standing friendships along the way. Our team also enjoyed spending some quality time together outside of work. Thank you to everyone for making our evening so much fun.
Our hard work was worth it
The Marketing People received many congratulations throughout the evening for the successful marketing of the Summer Ball 2019, from the strategy to ensure the evening ran like a military operation, through to the beautiful printed collateral.
Our meetings with the team at Burntwood Rugby Club to discuss the organisation of the Summer Ball 2019 were invaluable, as every aspect of the evening was seamless, from the orderliness of members of staff, to the faultless table service.
The branded workwear, till digital display, notepads and fridge headers were received extremely well by the guests and staff, and cemented the Summer Ball as Burntwood’s premier black-tie event.
The welcome board, table plan, table numbers, menus and wine lists were a beautiful little touch to highlight the professional development of Events at Burntwood Rugby Club.
Need help promoting your event? Call our friendly team on 01543 495752 to ensure you are the talk of the town, for all the right reasons.
Let’s Do Business Expo 2019, organised by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, took place yesterday at Uttoxeter Racecourse and it was networking at its best. Leading the way for Staffordshire businesses, The Marketing People proudly exhibited at stand B60 and what a fantastic day it was for all.
Thank you
A huge thank you to the Chambers of Commerce for organising such a brilliant event. The expo ran seamlessly, with lots of support on hand and a whole host of useful keynote speakers and business growth seminars throughout the day.
Thanks must also go to everyone in attendance, both delegates and exhibitors. It was a brilliant turnout and the hugely popular event secured its place as the annual centrepiece of the local business scene for another year.
Speed networking
The Marketing People started off the flagship event the right way, speaking with over 50 organisations in under an hour.
Making so many new contacts in such a short space of time really got our juices flowing and we were raring to go once we got to our stand.
Exhibitors
The expo hosted over one hundred exhibitors, creating a platform for us all to promote our businesses in a thriving and inspirational environment. It was great for The Marketing People to network with fellow exhibitors in the local business community.
We had some really positive conversations with other exhibitors around their company’s marketing, and came away with lots of qualified leads and potential partnership working.
Delegates
As always, the exhibition attracted hundreds of delegates from a broad range of business sectors. The Marketing People made lots of new connections on the day and took the opportunity to do business with motivated, liked-minded individuals.
Get involved
The Chambers of Commerce promised a day of ‘connections, inspiration and enterprise’ at the Let’s Do Business Expo, and that it certainly was.
The County wide exhibition is just one of many excellent networking opportunities for you and your business, so why come along to future events?
We hope that everyone benefited from the expo- delegates and exhibitors alike- and we look forward to building relationships with the connections that we made yesterday.
If you would like to exhibit at future Chambers of Commerce events and need any help with your pull up banners, on-screen presentations or stationery for your stand we can help you. Ensure your website is SEO optimised and bringing real benefits to your business ahead of the event, to reap the rewards of your exhibition. Contact us now on 01543 495752 to see how we could work together.
We are pleased to announce that we have recently completed and passed Emergency First Aid at Work and Emergency Administration of Epinephrine Auto-Injector training, meaning that The Marketing People now exceed legal provision of first aid in the workplace.
Are you compliant?
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require you to provide ‘adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment, facilities and people, so your employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work.’ These regulations apply to all workplaces, but legislations differ depending on the circumstances.
Head to www.hse.gov.uk to find out how first aid affects your business and if you are compliant.
Who to choose?
If you do need to organise appropriate training, as an employer you will need assurance that you have selected a competent training provider.
This was a no-brainer for us. We have worked with D&A Education on many marketing projects, helping them to present their business and its services professionally. So far, we have: reviewed their business name; created their positioning statement and strapline; designed their logo; applied their brand ID to key stationery elements including business cards, letterheads, compliment slips, introducers, flyers, certificates and roller banners; purchased a relevant URL; designed and developed their website, and set up their e-mail accounts, just to name a few.
We continue to work with them to ensure their marketing is still benefiting their business and, as with many of our clients, we have built a friendly, long-lasting relationship with them. We believe in their business model and the training they provide, so it made sense to choose them to ensure we were complying with legislation.
We also arranged for them to use our company premises, as our upstairs room is spacious and comfortable- ideal for both the practical elements of the day and the educational aspect.
What’s the emergency first aid at work training like?
Our experience of first aid training was memorable, engaging and enjoyable whilst remaining professional, practical and productive.
Over the course of the day we were given a presentation on each aspect of first aid to be covered, then we performed hands-on practical exercises in our pairs, before being examined on them.
During the one-day course we covered CPR, how to treat an unconscious casualty, shock, minor injuries, wounds and bleeding, burns, fractures, epilepsy, diabetes and anaphylaxis, plus many more.
