Three considerations Marketers must make when re-engaging in events and tradeshows.

The pandemic has obviously forced marketers to adjust their strategies for reaching prospects and customers. Now, as events and trade shows are gearing back up, marketers should consider the following as they re-engage with customers in person.

ONE:

Understand your customers’ new frame of mind. Your customers have changed the way they shop, the way they do business and how they spend their money.  As you plan to engage with them again, face-to-face, you need to understand how their perception of your brand has changed (vs. 2 years ago) and what they expect from you now.  To do this, you can conduct sample surveys of your customers to better understand their new perspective.  In this survey you can ask questions such as:

1. 1. How has your opinion of (“x brand”) changed over the last 2 years?
      1. If your opinion has changed, what influenced your perspective?
   2. Do you have any concerns about (“x brand”) providing what you need in the future? Yes/no
      1. If yes, what are your concerns?
   3. Do you see your needs for (“x brand”) products or services changing?

Of course, you can ask any specific questions that you feel are needed but keep the survey short and to the point.  The most important thing is that you get a good read about the changed opinions of your customers.  Then, take that information and modify your show or event messaging to address what you have learned.

For example:  If your customers indicate a concern for product availability, you might alter your messaging to include “immediate delivery” or “products in stock.”  However, if you are having issues with product delivery, you should be honest and suggest “some items may have delayed availability.”

For a service-based business, you might learn that your customers have grown more sensitive to the cost of your services.  In that case, you may alter your show messaging to indicate pricing flexibility or free add-on services.

TWO:

Don’t be afraid to share what the pandemic has meant to your business. When any business navigates difficult situations that are out of their control, it is critical that you communicate how you have adjusted to address those challenges.  When you are face-to-face with your customers at an event or trade show, you can:

1. 1. Share examples of how your business re-scoped operations to ensure customer satisfaction.
   2. Provide insights through stories or articles that share how you have altered your business model to accommodate unpredictability.
   3. Share success stories of how you overcame unusual pandemic-related hurdles and delivered for your customers.

THREE:

Don’t ever forget to ask your customers for their business more now than ever. Your customers have been navigating these tough times just like you and they will have an appreciation for trying to get things back to “Normal.”  For those of you with a B2B model, your customers are asking for business from their customers.  So, when you get a face-to-face moment with them, don’t forget to ask for the sale and even go by reminding them how much their support means to you.  You don’t want to come off as being desperate, but you do want to show your appreciation for a decision to buy from you. The power of sincere appreciation can go a long, long way.