Trade Shows: Using Postcards to Your Advantage

Handing out gear at a trade show attracts customers. No doubt. The handouts give the client something to be interested in and they will hopefully become a customer. In place of distributing weighty and awkward kits at a trade show throughout the year, which will probably be put in the garbage, give away postcards with interesting offers on them. By using this method, you will get more interested customers. Gain the best results for your postcard marketing campaign at fairs and trade shows by following these instructions.

Step 1:

Be aware of what your customers want. A postcard is simply a large business card. If you only provide a postcard with the same info as a business card, you will not get new clients as a result. It will cost money and it will be ineffective in bringing new customers to you. Your possible clients for the future want to get an interesting postcard offer about your products and services. Trade show audiences are large and provide many opportunities to make new contacts and increase sales. To attract people to your booth, include some kind of special offer or discount coupon on the post card announcing your trade show presence.

Step 2:

Try not to give them something for nothing in return. Giving away freebies to attract new customers is almost always a bad idea. You will only interest the people who want a free gift and they won't buy your merchandise or visit your store. Consider placing a coupon on your postcard that says "buy one and second one is 50% off". At the minimum, trade show attendees will be encouraged to buy for a benefit. (In addition, you will not be handing out all your products for no gain.)

Step 3:

Offer a free service. Postcards that invite the prospect to contact you for more information almost always work better than expensive and bulky kits that give every detail about your business. Offer the prospect a free service when they contact you, like a free consultation or a private screening. Keep in mind that this shouldn't cost you anything at all. The postcard should have your contact information on there and the main aspects of what your company does so the customers can see how valuable your services are at these tradeshows you attend.

Step 4:

Offer a complimentary gift with purchase. Don't just give freebies to everyone who walks by your booth at the tradeshow. Only offer the free gift to customers who actually make a purchase. Put a listing on the postcard of all the addresses that are used by your business and invite your customers to stop and visit, make a purchase and get a free gift. This will draw them to your business and give them a chance to learn about the products and services you have, thus prompting them to buy more than they originally planned. Buying such things is worth the free gift you talked about on your postcard.

Step 5:

Offer customers exclusive advantages on the card. Drawing customers in with special privileges available to postcard holders is one way to improve your postcard marketing efforts. For instance, you can have an after-hours night for VIP postcard invitees where you will be having one-of-a-kind sales on products (and maybe some snacks and champagne). Inviting clients to a special event at a tradeshow is a good way to build interest. This will get new customers who are interested in what you are selling and are ready to drive to see your location. Use a postcard with a special invitation to bring people to your store and it will be a bigger success than a cumbersome kit.

About the Author:
Tiffany Provost writes about marketing and other business tips for HowToDoThings.com.