Following the practical examinations there was a written test to complete to ensure we had understood everything that we had been taught.
We did it!
We were delighted to find out we scored 100% on the day, meaning The Marketing People are going above current legislations for first aid provisions at work.
To ensure your business is compliant, contact D&A Education on 07951 996203 or visit www.daeducation.co.uk to find out how their wide range of tailored courses can benefit you.
If your marketing needs bringing back to life, call The Marketing People on 01543 495752 to arrange your free initial consultation. Work with us and know that your business- and your health- are in safe hands.
We are pleased to announce the acquisition of John Hoey Web Design.
At The Marketing
People, we are continually looking at ways to improve the benefits our services
provide our clients to achieve their particular business requirements and
objectives.
Enhancing our
existing in-house offering with a proven SEO expert, user-centred web designer
and developer who shares our business benefits focus and client service
approach, we are pleased to have John join us at The Marketing People as our
appointed SEO Manager.
Many clients had
informed us when switching to The Marketing People that they were not quite
sure what they were paying for when it came to their previous SEO provider, who
they had a distance relationship with and only received occasional reports from
them that they didn’t understand. Or, if their provider understood their
business and their objectives, they hadn’t seen the results they were promised
they would get when employing them.
SEO has changed
and continues to do so; it’s part of the marketing mix, not an afterthought
once the website has been designed and built. It should be considered at the
design stage for web design, and also any digital campaigns to drive inbound
leads and enquiries.
With this
acquisition, our collective current and future clients can continue to develop
their competitive edge in their sector and marketplace at all touch points for
potential and existing customers. Coupled with the marketing consultancy, brand
development, creative graphic design, digital marketing, web design, print and
promotional services we provide, SEO gives our clients the opportunity and
means to make their targeted brand and marketing work.
Put simply: marketing
is the key to any business success, and that investment in marketing by clients
should deliver the maximum return achievable. This acquisition is in line with
our collective objective to help clients do just that- to attract, engage,
convince and convert potential customers while maintaining existing clients.
To read John Hoey Web Design’s blog post please click here.
For more details, please get in touch with a member of our friendly team on 01543 495752.
Exhibiting at a trade show or event isn’t just about the day itself; there is a lot of preparation and follow-up work needed to make your exhibition as successful as possible.
So, how can you make the expense of exhibiting worth it for your business? Here are eight steps to running a smart exhibition campaign in a digital age.
1.Hatch the plan
So,
you’ve seen an exhibition that looks like it may be fruitful, and decided to
take the plunge. You book your space and you’re off.
Now
what? You need to create a marketing strategy that goes further than just your
objectives for that day, and this will determine how you go through the next seven
steps.
Consider
why you are taking on this exhibition: what do you hope to achieve, and who do
you hope to meet? How will people interact with you, and what will attract them
to the stand and then convince them to convert? Lay out all your plans, so that
throughout the next steps, you have something to revert back to.
Begin
to plan your stand and what is it going to look like. Consider the likes of pop
up banners, display stands, and perhaps even lighting and flooring, depending
on what space your package includes. These things can take a little while to
design, produce and be delivered or installed, so it may be worth getting these
in motion early, so they are ready in time for your exhibition (and it leaves
plenty of time for any issues that may crop up to be dealt with.)
By setting up the goals and pipeline now, you have something solid to keep referring back to so, though your plans on how to achieve it may change, your goals won’t.
2. Lay the groundwork
Now
you have your plan, you can begin to lay out the very beginnings of the
groundwork. Think about following the event on social media, and posting that
you will be attending.
Start
to mention it to your clients in conversation, as well as if you are out
networking, that you will be attending the event.
Start to assess your social media and website to ensure they are all updated, as you will hopefully be experiencing more traffic over the next few weeks. Do you have the best images on your social and the correct contact information? Does your website have up to date branding, messages and products? Take the time to sort the foundation out before you begin to look at adding offers and such on to the website and social networks.
3. Build the suspense
Now
people know that you are attending this event, build on it. Perhaps post a blog
to show your team preparing goody bags for the show, or a little bit of what
your stand will look like. Now would be a good time to announce any on-stand
offers you will be running too, to give people motivation to go. You could also
include links to where people can book tickets, and find out more about the
event.
You can then share this blog across your social media, with the announcement of your offers, and where people can buy tickets, as well as beginning to connect with other exhibitors who will be there on the day.
4. Edge your bets
Our very own David Mitchell & Pushpa Alexander from Headz Up Business
You will have picked this show no doubt because of the attendees you will have visit your stand, and it is true that nothing attracts people to your stand more than a crowd. Which is why inviting your current customers to come and visit you on the stand is always a good idea.
