Over the last 28 years, we have seen (and given out!) our fair share of printed marketing material. There was certainly a time when literature was a must at trade shows and events. Attendees expected to walk away with company, product, and service information for further review and a way to get in contact after the show. We started seeing a decline in printed materials about 10 years ago when attendees were frustrated with the weight and amount of material they were having to carry with them during the show and bringing home afterwards, and marketers where frustrated that too much of their collateral was going in the trash. With the introduction and continuous advancement of technology, everyone - attendees and exhibitors alike - is wanting and expecting digital content.
If you haven’t embraced it yet, you should! Digital content is flexible, up-to-date, saves you money, and provides you leads! Say goodbye to print and hello to digital for any (or all) of these reasons:
1. Cost! Your marketing content will need to be designed regardless of how it is provided to your prospects, but printed materials cost more. You need to pay for the printing of the brochure or handbook, as well as the shipping and material handling to and from the shows. This adds up over time.
2. Green! Skip printing, and you are helping to protect the environment and sustain natural resources for current and future generations. This is especially the case when your collateral goes from your hands to the attendees’ hands and then straight to the trash. What a waste!
3. Updates! Since the content is managed digitally, it can be easily and quickly be updated (in most cases). You will avoid those days when you threw away boxes of outdated printed material, or when you paid expedited fees to print materials the day before the show because you were waiting on a final piece of content.
4. Now! Just like print, you can provide the content to the visitor immediately. Instead of placing something in their hand, which can be lost or thrown away, you are sending it directly to their inbox. They don’t have to worry about misplacing anything – it’s there and ready for them at any time! It also makes it easier for your sales team when they follow-up with their prospects and they can account for who they sent what to.
5. Links! With digital content, you can include highlighted links to other pieces of information and your web site, which makes this even more effective! Not only are you leading them to the information they requested, you are providing ways to engage them with other products, services, and company information.
6. Leads! If your content is relevant and desirable, the right prospects will want it and be willing to provide their contact information to get it. At the end of the show, you can walk away with your contact’s information, e-mail address, and the specific information they requested to be sent to them. Talk about a warm lead!
Digital content can be shared across a variety of devices (such as phones, tablets, and laptops) and delivered direclty into the attendee’s inboxes before they even leave your booth - talk about opting in! If you want to make your interactions EVEN MORE engaging, incorporate interactive technology into your event program. Interactive technology achieves every single event trend we’ve discussed, offering personalized, engaging experiences that weave digital content seamlessly into the attendee experience.
By incorporating digital marketing into your event program, your prospects will have access to up-to-date, current information with a simple click of the button. In return, you will walk away from the show with the contact information of your hottest leads. Going digital makes it easy for them and for you!
Author:
Alison James, Event Marketer & Brand Enthusiast
Alison has been with Apple Rock for 13 years. She is not only an industry expert, but also an experienced brand ambassador for all her clients. When she is not working hard for her clients, she is enjoying the thrills of parenthood, along with her husband, to their son.