If it Ain’t Broke…Fix it Anyway

The aphorism, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is sound, practical advice … that isn’t.  

If you own a car, manage an IT network, or run a business, you know that “preventative maintenance” keeps inexpensive problems from becoming expensive ones.

Trade show engagement programs also need “preventative maintenance” so they can easily and quickly adapt to changing attendee expectations, a changing marketplace, and a changing world.

However, after experiencing trade show success, some Marketing Executives adopt an “ain’t-broke/don’t-fix” attitude.  It gives them one less thing to worry about.

Which is fine … until it isn’t.

Does this mean companies must scrap previous trade show strategies and start fresh each time?  Not at all.

Here are three proven preventative maintenance tactics that inject forward motion into trade show engagement programs:

  1. Reinforce the Front Line:  If a rep talks on a show floor, and there are no attendees in the booth to hear them, do they still make a sale?  Trained Professional Engagers expertly intercept attendees in the aisles, use predetermined criteria to identify qualified prospects, and connect them with reps to have detailed sales conversations.  
  2. Enhance Storytelling:  There’s a big world of trade show engagement ideas out there to fit all types of messaging.  As the world evolves, so must your storytelling. Consider adding interactive media, sensory activities, one-to-many edutainment, or cause marketing (to name only a few) into your marketing mix.   
  3. Extend the Experience:  1) Video is the #1 way people prefer to experience the Internet. 2) Social Media craves content. 3) Tradeshows and events are the perfect place to generate relevant video content to feed social media channels for months. BONUS: Gathering that video can also become a great booth attract.

To conclude, ask yourself three questions:

  1. What are your desired trade show outcomes?
  2. What are you doing to achieve them?
  3. Are you willing to wait until they “break” to “fix” them?

Now substitute the word ”furnace” for “trade show” … and ask again.