This
could be through an email, or a direct mail campaign to your clients, detailing
where you are exhibiting and when. This can be as an all-guns-blazing marketing
email showcasing all of the on-stand offers you have available, or it could be
a simple email to say you are attending so may not be able to respond to email
that day, but they could come and join you for a day of fun instead.
Some of your customers or clients you may have never actually met face-to-face before, so this could be a great time to put a face to a name. If you have enough people on your stand, and you are at an event near some of your clients, it may be a good idea to arrange a meeting at the event and utilise the time you are there.
5. Prepare your troops
David & Amanda Mitchell having fun at the Expo
Depending on the size of your company, you could have your whole team attending the expo, or perhaps a dedicated handful of exhibiting experts, but whatever the size or experience of your troops, you need to ensure a number of things before you set off for the event.
Is
there a sufficient brief?
Does
your team know what you want to achieve from the day, and how you expect them
to do this? Everyone needs to be on the same page, and have a clear picture of
what you are all working towards.
Have
specific roles been set out?
Do
you have people who are better at grabbing the attention of passers-by, who
have the knowledge to know the difference between a lead and a ‘just browsing’?
Do you have experts who can take over these quality leads? Do you have a
representative who will be arranging follow-up appointments? Do you have
someone who is going to be managing your social on the day, and gaining images
for future marketing purposes? Who is managing your team, and ensuring people
take breaks etc?
Do
you have offers in place?
If you have offers in place, make sure your team knows them inside out. There is nothing more frustrating for attendees (or embarrassing for your team) than staff members having to ask each other the details of an offer.
6. Ride the wave
All set up and ready to go
It’s finally here, and its exhibition time, so what do you do? Enjoy it! With your objectives in mind, talk to as many people as possible, collect as much information as possible, whilst making use of all the tools you have available to you.
Use
your social channels to send out a few blasts on your day- how people can find
you, why people should pop over to your stand, and if people aren’t there, what
they are missing out on.
There are plenty of live streaming options available now which could be done straight from your phone, such as Periscope or Facebook Live. This works especially well if you are running a competition on your stand, and broadens your exhibition audience to those who aren’t at the exhibition.
7. The next step
In
no way is the exhibition the last step, and this is where most people fall
down.
You
have done this exhibition for a reason, and we can bet that the majority of
your objectives relate to gaining leads or increasing brand awareness. Yes,
some of this is done at the exhibition, but the bulk of the work is done when
you get back to the office, and you have to close those leads, or take
advantage of any awareness you’ve gained.
So,
let’s break this down on how you can fully capitalise on the opportunities you
now have at your fingertips.
First and foremost, schedule your time efficiently
If
you are out of the office for a day or two, you are most likely going to head
back to a pile of paperwork, and a bulging inbox. Add this on to all the extra
exhibition work you wouldn’t normally be completing, and you can end up in a
mess rather quickly.
Manage
your time, and work with your managers and your team to prioritise the tasks on
your to-do list. It is easy to panic and flap, and never call back anyone who
left their details with you, but by managing your time when you return (or even
planning it before you go) you can complete your own work, plus make the most
of these extra opportunities.
Follow up your leads
This
is a bit of a no-brainer, but if people have genuinely shown interest in your
products or services, then talk to them. Whatever your method of sale, go for
it: you have qualified leads you have met face-to-face who have said they are
interested. You are not going to get a better time than that to approach
people.
Social media
You
may have spoken to several people at the exhibition who have not shown
immediate interest in your product, but may do in the future, or you may have
just had a good chat, and it’s worth staying connected. This is where social
media is great, as you can connect but there is no sales pressure. You can
still see what their company is up to, and when might be a good time to
approach them in the future. It is also great exposure for you as well if the
event has had some buzz, and you can join in on the conversation.
Blog
What
happened at the exhibition? Tell people about it. If you decide to do this all
again next year, why should people come and seek you out? Show them what great
fun it was, and post your blog on social media. This may get shared by other
people who attended, and drive more traffic back to your website.
Email
All
that hard work you’ve put into the blog? Re-use that content and send an email
out to your marketing list. Tell them how great the expo was and if they can
still take advantage of any exhibition offers.
Website
If
you did have on-stand offers that were advertised on your website, then make
sure they are taken back down. Now would be the time to add any valuable
knowledge you gained at the expo on to your website. Perhaps several people
asked you the exact same question. Is this worth adding a new page for? Writing
a blog about it? Or even just adding a quick note to your FAQs? If you are
driving more people back to your website through social media, blog and emails,
then make sure it really provides all the information a customer needs to make
their decision.
Feedback to all
Speak to your team, and to anyone involved, and let them know the outcome. What did they achieve? Did you complete your objectives? What will you be doing differently next year? By not feeding back, any motivation for the next event will be depleted, and general atmosphere can drop if people feel the really hard work of the last few days has gone un-noticed and un-appreciated.
8. Want to get really smart?
If
you have a little spare time, and spare budget, it may be worth considering a
360 video ready for virtual reality. Reach more people than just your
exhibition audience, by showcasing your stand in all its glory. Or perhaps
create a more immersive experience for those who visit your stand by letting
them experience your product in virtual reality, or let people tour your whole
showroom without ever leaving your stand.
How we can help
Let us help you with your marketing materials
Are you exhibiting this year? We can help you from the initial planning of your stand, to the creation of your stand, and the follow up afterwards.
If you require any stationery for your stand, we
can help to design and produce leaflets, business cards, feedback forms or any
other printed media. Pull up banners can be really effective if designed
properly, so speak to us to make sure they are eye-catching and impactful.
We can create on-screen presentations so that
people visiting your stand can find out a little more about your products or
services in a succinct and persuasive manner.
As mentioned in the blog, it is important that your
website and social pages are up to date before you exhibit, as you will
certainly be getting more traffic to your site following the event. We can take
the hassle out of this for you and update and improve your website before and
after the big day.
To ensure you are getting seen online, take
advantage of our free SEO initial audit. We add real value to any SEO contract
we provide by offering monthly reports and meetings to monitor and manage your
ranking, making changes to the copy writing or anything else needed to boost
your listing.
Get
your marketing strategy right and reap the rewards of exhibiting. If you’d like
to have a friendly chat on how we could work together, call us today on 01543
495752.
Our cost effective essential marketing package is here & you won’t believe how much is in it!
We provide real, tangible, effective marketing forethought to everything we do, even for this, our more economical marketing package in ‘the essentials range’.
Our essentials range is a selection of marketing services including loads of great stuff for business growth. Our years of knowledge and experience are condensed into effective but affordable add on product packages.
This marketing package is suitable for new start-up businesses or those who need to take an established business to the next level of professional credibility.
One of these projects, ‘Vertu Chauffeurs’, was a superb essential marketing package to work on. It included everything from our entry level service. Just have a quick look below at the full list of what we do!
Of course, you can add things to this if you want to, but just see what you can achieve from this basic proposition. I think you will agree, the results can be fabulous.
The Essential Marketing Package – Amazing Marketing, Amazing Price!!!
consultation
market positioning
quick competition analysis
quick target audience profiling
logo development, professional graphic design
500 business cards professionally designed and printed for you
500 business flyers professionally designed and printed for you
advice on written copy and images (add ons available)
digital stationary
4-page website
fully responsive website to market your business on all screen sizes from desktops to tablet, to mobile phones, your customers can understand your proposition quickly and easily, wherever they are
GDPR data compliance and cookie law pages on top of this
a BLOG also attached over and above your website, for you to create endless pages of content, SEO development, news, stories, products, pictures, videos and much, much more
full administrational access to your website and blog, so you don’t need to keep calling us if you need to change small aspects of your site.
support in your hosting for as long as you stay with us
SSL certified, improves SEO, shows the world your website is secure, google friendly
Professional business email, to match your website URL
12 months hosting free then £9.99 per month thereafter
Full site ownership once completed, so you don’t pay a retainer and you are not in a contract, you can move the hosting if you need to!
All the essential marketing package above for only £1,180+vat and realistically if all the written copy and images are ready to go, we can have this done for you easily within 3 working days! We recommend you take your time writing your copy and finding the right images, but we can get you up and running with your new look and effectively marketed business quickly.
And we can do much, much more – Essential Plus
Essentials Plus Can include all or any of the options below and more, just add them on.
options for us to write your copy
take your photos
be on hand to provide more services
social media graphics
account set up & automation
social media training
social media campaigns
marketing workshops for you business colleagues or group
blog training/access, administration, even tagging and SEO optimisation of your blogs
IFTT set up/exchange email accounts
pop up banners
exhibition stands
exhibition marketing
catalogues/brochures/introducers
larger websites
e-commerce sites
full business rebrands
business repositioning exercises
ad campaigns, online and offline
bespoke marketing consultation for theory direction and business strategy
quick and easy business card and flyer top-up packages
retainer marketing packages available, bespoke to objectives, campaign and strategy for tactical output
in fact, if you can think of it and you allow us to validate this against your business objectives, we can create just about anything!
Integrated marketing services that are proven to deliver results.
Get in touch if you are serious about improving your marketing returns.
Call 01543 387 047
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